With Christmas only a few days away, and the festive feasting having firmly already begun for a lot of households, we need to keep an eye on those food vacuums.
And by food vacuums, we of course mean our four-legged friends.
We all know that a lot of food tends to get thrown away over the Christmas period, and because of this, you may be tempted to treat your pets to some of the leftovers – but did you know that some common festive foods can actually make our pets seriously ill?
This means it’s so important to know which ones should be avoided.
Animal health specialists at OurFitPets have put together a list of common Christmas foods that can cause serious health problems for cats and dogs, as well as given some advice on what you should do if your furry friend accidentally eats any of these foods.
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Some of the warning signs that your pet has poisoning from the various foods on list list to look out for include vomiting, diarrhea, increased thirst, changes in urination frequency and habits, changes in appetite, and much more.
Here’s 10 festive foods that are toxic to pets.
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Did you know that some common festive foods can actually make our pets seriously ill? / Credit: Rumman Amin (via Unsplash)
Christmas pudding and mince pies
These common Christmas treats are filled with dried fruits, such as raisins, sultanas and currents, all of which are particularly toxic for cats and dogs.
They can cause kidney failure if consumed.
Sage and onion stuffing and onion gravy
Any foods that contain vegetables of the allium variety should be off the menu for cats or dogs.
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This includes fresh and powered forms of aromatics, such as onions, garlic, shallots, leeks and chives, which are frequently found in Christmas stuffing and gravy, as these vegetables all contain a compound called N-propyl disulfide – which is damaging to your pet’s red blood cells, and can cause them to develop anaemia.
Chocolate
This is one we’re all pretty familiar with, right?
Chocolate can be particularly toxic for cats and dogs as it contains a compound called theobromine, which animals can’t metabolise easily.
Dark chocolate and baking chocolate being the worst offenders, as they contain the highest levels of theobromine, while white chocolate is the least harmful as it contains only a small amount of the compound – although it’s obviously not recommended that you feed them any type of chocolate.
Consumption can cause overstimulation of pets’ muscles, including their heart.
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Macadamia nuts
While it’s not fully understood why Macadamia nuts are unsafe for pets, we do know that consuming them can cause your cat or dog to appear weak or sleepy, and can cause painful or stiff joints that may make it difficult for them to walk.
This variety of nut can also induce vomiting, tremors, and raised body temperature for up to two days.
Blue cheese such as Roquefort contain a compound called roquefortine C, which is known to cause muscle tremors and seizures in cats and dogs for up to two days.
Like blue cheese, dairy that has gone past its use-by date, or different bread products that contain fungi can become mouldy and produce mycotoxins that give similar negative effects for cats and dogs when ingested.
Alcohol
Animals are more sensitive to the ethanol present in alcohol than humans are.
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Consumption of alcohol will cause your pet to become drowsy and unstable on their feet, and, at worst, can cause a drop in body temperature and blood sugar – which can lead to seizures or a coma.
Turkey bones and fat
While not necessarily toxic to cats and dogs, turkey bones can be brittle which means there is a high chance of them splintering and lodging in your pet’s throat or stomach.
Turkey fat – and fatty foods in general – shouldn’t be given to pets in large quantities either as they can cause stomach discomfort and diarrhoea.
Experts have provided tips and warning signs to watch out for / Credit: Jasmin Schuler (via Unsplash)
What should I do if my pet has eaten something it shouldn’t have?
Even if your pet has only eaten a small amount of these foods, it’s important to do the following:
Call the vet straight away – Don’t wait for your pet to start showing symptoms. A vet will be able to offer advice, and the quicker you act, the better chance your pet will have of recovery.
Note the time and quantity of food ingested – Provide the vet with as much information as you can. This includes the time your pet ate the unsafe food, brand names, the ingredient list and how much you think they consumed.
Don’t try to make your pet sick – Attempting this can cause further health complications. Leave this to your vet, as they are trained to do this in a safe manner.
A few tips pet owners should keep in mind this festive season is making sure chocolate is kept out of reach, including removing Christmas tree chocolates and avoiding putting wrapped selection boxes under the tree, and considering putting pets in another room while you eat your Christmas dinner so they can’t eat food that drops on the floor.
It’s also a good idea check the list of ingredients in any food before feeding to your pet, as many products will contain onion or garlic powder as flavouring – which is just as harmful for your pet as the real thing.
Featured Image – Supplied
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A ‘legacy walk’ in memory of the Joe Thompson is taking place across Greater Manchester
Danny Jones
The ‘Walk With Me for JT’, a.k.a Joe Thompson ‘Legacy Walk’, is back next month, and Greater Mancunians are being encouraged to take part.
Returning this year following his tragic passing last April, the now annual charity walk has already raised thousands for charity and is set for another big turnout.
Joe Thompson, an ex-Rochdale AFC and Bury FC player, sadly died at just 36 following a long battle with lymphoma, having been diagnosed three different times in 12 years.
