# Do you give your pets gifts at Christmas? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 22, 2018, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-give-your-pets-gifts-at-christmas/826526 "2018-12-22T10:59:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-give-your-pets-gifts-at-christmas/826526/1 "2018-12-22T10:59:15Z")
I do. This year, my cats will get treats, but they will also get toys that will (hopefully) let them get some exercise without shredding my hands. I’m looking forward to seeing how they like their new toys. Do you give your pets gifts at Christmas? What pet(s) do you have, and what will you give them? ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-give-your-pets-gifts-at-christmas/826526/2 "2018-12-22T11:30:25Z")
No. They get spoiled every day. 🙂 I do want to get one of those remote control cat toys I’ve been seeing on Facebook lately though. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-give-your-pets-gifts-at-christmas/826526/3 "2018-12-22T11:51:35Z")
My dog is in a Secret Santa with the other neighborhood dogs. None of them end up getting a present because none of them can read whose name they drew. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-give-your-pets-gifts-at-christmas/826526/4 "2018-12-22T12:55:00Z")
I used to get the cats a fresh catmint plant. But the large nursery near us that carried such things all year closed a while back. Thank you big box stores. Those might carry a few catmints once in a great while. Not even reliably every spring. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-give-your-pets-gifts-at-christmas/826526/5 "2018-12-22T13:00:14Z")
Not every year, but if I happen to be shopping for other pet supplies right before the holiday (as I was yesterday), I will pick up a new toy for them. This year, they received a nice, big jar of loose catnip, which I haven’t opened yet but has already drawn their interest. A couple of years ago, my mother sent them each an individually gift-wrapped and labeled catnip mouse. ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-give-your-pets-gifts-at-christmas/826526/6 "2018-12-22T13:58:00Z")
I feel guilty if I open my presents and there’s nothing for the cat. Of course, the paper and ribbon quickly become a fun toy. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-give-your-pets-gifts-at-christmas/826526/7 "2018-12-22T14:04:23Z")
We used to have a Daschund and the best part of Christmas was watching him gleefully tear the wrapping off his presents. This year I found out Mom had put a small treat in each one to facilitate his fervor. This was much worse than learning Santa wasn’t real. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-give-your-pets-gifts-at-christmas/826526/8 "2018-12-22T15:06:24Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > My dog is in a Secret Santa with the other neighborhood dogs. None of them end up getting a present because none of them can read whose name they drew. They don’t have to “read” it when they can smell who it is. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-give-your-pets-gifts-at-christmas/826526/9 "2018-12-22T15:30:01Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > My dog is in a Secret Santa with the other neighborhood dogs. None of them end up getting a present because none of them can read whose name they drew. That should be easy to fix. Just rub the recipient’s butt on the tag and your dog will know who to give it to. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-give-your-pets-gifts-at-christmas/826526/10 "2018-12-22T17:27:11Z")
My late rabbit used to open his Xmas box of Yogurt Drops. My dogs aren’t as smart with their gifts. ---
**Author:** ![Buttercup\_Smith](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buttercup_smith/32/473_2.png) [@Buttercup\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buttercup_Smith)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-give-your-pets-gifts-at-christmas/826526/11 "2018-12-22T17:43:40Z")
Yes. The cat got toys and the dog got treats and a new bottle of shampoo plus we are having turkey only because the dog loves it so. ---
**Author:** ![Carryon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc29f/32.png) [@Carryon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carryon)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-give-your-pets-gifts-at-christmas/826526/12 "2018-12-22T18:13:16Z")
When I was a child, I would, by the time I hit my teenage years, I realized they’d be happier with food :o) ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-give-your-pets-gifts-at-christmas/826526/13 "2018-12-22T18:15:47Z")
Of course. The Siamese don’t like toys, but they lurves their treats. The dogs get new chewies. And the gift that keeps on giving; a slave human, who caters to their every need! ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-give-your-pets-gifts-at-christmas/826526/14 "2018-12-22T23:51:26Z")
When I had dogs, they got Christmas gifts, and those were opened first, as they then had something to amuse them while we opened gifts. Unfortunately, one of them learned to associate the sound of tearing paper with happy things, so every time we opened people gifts, he’d drop his toy and trot over to see what he got. He also got excited when I tore up junk mail. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-give-your-pets-gifts-at-christmas/826526/15 "2018-12-23T00:05:36Z")
thanks ot the kids and kids at heart in my family the cats usually get one of those prefilled stockings full of toys and treats and they get a can of fancy feast (usually with lobster in it ) for xmas dinner ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-give-your-pets-gifts-at-christmas/826526/16 "2018-12-23T00:12:42Z")
> [@Miss\_Mapp](#): > > Not every year, but if I happen to be shopping for other pet supplies right before the holiday (as I was yesterday), I will pick up a new toy for them. This year, they received a nice, big jar of loose catnip, which I haven’t opened yet but has already drawn their interest. > > A couple of years ago, my mother sent them each an individually gift-wrapped and labeled catnip mouse. A few years ago, I ordered a new Kindle for my mom and some catnip toys for the cats which Amazon sent in the same package. We had Christmas at my cousin’s that year so the wrapped Kindle was under her tree. Her cat went NUTS and was rubbing, tearing, and drooling on it. She had to put it away until time for presents! Fortunately, I had gotten her cat a catnip gift that he got to open right after the Kindle incident. This year our cats are getting a new cardboard scratcher and a Temptations toy thingie that if they bat around enough eventually a treat comes out. I’m sure it will be lost very quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-give-your-pets-gifts-at-christmas/826526/17 "2018-12-23T00:13:53Z")
My dog usually gets a new squeaky toy every Christmas. And an old, mangled, disgusting one disappears. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-give-your-pets-gifts-at-christmas/826526/18 "2018-12-23T00:16:12Z")
I’m down to one cat this year. I should really get another cat soon, a gift for both cats and me. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-give-your-pets-gifts-at-christmas/826526/19 "2018-12-23T00:40:37Z")
My parent’s house usually had at least one each of dog and cat, and they would have stocking presents each year, which they got to open before any of the humans took their turn. Not a pet, per se, but my younger sister has a stuffed monkey that she calls Pierce, who she poses with in various locations and sends out pictures of. Pierce has developed a bit of a fanbase, and people are now sending him small presents. ---
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-give-your-pets-gifts-at-christmas/826526/20 "2018-12-23T04:01:54Z")
Usually, yes, but we have had a lot of unexpected expenses in the past month, so Christmas is very slim this year. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-give-your-pets-gifts-at-christmas/826526.md?page=2)