Visiting with Pets

Every holiday season we see the sad consequences of a tragic altercation between pets in the home. Many times the more injured pet dies or is euthanized. Now one pet parent has lost their beloved pet due to the actions of another pet. A joyous family gathering is now tainted with anger, guilt and sadness. Sometimes these are altercations are between family pets who normally get along. The stress of having large numbers of strange people in their home can cause one anxious pet to redirect that anxiety towards another pet.

Often the history indicates that one of the pets, usually a dog, was visiting with its owner for the holidays. I know it's appealing to bring your furry buddy traveling with you when you visit family for the holidays. However, there are a number of reasons why this may go horribly wrong. Unless you often travel with your dog, a sudden trip means a disruption of the usual routines. This can make even the most well adjusted dog feel anxious. They arrive at a new house where chaos is happening and they don't know what to do. The owner is distracted greeting the family and now the dog is not being monitored. Resident pets are often distressed at finding a new animal in their environment. Both cats and dogs can be very territorial and may respond to a visiting pet defensively or aggressively. In multiple dog households, there will be a pack hierarchy. To suddenly toss a new dog into the mix upsets that, resulting in dog fights.

Many people are not comfortable with the presence of a new pet in their midst. The resident pet owner has their own pet care routines and may have valid reasons for not wanting to disrupt them.

Also, let's be realistic about the true nature of our pets. As much as we would like our furry babies to think like humans, they do not. Dogs are hard wired to chase cats and cats are hard wired to hunt birds. No matter how well trained they are, you cannot change that. A visiting dog with no experience interacting with cats will react instinctively. As soon as that cat hisses, it's game on! Even a young dog trying to be playful may be too rough for a cat or small dog. Especially since the dog's habit is to roll their "prey" on their back and gnaw on their belly. Sometimes the cat will get the upper paw on a puppy or small dog, often resulting in a scratch to an eye. As for cats and birds, a determined cat will wait patiently for the perfect opportunity to get that bird, no matter how long it takes.

If you have reasons you need to bring your pet, be a good guest! Talk to your host about how best to monitor interactions between the pets to avoid altercations. If your dog is accustomed to having a crate at home, see about bringing it with you. If you are traveling with a cat, ask about a space where the cat can have some alone time. If your pet has special needs, bring everything you need with you.

For a healthy pet with no special needs, perhaps the best choice is to leave them at home with a trusted caretaker. I say a trusted caretaker because the other tragedy I have seen more than once is a pet who was completely neglected by someone who agreed to look after the pet and then didn't. I personally don't understand this at all! Don't trust a family member or a friend who has not cared for pets before. Be realistic about who you approach to care for your pets while you are away. If that person isn't reliable on a good day, they are NOT going to suddenly become reliable because you asked them to care for your pet. If you have any doubts about your chosen caretaker's level of responsibilty, please consider a professional petsitting service. Not all petsitting services are created equally so ask your veterinarian who they recommend.