Seasons Greetings! This is turning out to be an expensive holiday season, as prices of, well, everything, have risen drastically in recent years. If you’re working with a tight budget for buying gifts, read on! A local Chesapeake, VA vet offers some low-cost options for pet gifts in this article.
Fluffy’s Things
Kitties have the interesting ability to be both extremely demanding and extremely easy to please at the same time. Fluffy will be thrilled with a cat tower, catnip mice, or a new bed. Fortunately for us, all of these things are fairly easy to make. You can create a fun kitty condo out of cardboard boxes, or turn an old sweater into a bed. Cat towers take more work, but can be made out of upcycled stepladders or shelf systems.
Fido
One easy option is to make Fido a rope toy out of an old tee shirt or pair of jeans. Cut the fabric into strips, and then braid those strips together. Next, braid the braids together. Keep going until it’s the right size and thickness, then tie the ends off in big knots. Voila! Another option is to make your canine pal some homemade doggy treats. You’ll find plenty of recipes online. Some are quite simple. For instance, you can make your pup some cookies out of pureed pumpkin, egg, whole-wheat flour, and natural peanut butter. Just stick with safe ingredients.
Pocket Pets
Many smaller pets, such as rabbits, hamsters, gerbils, and Guinea pigs, are voracious chewers. You can make great chew toys out of cardboard! Toilet paper or paper towel rolls are very versatile, and can be used to make a variety of cute toys. Tissue boxes can be turned into hidey-holes for your little buddy. You can also pick up a ceramic plant pot, and make that into a hide. Plain copy paper can be shredded, or wadded up into a ball with a treat.
Tips
When making toys for pets, always be sure to use nontoxic materials only. Don’t give your pet anything with small or loose pieces that he could ingest or choke on, such as beads or buttons. Items that have been coated with filigree, glitter, dye, paint, or other decorative substances are also unsafe, as is anything with ropes or strings. Ask your vet for more information on safe and unsafe toys.
All of us here at Western Branch Veterinary Clinic, your Chesapeake, VA animal clinic, wish you a wonderful holiday season. Please contact us anytime!
