Don’t let your pets get lost in the shuffle when you have house guests. And more.

• Remember that over the holidays your animals can get lost in the shuffle when guests arrive. Please be sure to take them into consideration as you make room for houseguests or have a party. If your cat’s favorite room is the guest room, it’s important to find her another quiet location while the guests are visiting.

• Buy pet friendly de-icer so that it doesn’t irritate their paws. If you walk your dog around town where chemicals have been put on the ground, be sure to rinse their feet when you return home.

• Feeding the birds in the wintertime can be helpful to them. There is less available food for them in the winter and we have encroached on the environment so much that their natural sources of food are no longer available. It’s also good to leave some water out for the birds and squirrels when the temperature goes below freezing.