Hosting a house party with pets: a guest-proofing checklist for dog and cat parents

Hosting a house party with pets: a guest-proofing checklist for dog and cat parents

Winter grooming 101: how often to bathe your dog and cat when it's cold Reading Hosting a house party with pets: a guest-proofing checklist for dog and cat parents 7 minutes
By Ravi Rathi
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Key Takeaways

  • Settle pets in a quiet room before the first guest arrives. An open front door is the biggest party risk.

  • A single e-cigarette cartridge can be fatal to a dog under 4.5 kg, so keep vapes and ashtrays out of reach.

  • Signs of alcohol poisoning usually start within 30 to 60 minutes. Call a vet if your pet laps up any drink.

  • Ask guests to keep bags zipped and off the floor. Many sugar-free and nicotine gums contain xylitol.

  • Sweep the house the morning after, before pets roam.

Why house parties are risky for pets

Planning a pet-safe house party in India begins long before the first guest arrives. Because pet safety at a house party in India comes down to a few predictable problems. The front door opens dozens of times, plates and glasses sit at nose height on low tables, bags land on the floor, and strangers fill the home with noise. That's when pets slip out or swallow something they shouldn't. A little guest-proofing before the party prevents most of it. 

The guest-proofing checklist: room by room

Room

What to do before guests arrive

Entrance

Fit a baby gate or keep pets behind a closed door. Put a "Pets inside, please shut the door" note on the door. Check that ID tags have your contact info.

Living room

Serve food and drinks on high tables, not the coffee table. Tape down wires, and keep candles and diyas out of reach.

Kitchen and bar

Shut the kitchen door. Use a lidded bin for bones, skewers and foil.

Coat and bag room

Put bags on a bed or hook, never the floor, and keep this door closed.

Balcony

Lock the door, or check the netting is intact. Smokers often step out here.

Pet's safe room

Set it up with water, bed, toys and a litter tray for cats, away from the party noise.


Party hazards in Indian homes

Hazard

Why it's dangerous

Alcohol

Even a few laps of whisky, wine or beer can cause vomiting, wobbliness and low body temperature. Merck notes signs usually start within 30 to 60 minutes.

Cigarettes and vapes

A cigarette holds 9 to 30 mg of nicotine. According to Pet Poison Helpline, one e-cigarette cartridge can kill a dog under 4.5 kg.

Hookah

Hot coals burn paws and mouths, and the tobacco contains nicotine.

Handbags

Medicines, and sugar-free or nicotine gum, which can contain xylitol.

Party food

Onion-heavy snacks, chocolate, raisin-studded cake, cooked bones, and kebab skewers or toothpicks that can pierce the gut.

Decorations

Ribbons, balloon strings and confetti, which cats may swallow.

For more details, read our separate guides on Diwali foods dogs should avoid and keeping cats safe around festive decorations.

Brief your guests

Put a small house-rules card near the entrance:

  • Please don't feed the pets. Ask us for a dog treat instead.

  • Shut the front and balcony doors behind you.

  • Keep bags zipped and off the floor.

  • Don't leave drinks, food or cigarettes unattended.

Then pick one family member as the evening's "pet buddy", who watches the door, checks on the pets and handles introductions.

Dog-proofing for guests

Take your dog for a long walk and a toilet break an hour before guests arrive. Keep greetings calm and on-leash at first, and let your dog retreat to their safe room whenever they want.

Keep a pack of BLEP Chicken Jerky Treats by the door, so guests who want to spoil your dog can give a safe treat instead of party food. For dogs who find crowds stressful, BLEP SUPER Stress Buster supports calm without sedation. Start it two weeks ahead at half dose for seven days, then move to the full weight-based dose, and give one dose 60 to 90 minutes before guests arrive.

Keeping your cat calm during parties

Shut your cat in a quiet room with food, water, a litter tray and a hiding spot before anyone arrives. Hang a "Do not open" sign, and ask guests not to go looking for them. If they come out, ask guests not to crowd them and keep an eye on the door, in case they slip out. 

Year-end party pet tips: during the party

  • Check on your pets every hour. If you have multiple pets, count them each time.

  • Guard the door when guests arrive and especially when they leave, as the few moments of saying goodbye is a convenient time for pets to slip out. 

  • Keep pets inside at midnight on New Year's Eve. Fireworks make even calm dogs bolt. See our fireworks safety guide for more.

The morning-after sweep

Before letting pets roam, check floors, low tables, sofas and balconies for leftover drinks, bones, skewers, toothpicks, cigarette ends, hookah coals, chocolate wrappers, ribbons and balloon pieces. Then watch your pet closely for the next 24 hours.

When should you contact a vet?


Signs

Possible reason

Vomiting, diarrhoea or excessive drooling

Ingestion of alcohol, nicotine, chocolate, xylitol or other toxic foods

Wobbliness, disorientation or unusual behaviour

Possible alcohol or nicotine poisoning

Weakness, tremors or seizures

Possible poisoning, including chocolate or xylitol toxicity

Difficulty breathing or collapse

Severe toxic reaction or another medical emergency

Gagging, repeated retching or signs of abdominal pain

Possible swallowing of string, ribbon, skewers or other foreign objects

Straining to pass stools or inability to defecate

Possible intestinal obstruction caused by a swallowed object

Important: Any suspected ingestion of alcohol, nicotine, chocolate, xylitol or a foreign object warrants immediate veterinary advice, even if your pet appears normal. Do not wait for symptoms to develop.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my dog be around guests at a party? 

Yes, if they're relaxed with people. Make a safe room for them anyway, so that they can retreat to a quiet room whenever they want.

What do I do if my dog drinks alcohol? 

Call your vet straight away. Don't wait for signs to appear.

Should I lock my cat in a room during a party? 

Yes. A closed, quiet room with a litter tray and hiding spot is the safest place.

How do I stop guests from feeding my dog human snacks? 

Use a house-rules card, and keep dog treats by the door for guests to give instead.

Is hookah smoke bad for pets? 

Yes. Smoke irritates their airways and the hot coals can burn. Keep hookahs outside and away from pets.

What should I do if my pet escapes during a party? 

Search nearby straight away, as scared pets often hide close to home, and post in local WhatsApp groups.

Looking to explore more tips on how to look after your furry friend? Check out our other guides like Can Dogs Eat Apples?, Can Dogs Eat Blueberries?, Dog Food for Weight Loss, Raw v/s cooked meat for dogs, Home Remedies to cure tick fever, Finding Good Dog Food in India, How many times should I feed my dog?, Things you should do to keep your pet healthy, Types of Dog Food, How Prebiotics and Probiotics can improve your dog's digestion, Essential Tips for a New Dog Parent, and others. Each guide is designed to help you make better food and care choices for your dog, to keep them happy, healthy, and thriving.

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Winter grooming 101: how often to bathe your dog and cat when it's cold

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