Celebrating Halloween with Your Pets: Costumes, Treats, & Safety Tips

September 22, 2021

For many, Halloween is one of the best times of the year, full of wicked frights, tasty treats, and lots of fun. And, when you’re a pet parent, your haunted holiday can become even more special as you celebrate Halloween with your pets. Check out our “purrrfectly” spooky activities and more that are sure to leave you and your furry companions howling with delight.

Halloween Costumes for Your Pet and You

If you’re like a lot of avid Halloween fans, then you start planning out your costume months in advance. But, what about your feline friend or canine companion? Finding the perfect costume for both of you can really help you stand out from the crowd.

The best part is, you don’t have to spend tons of dollars either. You can DIY some fantastic pet owner and pet costume combos. Here are a few ideas to help get your creative juices flowing and motivate you to get a little crafty:

Pet Owner and Dog Costumes

A Hot Dog Vendor and Hot Dog — All you need is an apron and paper hat and a cardboard box to make your vendor box. You can get your pooch a hot dog costume, or make one easily. To make it, your pup just needs a red doggy shirt and some felt. Place the red shirt on your pooch, and attach two light brown pieces of felt cut into hot dog bun shapes on either side. Then, attach a yellow squiggle on the back of the shirt to be mustard.
Police Officer and K-9 Pup — You can wear any pair of navy or black pants and a navy or black button-down shirt. Add an inexpensive police officer hat and badge. Then, get your pup a cheap dark blue or black doggy shirt and paint “K-9” or “Police” on the back with white fabric paint. For an extra special touch, hang a toy badge from your dog’s collar.
Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf — Your dog won’t need much for this costume, depending on their breed. If necessary, you can make some pointed wolf ears out of felt and place them on your pup’s head. All you need is a red cape to achieve the desired effect. But, for extra fun, let your dog wear the red cape, and you sport a wolf tail and ears. For bonus points, fill a basket full of yummy dog treats to be the basket of goodies Red takes to grandma’s cottage.

If your pet isn’t a fan of being dressed up, no problem. They can still take part in the fun without having to wear an outfit. For example, get creative based on your pup’s breed. You can be Dorothy and Toto, a firefighter with a Dalmatian, Shaggy and Scooby-Doo, or any other famous duo with a dog.

Pet Owner and Cat Costumes

Witch and Black Cat Switch-Up — Poke some fun at the stereotypical witch and black cat with a bit of a switcheroo. Put an inexpensive small witch hat on your kitty, or make one out of black felt or paper. If your cat is agreeable, you can even add a black cape. Then, make yourself some black cat ears and a tail and paint a cat nose and whiskers on your face with some face paint or black eyeliner.
Winnie the Pooh and Tigger — You can make headpieces for you and your cat using felt that resemble Pooh and Tigger. You would also need a red shirt, and you can write “Pooh” on it. That’s just enough to achieve the effect.
Cat in the Hat and Thing 1 or 2 — Make a small red and white striped hat out of felt for your cat and attach a red bowtie to their collar. You just need a pair of red pants or leggings and a long-sleeved red shirt. Cut out a white circle of felt and use a black marker to write “Thing 1” and attach it to the front of the shirt. Finally, use color hair spray to give your cat a bright shade of blue or use an inexpensive wild and wacky blue wig.

If you can’t get your kitty to keep on their costume, go with an idea that allows them to participate without dressing up. You can be Hermione Granger with her pet Crookshanks, Dr. Evil from the Austin Powers’ movie franchise (holding his villainous cat, Mr. Bigglesworth), or the classic witch with a black cat (just don’t switch things up).

Of course, if going the DIY route just isn’t for you, you can always purchase some excellent pet costumes. It’s all about finding what works best for you and your furry friend.

Make Some Pet-Friendly Halloween Treats

Once you’ve got your costumes perfected, it’s time to mix in some tasty Halloween treats. A quick and easy way to give your pet a themed snack is to spread canned pumpkin onto the Neat-Lik Mat or stuff it inside the Rolly Cannoli. Both dogs and cats can enjoy pureed pumpkin, but make sure it is plain. Don’t use pumpkin pie filling, which is loaded with extra ingredients and tons of sugar.

You can also whip up some yummy DIY dog treats or fillup a DIY black cat goody bag with delicious tidbits for your kitty.

Safe and Spooky Fun with Your Pets

You can make Halloween extra fun by engaging in some fun activities with your pet. Watch a scary movie with your dog or cat, create a DIY haunted dog house or cat condo like this idea from Chewy, or take your pal trick-or-treating. But, no matter how you choose to spend the time with your fur baby, always be safe.

Halloween Pet Safety

If your pet will be trick-or-treating with you, ensure they have a reflective collar or are wearing something bright. You should also ensure your pet has a reflective leash, and yes, cats can walk on a leash, too. Don’t let your pet roam free; it’s not safe for them or other trick-or-treaters.
Ensure your pet has a current ID tag on their collar and has a registered microchip.
Costumes are fun, but make sure they are safe. Don’t put anything on your pet that is too tight or too loose; the costume should not interfere with your pet’s range of motion.
Don’t let your pets get a hold of your human Halloween treats. Make sure they are out of reach, and provide your pet with animal-friendly morsels instead.
Likewise, make sure any Halloween decorations don’t pose a hazard to your pets. Keep things like wires and candles out of reach, or better yet, opt for battery-operated candles instead.
Keep the numbers for your vet, animal emergency clinic, and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control readily available in case of an emergency.

Spending Halloween with pets is loads of fun, and you’re only limited by your imagination. For more great ideas on how to get more involved with your fur friends, check out the rest of our blog. It’s loaded with ideas about Halloween, other holidays, and just everyday fun and safety tips for you and your pets. Have a pet-tastic Halloween, and don’t forget to take lots of pictures.