Do you pet proof for the holidays? Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations are popular times to break out the holiday trimmings, not just in terms of munchies, but decorations, too. There ARE safe foods for cats and dogs, but dangers abound as well.
Holiday homes become pet playgrounds at this time of year. Cats like our new Trinity-Kitten delight in un-decking the halls and climbing the tree. Dogs like our Shadow-Pup want to eat decorations and baptize the tree. The result is a Christmas that’s anything but merry. Refer to these tips to keep your pets safe and your holiday happy.
Pet Proof Plants from Pets
Dogs and especially puppies chew nearly anything. Cats rarely eat plants, but they do claw them and then lick/groom away the residue. Beware of holiday floral arrangements that contain pet dangers. Lilies can cause kidney failure. Holly and live mistletoe cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy if ingested by your pet. Poinsettias are NOT deadly but can cause nausea and/or mild vomiting. Choose pet-safe plants and set them out of paw-reach. Or consider using silk or plastic holiday plants to make an equally showy statement without the poison potential. Check out this list of dangerous plants.
Pets & Fire Hazards Don’t Mix
Fireplaces offer extra warmth and atmosphere to holiday gatherings but can prompt singed whiskers or burned paws. Candles prove irresistible, especially for kittens who paw-test everything to see what it is, or meet it head on to sniff and explore. That’s not just painful for pets, it’s a fire hazard for your entire family, should Fluffy knock over the Menorah. Instead, electric candles are available for decorating purposes. I love the ones that we use! If you must have the real thing, ensure pets are safely out of the way and candles out of paw-reach. Be sure you secure the fireplace screen against curious pets, too. We hold our screen-curtain middle opening together with metal binder clips.
Treats Toxic to Pets
Gobbling any sort of candy may cause vomiting and/or diarrhea. Also refer to these common pet poisons. You can find a list of SAFE holiday treats for dogs here.
- Chocolate poses special dangers. Too much chocolate, which contains a stimulant called theobromine, can kill your pet. Keep holiday candy out of reach, in latched cupboards, to keep your canine glutton from over-indulging. Valentine’s Day is another time to keep pets safe.
- Xylitol is used as a sweetener in many products, including gum, candy, baked goods and toothpaste. It can cause insulin release in most species, which can lead to liver failure. The increase in insulin leads to hypoglycemia (lowered sugar levels). Affected pets may vomit, act lethargic or uncoordinated and these signs may progress to seizures.
- Macadamia nuts can cause weakness, depression, vomiting, tremors and hyperthermia in dogs. Signs usually appear within 12 hours of ingestion and can last approximately 12 to 48 hours. Almonds, pecans and walnuts have so much fat in them, they can cause diarrhea in dogs, or even lead to pancreatitis.
- Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in dogs. Avocado can cause heart damage and death in pet birds.
- Flavored aluminum foil, grease-smeared turkey strings, and cellophane candy wrappers can be dangerous to pets if swallowed—dogs and cats rarely unwrap treats before eating. Refer to this post on dealing with swallowed objects. Eating raw yeast bread dough also causes problems when the dough rises in the tummy.
Refer to FIRST AID TIPS here for 7 top pet poisons!
Pet Proof Christmas Trees
Cats consider the tree a feline jungle gym with cat toys that swing, sparkle, and invite paw-pats and biting. Some dogs take “aim” at the tree just as they would your outside shrubs and baptize the greenery. Drinking from treated water in the base can poison pets. Eating tinsel and ornaments can prove deadly, and dogs often chew through electric chords with shocking results.
- Smaller trees can be set on table tops, inside of baby playpens, or in a room protected by a baby gate. Situate breakable and dangerous decorations on the top of the tree out of reach of inquisitive pets.
- Make the area around the tree unattractive to keep paws at bay. Clear plastic carpet protectors and place under the tree—nub side up. That makes cruising or lounging under the tree uncomfortable. The soft “tacky mats” available from home product stores designed to keep throw rugs from sliding around work well to keep small pets away because they dislike walking on sticky surfaces.
- Use your pet’s smell sense to keep her away from the tree. Citrus scents are off-putting to cats so scatter orange or lemon peels (or potpourri) around the base of the tree. Vicks (menthol smell) also works as a good pet repellent. Dip cotton balls in the ointment and stick in the lower branches of your tree. They’ll look a bit like snow and blend in with the rest of the decorations.
- Create a “pet safe” tree decorated with dog toys and catnip mice. Place these within paw reach on lower branches and reserve the off-limits decorations for the top of the tree.
