A Calm Halloween for Dogs and Cats: the Doorbell, the Candy, and the Open Door

For us Halloween is one fun evening. For a lot of dogs and cats it is a few hours of the doorbell ringing, strangers in masks, and a front door that keeps opening onto a dark street. None of that is dangerous on its own, but together it is exactly the kind of night when pets get scared, get into things, or get out. This guide is free, and almost everything in it costs nothing.

1. Give them a quiet room before it starts

The ASPCA's advice is that all but the most social dogs and cats should be kept in a separate, comfortable room away from the front door during peak trick-or-treating hours. Set it up in the afternoon, not when the first knock comes:

  • Water, a bed, and for cats a litter box.
  • A place to hide. Cats cope with stress by hiding — a covered bed, a box on its side, or a carrier with a blanket in it all work. Dogs often settle in a crate they already like.
  • Something to do: a food puzzle or a long-lasting chew for a dog, a toy for a cat.
  • Some background sound — a radio or the TV — to soften the doorbell.
  • Close the door, and tell everyone in the house which room is off limits tonight.

If you are not sure how your pet will react, use the room anyway. It is the safe default.

2. Every doorbell is an open door

A frightened pet can be out of the door and down the street in seconds, and on Halloween there are more people and stranger sights outside than usual. Before the evening:

  • Check that the ID tag is on, readable, and has a current phone number.
  • If your pet is microchipped, check that the registration has your current details. A chip only helps if it leads back to you.
  • If you take your dog out after dark, use a reflective collar or harness, a secure leash, and ID.

3. Candy goes up, not in a bowl on the floor

  • Chocolate in any form is dangerous for dogs and cats, and dark or baking chocolate is the worst.
  • Sugar-free sweets and gum containing xylitol can cause serious problems in pets.
  • Wrappers and small costume accessories are choking hazards. Put them straight in a bin with a lid.
  • Children hide candy in their rooms, and a dog's nose will find it. Ask them to keep it somewhere closed.

If you think your pet has eaten something toxic, call your vet or ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 right away (a consultation fee may apply). Do not wait for symptoms.

4. Costumes: only if your pet actually enjoys it

Many pets find costumes stressful. If yours seems uncomfortable, a festive bandana is plenty. If you do dress them up:

  • Try it on days before, not an hour before.
  • It must not limit movement, sight, breathing, or the ability to bark or meow.
  • Remove anything small, dangling or easy to chew off.
  • Never leave a pet alone in a costume.

5. Decorations and candles

  • A lit jack-o'-lantern is easy to knock over with a tail, and curious kittens get singed by candle flames. Battery candles solve both.
  • Keep light-up decorations and their wires out of reach of chewers.

The next morning

Check the floor and the yard for dropped candy and wrappers, and give your pet a normal, quiet day. If your pet was very frightened this year, talk to your vet before next year — there are good ways to prepare a noise-sensitive pet, and they work best started weeks ahead.

This guide is general information, not veterinary advice.

Source: ASPCA — Halloween Safety Tips (from the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center).

We are lo-vani, and we sell everyday gear for dogs and cats. This guide works whether or not you buy anything from us, which is the point of publishing it.

Back to blog