Your Pet Really Doesn’t Want to Take Part In This Festive Trend

The holiday season brings feelings of joy, glittering lights, cosy cocoa and unfortunately an influx of “cute” pet videos dressed in their festive best. Our feeds are filled with festivities – most of which are heartwarming and fun – but nestled among this seasonal sparkle is a trend far less joyful: videos of wrapping pets in paper, like Christmas gifts. 

This pet wrapping paper trend typically involves placing a cat or dog on their back on a sheet of wrapping paper, folding the paper around them, taping it in place, and often topping the scene off with a festive bow. What might look like a playful, merry moment on camera is, in reality, a worrying practice that places aesthetics above animal welfare.

While I love to see people involving their animals in the festivities – it needs to be done in a way that benefits all members of the family. Physically wrapping your cat or dog in paper for the sake of a video places entertainment above welfare. Despite how still or “compliant” a pet may appear, this is not a sign of enjoyment – it’s often a sign of stress.

Physical restraint is stressful

Animals often rely on movement to feel safe. The ability to stand, shift positions or walk away is central to how they cope with unfamiliar or uncomfortable situations. When a pet is wrapped tightly in paper, their movement is restricted, and their natural ability to escape is removed. For many animals, this immediately triggers a stress response.

Placing pets – especially dogs – on their backs adds another layer of discomfort. This position exposes their belly and throat: key vulnerable areas. While some dogs willingly offer a belly-up posture during play or affection, being placed in this position is entirely different. It can evoke feelings of vulnerability and a loss of control.

Under stress, animals rely on a natural fight-or-flight response – one us humans are also familiar with. Wrapping a pet physically eliminates both options. When an animal cannot flee and cannot fight, the body may default to a “freeze” state. This freezing posture can look like calmness or compliance. In reality, it might just be your pet’s body’s last resort for coping with overwhelming stress.

Even pets who are typically laid-back, affectionate or used to handling may experience panic when restrained. Not all pets respond the same way to stress. Anxious animals, rescue pets with unknown histories, senior pets and young puppies or kittens are particularly vulnerable. Animals who have experienced previous trauma may have especially severe reactions to restraint, and smaller or more fragile breeds face even greater physical risks. The key difference is choice – and with this trend, your companion has none.

Respiratory risks

Wrapping paper may seem soft and harmless, but when it compresses a pet’s body – particularly the ribs and chest – it can interfere with breathing. If you were ever wrapped up in toilet paper by friends as a child you might well know this feeling. This tight wrapping can be especially dangerous for brachycephalic breeds, such as Pugs, Persian cats and Shih Tzus. 

Stress can exacerbate the risk of respiratory distress. When either ourselves or our animals feel anxious or trapped, our breathing pace increases – trying to get in plenty of oxygen to fuel the fight or flight actions.

Temperature regulation concerns

Wrapping paper can also interfere with your pet’s ability to regulate their body temperature. Dogs and cats don’t cool themselves the same way humans do – they rely on panting and limited sweat glands in their paw pads. 

When wrapped in paper, especially in a centrally heated home during winter, pets can quickly become overheated. Combined with the stress response, which naturally increases body temperature and respiratory rate, this creates a perfect storm for heat-related distress. Overheating can happen surprisingly fast and may not be immediately obvious to owners focused on capturing that ‘perfect shot’.

Psychological impact

A surprising number of TikToks featuring wrapped pets show animals lying still, silent and seemingly tolerant. But in many cases, this is not cooperation – it’s a freeze response or a form of learned helplessness.

Learned helplessness occurs when an animal experiences situations they cannot escape from, eventually giving up attempts to avoid discomfort. They stop moving not because they’re fine, but because they’ve learned that movement doesn’t improve the situation.

Negative experiences impact the brain much more than positive ones. It can take just one negative handling situation like this to break the history of lots of positive physical interactions. A pet who has been forcibly restrained may later become wary of:

• Vet visits

• The groomers

• Being picked up

• Maybe even you, their previously trusted human

The trust between pet and guardian – something built through consistent, respectful handling – can be damaged far more easily than you may realise.

Misreading body language

A major driver of this trend is misunderstanding. Unfortunately many of us might look at a still, static animal and assume that “they’re fine.” In animal behaviour stress signs that indicate levels of anxiety can be subtle. 

Common stress cues amongst cats and dogs include:

• Whale eye (white of the eye showing)

• Ears pinned back against the head

• A tucked tail

• Panting when not hot

• Lip licking

• Rigid, tense muscles

• Avoiding eye contact or freezing completely

A lack of struggle from your pet is not the same as comfort. Pets who dislike nail trims, for example, sometimes go completely motionless – not because they accept the process, but because they’re overwhelmed. The same principle applies here.

As responsible caregivers, it’s our job to recognise the difference between tolerance and enjoyment.

“But My Pet Seemed Fine...”

A common defence of this trend is “but my pet walked over to the paper themselves” or “they didn’t resist”. However, a pet’s curiosity about crinkling paper doesn’t equal consent to being wrapped in it. The difference between investigating something interesting and being physically restrained by it is enormous. Just because a pet doesn’t actively struggle doesn’t mean they’re comfortable – they may simply be too frightened to move, or they haven’t yet realised what’s about to happen. By the time the wrapping begins, it’s too late for them to consent or withdraw, and we’re back to the freeze response once again.

Beyond the moment

Even if a wrapped pet doesn’t panic initially, the situation can escalate quickly. A frightened animal may suddenly thrash, twist or attempt to bolt, risking:

• Injuries such as muscle strains or sprains

• Falls, especially if you’ve got them placed on a raised surface

• Cuts from torn paper

• Entanglement

Tape poses its own hazards. It can stick to fur, causing pain or even skin damage when removed. If chewed or swallowed, both paper and tape become choking and intestinal obstruction risks – another festive issue to watch out for.

The sensory experience can be negative as well. Animals may become fearful of the sound of tape, the feel of crinkling paper, or the act of being approached with unfamiliar items. What began as a “cute” playful idea can lead to a cascade of fear-based behaviours that linger long after the decorations are put away.

Social media trends should never override animal welfare

The quest for viral social posts – content that gets those high numbers of likes and shares – can impact our own behaviour more than we like to admit. During the holidays, when festive pet videos perform especially well, you might feel the pressure to create these sort of “shareable moments”.

It’s important to remember:

• Pets cannot consent to being used as props.

• Virility is not worth compromising their well-being.

• Just because something is trending doesn’t mean it’s appropriate or safe.

Before setting up to photograph any social media content, helpful questions to ask might be: “Will my dog / cat enjoy this?” Or “is this for my pet’s benefit, or my own?”

If the answer is the latter, it might just be your cue to rethink the idea.

Safer alternatives for holiday pet photos

You can absolutely include your pets in holiday celebrations, but focus on ways that respect their physical and emotional wellbeing such as:

• Capturing your pet naturally interacting with festive décor – such as a cat looking up at the star on your tree.

• Using pet-safe, comfy-fitting accessories, such as breakaway holiday themed collars or bandanas.

• Capturing the joy of festive moments – those candid rather than staged scenes – such as your dog tearing the wrapping paper apart or your cat using the gift boxes to play in.

These approaches produce content that’s not only safer – physically and emotionally – but they also feel more authentic and original.

The bottom line

Wrapping your pet like a present may seem like a playful holiday TikTok trend, but it carries real physical and emotional risks. A static pet is not necessarily a happy one, and social media trends should never come at the cost of your animal’s well-being.

By choosing safer, animal-centred ways to celebrate the season, you protect your companion – and your bond with them.