Chunk the Barn Cat, is keeping a watchful eye.

 From Halloween to the Super Bowl, we are surrounded by a tremendous amount of food that is specifically tied to a variety of celebrations. We often go out of our way to have extra special meals around each event, often inviting extra people and not always confining our meals to the dinner table. We love to share these meals and experiences with family and friends, we also find we have a desire to share with our animal friends.

How can we do this safely?

The easy answer is that our pets know nothing of holidays and celebrations except that we are behaving differently. We should feed them on their normal food at their normal time in the normal way. This of course is easier said than done. Just picture yourself in the kitchen after pulling the turkey out of the oven, testing the temperature, the tempting aroma filling the air and not taking a small sampling right then and there. We likely find ourselves giving in to temptation… just a little bit…it’s delicious. As we savor, we see big, hungry eyes staring up at us.

There are all sorts of ways people feed their pets. Some feed kibble only with no treats at all and certainly no people food, others feed kibble with just a little something extra (pet treats or a little “table scrap”) here and there. Some may feed a mixed diet of canned, kibble, people foods, whatever falls on the floor during cooking. Some of you may have transitioned to home cooking or even some form of raw diet.

None of these diets necessarily makes it any easier to abruptly feed them these “strange” foods like you might serve at: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and yes, even the Super Bowl (don’t tell me you have forgotten the pizza, beer, and nachos!). Although some of the foods we eat may cause harm it is just as likely that feeding something so different can cause upset.

What causes these dietary upsets often has to do with the differences in what is found in parts of the Guaranteed Analysis (fat content/ carb content are the most obvious examples). The worry about switching an animal’s regular diet abruptly because they might get “sick” is exactly the same thing. There are many causes to this type of problem. Every animal has a combination of “digestive juices” (enzymes, microorganisms, etc.) in their intestines and depending on their regular diet they may have higher or lower levels of these “juices”. Enzymes and microorganisms break down proteins, carbs, fats, and some types of fibers. Often when there is a quick diet change the levels in their system can’t handle the new percentages of what is being thrown at them. This is not including things that may actually be toxic and an immediate danger to an animal’s well-being.

Basically, that means before you have your animals share in your feast you need to consider not only whether the ingredient is safe but whether the food is so different that it can cause digestive upset.

This does nothing to address the fact that we, as humans, frequently wildly overindulge this time of year… Taking a basic example; A 50lb adult dog in generally good health and neutered may need somewhere around 880 kcalories a day and that can vary quite a bit based on other considerations. (WSAVA Calorie Chart) An adult male human in generally good health and moderate activity level may need approximately, 2600 kcalories (Choosemyplate.gov). How much of that sweet potato casserole is a serving for the dog? How much for the man? Good luck!!

Let’s make an assumption here, you are going to do it. Some of you may do fantastically well, avoiding giving your animal’s anything that doesn’t specifically say their species or breed on the container of food. That doesn’t mean your guests may not slip them something or maybe the kid’s table has a spill, and your furry vacuum cleaner is right there to help out in cleanup. Or maybe, you have a pesky counter surfer that likes to help themselves.

So, let’s dig in!

 This is a wonderful friend of mine, Castor the Maine Coon Cat.

Types of animals and what might work for them:

DOG (facultative/ adaptive carnivore) – dogs are carnivores that scavenge for whatever they need. Most of the time their daily meals, living with humans, are higher in carbs than protein and fat and often they have poultry as the primary meat source. Knowing this, if you are going to share your meal here are a list of things you can be reasonably sure will be “safe”.

Turkey/chicken/ duck – clean meat (no skin, no bone) the skin will affect the fat content and could have inappropriate seasonings and you should never give cooked poultry bones which are much more likely to splinter.

Other meats – Beef, Pork, Venison, etc…. as a general rule most of these meats are perfectly healthy and fine in small servings but no fat trimmings or seasonings basically that means no ham. Ham is one of the fatty cuts and it is loaded with lots of extras that are not great. If you happen to be having something like pork loin chops, that would be a suitable choice. Fish must be cooked.

Canned Pumpkin – is a wonderful source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. (No pumpkin pie filling) dogs do not need any extra sources of sugar outside the actual pumpkin.

Green beans – a fiber source and something often recommended for weight management; this does not mean green bean casserole. Dogs can’t have any onions and the cream will probably be a level of fat they are not used to having in their everyday diet.

Sweet Potatoes – like pumpkin a great source of both types of fiber. They don’t need candied yams or sweet potato dishes; the extra sugar will do them no favors.

Stuffing – No, they don’t need bread, or onions and the fat content is surprisingly high.

Cranberries – No, most folks are actually serving cranberry flavored jam, too much sugar.

Other No No’s – onions, macadamia nuts, grapes, raisins, alcohol, coffee, sugar, chocolate (especially dark), gravy (unless you get pet specific gravy, too many potential negative ingredients in traditional gravy), fat trimmings, grease, cooked poultry bones.

Maybes – organ meat, turkey necks (if raw, kept refrigerated until consumed, and your animal is already accustomed to eating them), yogurts, cottage cheese, various egg dishes. These things can be safe depending on your animal’s past experiences and your experience level in feeding a “real” food diet.

Remember small portions, and that these things are going to be high in calorie so reduce their regular food accordingly.

The best option is to go to your local pet food expert and find a prepared diet (dry, canned, frozen, freeze dried), that allows you to feel like they are sharing the experience.

CAT/ FERRET (obligate carnivore) – This means that they are obligated to eat meat. If you have a brave cat not hiding in the closet or under a bed during the festivities, there are some things they can sample.

Meat – Unseasoned plain meats: chicken, turkey, duck, beef, venison; all good by itself with no skin, bone, or seasoning.

Eggs – yes, any way they like it without extras. Wash the shell before cracking if you are serving raw and be sure to whisk thoroughly.

Cottage cheese/ yogurt – plain, are a great source of protein, calcium, and the right kind of fat, also lower in lactose.

Pumpkin – If they get a little it’s ok. Too much fiber can make it difficult for them to digest other food items.

No No’s – Everything on the dogs list with a bigger emphasis on the onions and the sugar. Anemia is a real concern with onions and cats do not have the enzymes to break down simple sugars well.

Portions for cats and ferrets can be as small as a lick and probably no more than about 3oz.

RATS/MICE/HAMSTERS (omnivores) -This means they are more like us. It doesn’t mean to dump a plate in their cage. A small sliver of meat or egg (unseasoned), a tiny bit of a variety of vegetables (some exceptions), and small decorative gourds can be fun (nick it a little bit and watch them try to get to the seeds in the middle). Just remember to remove any unused portions to avoid spoiling. Sweets can cause tummy troubles.

RABBITS/GUINEA PIGS (herbivores) – A small portion of plain greens or a bit of plain sweet potato will hit the spot. A very small portion of an apple or pear can be a tasty treat if it is a very small portion. A slice or two of a strawberry would also hit the spot, this has the added benefit of providing a little extra vitamin C for the guinea pig (guinea pigs, like humans cannot synthesize their own vitamin C and have to get it from their diet).

There are a lot of other critters out there, but their requirements are so varied I cannot go into them all. If you feel like I should add a critter let me know or drop me a line if you want to talk about them.

These are just some quick suggestions.

I operate an informational website on pet care, work at training staff on animal nutrition, and writing articles on how to read the labels of foods, treats, and chews we feed our animals. I have a bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University in Animal Industries with a minor in Community Outreach Education with 19 years’ experience. Any questions just ask.