We look forward to the deliciousness of the holiday season for many reasons — special meals and drinks, seasonal treats, the warmth of loved ones gathered close. Our pets feel that warmth too. Those soft eyes appear under the table, the gentle nose nudges at our knees, and it’s tempting to share a little of everything we’re enjoying. But several of the foods that grace our holiday tables can make a beloved cat or dog very sick — and a few of them can be truly dangerous.
This gentle guide is meant to be tucked away in the back of your mind as the season approaches, so you can keep your pets safe without dimming any of the joy. Below are the foods we’d ask every guest to keep out of reach.
The Foods to Keep Off the Table
- ✧ Chocolate & Cocoa The darker the chocolate, the more dangerous — baking chocolate and cocoa powder are the worst. Even small amounts can cause vomiting, tremors, racing heart, and seizures in dogs and cats.
- ✧ Grapes, Raisins & Currants Found in fruitcakes, stuffing, and trail mix. Even a few can trigger sudden kidney failure in dogs, and they’re considered unsafe for cats as well.
- ✧ Onions, Garlic, Leeks & Chives Hidden in gravies, stuffing, casseroles, and seasoned meats. They damage red blood cells and can cause anemia, especially in cats, who are far more sensitive than dogs.
- ✧ Xylitol (Birch Sugar) A sugar substitute slipped into “sugar-free” cookies, gum, peanut butter, and many baked goods. Even tiny amounts can cause a dangerous drop in blood sugar and liver failure in dogs.
- ✧ Alcohol & Eggnog Even a few licks of spiked punch, eggnog, or rum-soaked desserts can affect a small pet quickly. Alcohol poisoning in cats and dogs is far more severe than in people.
- ✧ Fatty Trimmings, Gravy & Turkey Skin Rich, fatty scraps are one of the most common holiday culprits behind pancreatitis — a painful, sometimes life-threatening inflammation that often sends pets to the emergency clinic on holiday weekends.
- ✧ Cooked Bones Especially poultry bones. They splinter into sharp shards that can perforate the mouth, throat, or intestines. Save the wishbone for the kids, not the dogs.
- ✧ Macadamia Nuts Just a few can cause weakness, tremors, and fever in dogs. All nuts are best kept away — the high fat content alone can upset sensitive bellies.
- ✧ Raw Bread Dough Unbaked yeast dough rises inside the warm stomach, causing painful bloat and producing alcohol as it ferments. A holiday baking accident worth being mindful of.
- ✧ Lilies (a special note for cat families) Not a food — but worth mentioning. Holiday bouquets often contain lilies, which are extraordinarily toxic to cats. Even pollen brushed onto fur and groomed off can cause kidney failure. Keep them out of the house entirely.
Signs to Watch For
If your pet has gotten into something they shouldn’t have, the early signs are usually the same: vomiting, diarrhea, sudden lethargy, drooling, tremors, trouble walking, or a refusal to eat or drink. With chocolate or xylitol, signs can appear within thirty minutes; with grapes or fatty foods, sometimes not for hours.
If you suspect ingestion of anything on this list, don’t wait to see if it passes. Call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. The earlier you reach out, the better the outcome — and most clinics would much rather hear from you over a small worry than a serious one.
The kindest gift you can give your pet at the holidays is a quiet bowl of their own — and a watchful eye on what falls from the table.
A Note from Inara
Holidays are tender, busy times — doors opening and closing, guests offering little nibbles, plates left briefly within reach. The simplest precaution is the kindest: give your pets their own special meal of something safe and savory, kept in a quiet corner away from the bustle. A spoonful of plain cooked turkey breast (no skin, no seasoning), some warmed bone broth, or a handful of their usual food made into a little “feast” turns them into part of the celebration without putting them at risk.
From all of us at Inara — may your holidays be warm, your tables full, and your sweet companions safe and snoring at your feet by the end of the evening.