What other steps do you take to help keep your fur-kids safe and kitties stress-free and calm during the holidays? Is a new pet in your future–giving a pet as a gift, perhaps? Do tell!
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Stay up to date with the latest book giveaways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE! Amy Shojai, CABC is a certified cat & dog behavior consultant, a consultant to the pet industry, and the award-winning author of 35+ pet-centric books and Thrillers with Bite! Oh, and she loves bling!
Excellent tips for a pet proof holiday. Loved the picture of them sitting on the dinner table. Most pet parents need to understand that human food is not safe for consumption for our animals
Such a good post. It only takes a micro-second for things to go terribly wrong for our pets over the holidays, being proactive is the only real solution to keep things safe, happy, and healthy!
Great tips to remember about how to keep our pets safe this upcoming holiday season. I remember when we had our first cat, we could only decorate the top half of the tree because he would pull all the decorations off and we were afraid he would eat some of them! The tree looked funny, but the cat was safe!
Mr. N is very good about leaving things alone so we don’t really pet proof. I do make sure to put the edible presents out of reach though just in case.
I am so glad you are sharing these tips, Amy. So many people don’t consider the risks of the holiday in a pet house. Good tips here!
I’m so glad you wrote about this – I’m a little crazy and we actually don’t get a real tree as I’m too paranoid the dogs will swallow needles or drink from the dish! Great tips – holidays are so fun but complicated with animals in the house!
It’s always great to plan ahead for the holidays and events. All great and very important tips. Here’s hoping everyone has a happy and safe holiday season! Pinning!
Great tips for the holidays. It’s amazing and scary what our fur children can get into that is dangerous for them.
Great reminder and we will reread the Christmas tree tips….last year one of our pups decided that a little potty on it might be fun! Dogs…. we love them! Thanks for sharing – and we’ll share with our readers!
Oh heavens, is it that time of year already!? These are excellent tips for a pet friendly holiday, thank you for sharing, Amy.
Love & Biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv them
Our tree is two metres tall and it stands in a tall box so we hope that all but the most insane cat will keep off it. Well, most of our cats aren’t, not really…. We don’t leave anything whre the cats can reach them, and they have chocllate, and nuts * phew *
Wow, I didn’t know about macadamia nuts! We do pet proof, but fortunately neither Rosie (cat) or Ruby (dog) have any interest in the Christmas tree or decorations.
These are wonderful and important reminders for the holidays and every day! I didn’t know that citrus peel can act as a deterrent for cats. I’m going to try and remember that one.
This will be interesting for us – not over the holidays but at our in home wedding reception in August. Luckily most of our guests have tiny dogs too and should be able to manage. We did hire a pet sitter/trainer to help out.
Great post. Thank you for the great reminder with the upcoming holiday season!
Great tips and as I do not celebrate I can breathe with this. We celebrate Hanukkah only
Fortunately, I’m not decorating. I’d prefer to ignore the ‘holidays’
Thanks Amy for the reminder. People get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holidays, they don’t always think about how many dangers there are to our pets.
These are important reminders. Sometimes people are so busy celebrating they forget about potential dangers to their pets.
What great tips. Pet proofing is something most people forget. My cats always trashed a few ornaments in early years. Kilo was pretty good last year, although he helped clear some snacks left on a table- luckily they were mainly raw veggies and crackers so no damage. He has stolen chocolate in the past (he is a ninja and can jump and climb higher than expected). I didn’t think of the water around the tree. I did leave him toys near it to play with and kept the poinsetta up high.
Great tips and post. It’s so scary how pets can get into things and be harmed. Pet proofing is so important and key.
Thank you for sharing such a great PSA post! We were thinking of writing a similar one, so are happy to see our blog friends doing it!
Thank you for the tips! The Christmas tree is one of those areas that always make me nervous so we baby gate the area!
These are great tips, thank you! With both a dog and three cats in the house, we definitely have to pet proof during the holidays.
Thanks, Rachel. This is the first year since Karma-Kat came to live with us that I’ll set up a tree again, so…it’s going to be interesting. *s*
Amy — Thanks for this much needed reminder & these great tips! Always interesting about citrus. Citrus would not have worked with Lucky. He liked to eat orange slices when allowed!
Hi Brenda, interesting about Lucky. There’s always those exceptions, right? Magical-Dawg loved orange slices and OJ when a pup, but won’t touch it now. And the cats…forgettaboutit! LOL!