While the young husband and father of two’s story is a heartbreaking one, it has also become a source of inspiration for so many across the North West and, indeed, across the UK, with people once again gearing up to complete a fundraising walk in his name.
Set to honour him by making the journey from his adopted home of Rochdale all the way to Old Trafford, with Thompson having come through Man United’s youth academy, the 15-mile trek will start at his former club’s Crown Oil Arena and stop at Bury’s Gigg Lane as well as Salford City’s Peninsula Stadium.
First held in 2024 under the ‘Walk With Me for JT’ banner, the initial legacy walk saw the Bath-born footballer and countless others complete 21 miles in an effort to raise money for treatment.
Gone but never forgotten, the charity walk survives not only in the hearts and souls of his family, friends and other people’s lives he touched, but in the community spirit that his struggle and immense bravery in the face of illness helped spur on throughout the region and beyond.
Writing on social media, the Thompson family and the Foundation in his memory said, “Last year, he walked beside us. This year, we walk for him. This isn’t just a walk… It’s a promise. A promise to carry his strength, his belief, his light forward.
For every family facing illness. For everyone experiencing loss or hardship. For anyone who needs hope right now. Every step matters. Every mile has meaning. Whether you’ve walked before or this is your first time. You won’t walk alone.”
Join the annual Joe Thompson legacy walk on Saturday 2nd May 💙
Departing from the Crown Oil Arena, the 15-mile walk will finish at Manchester United's Old Trafford 🏟️
They signed off by adding: “Be part of something bigger. Be part of Joe’s legacy. Be part of the movement. Get a team together, invite your friends, colleagues and family and let’s raise funds to support The Joe Thompson Foundation.”
With the event beginning at 11am on Saturday, 2 May, there have already been numerous sign-ups, and you can expect even more to lace up their shoes and pay tribute to a local hero.
If you want to join in the effort and help do your bit, you can register for the 2026 Joe Thompson Legacy Walk right HERE.
Manchester rent is now ‘41% more expensive than five years ago, according to a recent study
Danny Jones
Yes, that’s right, as per some of the latest data on leased housing in central Manchester, it’s now approximately 41% more expensive to rent here than it was half a decade ago.
If you’ve lived in and around the city centre for long enough, chances are that you’ve already been feeling that difference, especially of late.
The ongoing cost-of-living crisis roughly began in 2021, following the economy and the world essentially opening back up after multiple lockdowns, so it’s little surprise that new research has shown affordability when it comes to renting has been on a slump ever since, too.
As well as the price of seemingly most things in everyday life going up post-pandemic, the average rental rate for even just a one-bedroom flat/apartment has jumped up significantly between 2020 and 2025.
Even some ‘available’ housing in town is being hampered by claddin (Credit: Valienne via WikiCommons)
That’s according to the numbers crunched by credit card experts, Zable, anyway.
Not only did their recent report cite the rent prices going up even before the cost of living crisis – essentially following the outset of the Covid-19 outbreak – but if their figures, the rate of inflation and the unwaveringly high demand for housing are anything to go by, this trajectory is likely to continue in 2026.
As of February this year, around one in three UK households is now a single-person occupancy, which already comes with its challenges (the Manchester City Council tax discount being a thin lifeline for countless), not to mention energy bills and the cost of groceries continuing on an upwards trend.
Put in the simplest and most reductive terms, it’s now almost £300 dearer for most people to live on their own than it was back in 2020, and besides Liverpool clocking in as second on the list of increasingly expensive cities to live (a 42.12% increase), Manchester came in third.
You can see the full table down below:
Rank
City
% increase – 2020-2025
Difference from 2020 to 2025 in £
Average rental cost for a 1 bed 2025
1
Newport
47.39%
£2,611
£8,121
2
Liverpool
42.12%
£2,290
£7,727
3
Manchester
41.00%
£3,364
£11,569
4
Edinburgh
40.28%
£4,620
£16,090
5
Leicester
39.93%
£2,391
£8,379
6
Wolverhampton
39.22%
£2,049
£7,273
7
Nottingham
39.07%
£2,400
£8,543
8
Glasgow
38.02%
£2,679
£9,725
9
Colchester
37.63%
£2,617
£9,572
10
Cardiff
37.06%
£2,828
Average rental cost for a 1-bed 2025
Another fear is that with lots of people finding it hard to manage living in other major cities like London, even those moving to Manchester are also having an impact on how available affordable housing is here.
That’s why schemes such as the new ‘social rent’ development over in Wythenshawe are so important to the current generations of renters, with the possibility of owning your own property in the future becoming increasingly difficult for so many.
It’s also worth noting that Manchester ranked fourth among the British locations where the cost of living is said to have increased the most over the past five years, with the average difference in annual spend growing by an estimated 22.84%.
Emily Sergeant -
23rd December 2025 
