Apartment gardening is on the rise, so you might find yourself at the garden shop this holiday season – filling orders for loved ones. Don’t forget your furry friend: Cats and dogs are also big on receiving plant gifts. You may be well aware of what is toxic for your pet to consume or interact with, but we’d like you to be well prepared with edible plant gifts.
In addition to being a fun change of pace for your pet, many of these treats have positive health benefits!
Let’s start with your purry pals. Don’t have a cat? Keep scrolling down.
Herb gifts for cats
If you have a habit of allowing your curious cat to sniff the dinner plate, you might have already noticed that they’re fond of no-salt olives (somehow, they’re related to catnip) and avocado. But that’s the tip of the iceberg.
On the first day of Hanukkah, your cat would love to receive a bundle of spinach in a nice glass of water. It might be tempting to adorn it with a ribbon and decorative mint, but fight the urge; kitty cats like their spinach plain.
Has your cat been side-eyeing you every time you make celery juice? Well, that’s because they’ve been putting it on their Christmas list for six years, and you haven’t noticed. When consumed raw, celery is nutritious for cats. Some suggest dicing it, but we recommend setting the whole stalk with the leaf top out and allowing your curious cat to have a time – honestly, cats prefer their gifts in bundles.
Here are a few other plant gift ideas that aren’t green:
Cantaloupes, because they’re high in antioxidants and beta-carotene, and there’s nothing more that a cat loves than healthy skin and great eyes to see that skin with.
Believe it or not, watermelon is also on that list, but don’t let your purry pal eat the whole melon because it’ll keep them in the litter box for too long, and cats love to enjoy holiday festivities (read more about feeding watermelon to dogs and watermelon to cats).
Not only do cats love their gifts in bundles, but they enjoy color: blueberries, bananas, and apples will make the perfect gift box – frankly, so will the box, so don’t recycle it without first allowing your cat some time to enjoy low views from the safety of a brand new cardboard palace.
Great herb gifts for dogs
Dogs love the holiday season: extra warm cuddles with you, friendly faces from those old family photos, and now that we’re spending more time at home, extra treats as you cook holiday meals.
They also enjoy opening Christmas presents a safe distance from the tree, and while cookies are a great gift, try spicing things up this holiday season-not literally because they prefer their turkey unseasoned.
There’s the usual list of plant foods we treat our dogs to, but keep in mind that they like surprises. Instead of doing the usual raw carrot and celery treat at the dinner table, gift your dog some herbs. Before the Christmas countdown rolls around, start gathering alfalfa and burdock, two herbs that are great for your dog’s immune system and help fend off arthritis. If you want to go the extra mile, get additional bundles of basil, parsley, cilantro, and mint on your grocery store run.
Don’t stop there – here are a couple of other ideas:
A sweater is nice, but it’s not edible. So, if you want to keep your dog’s skin healthy, gift them calendula, chamomile, licorice, and neem.
If you happen to go crazy on the Christmas cookies anyway, consider adding a bundle of fennel to their gift bag. Fennel detoxifies and will help your dog digest all the extra treats.
It’s always a good idea to check out the human foods that dogs should avoid, just in case you’re not sure if your gift is safe for your dog to eat. It’s also a smart idea to check in case you live in a multi pet household with at least one dog and cat!
Remember to check with your vet
When introducing any new foods to your pet, even leafy greens and tasty fruits, always check with your vet first. Keep in mind, animals have unique tastes, so your furry friend might not love everything you set in front of them, but half the fun is in the experimentation!
Your vet will be able to tell you if a certain food is toxic with much more accuracy than any Google search.
With 15 years as a dog and cat parent, my pet articles are a mix of humor and firsthand experience - proof that the best stories often come with paws and purrs.
