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Loading...How to Pet-Proof Your Christmas Tree
- Nicolas, selected from petMD
- December 9, 2012
- 5:02 pm
- 178 comments
Winter holidays are especially exciting, with all the sparkly lights and streamers, delicate ornaments and brightly colored garland, and don’t get us started on the candies and treats! All of these things are great fun, and no less so for our pets. So, before you start taking out the decorations, take a few minutes to consider how their placement will affect your pets.
Ornaments
Just to protect your pet and yourself from excitable accidents, hang your delicate and treasured ornaments on the uppermost branches of the tree, and secure them to the branches tightly. In general, it is easier on the whole household if you select tree ornaments that are not likely to shatter. For delicate, glass or treasured ornaments, you might consider creating an area where they can be displayed that is out of reach for your dog or cat, such as from a garland that is hung across a mantel or window. Tinsel, for all its glittery prettiness, is one of the most dangerous tree decorations you can choose. If your pet ingests even a few strands of tinsel — and pets do this more often than you might guess — she is highly likely to suffer the ill, and even deadly effects of an intestinal obstruction. Same goes for edible ornaments, such as popcorn and cranberry strings and candy canes. Leave these things off your tree or your pet will be climbing the tree to get to them.
For cute Christmas pet photos, click here.
Read more: Cats, Christmas, Dogs, Everyday Pet Care, Family, Green Decorating, Hanukkah, Health & Safety, Holidays, Holidays & Gifts, Home, Household Hints, Life, New Year, Pet Health, Pets, Safety
Nicolas, selected from petMD
petMD is a leading online resource focused solely on the health and well-being of pets. The site maintains the world's largest pet health library, written and approved by a network of trusted veterinarians. petMD was founded to inspire pet owners to provide an ever-increasing quality of life for their pets and to connect pet owners with pet experts and other animal lovers. For more information, visit petMD.com.
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As always, great and practical stuff to read!
biggest rule: clutter out
Thanks for the info, great article
thanks
178 comments
+ add your ownmy cat is evil to my tree
Good tips, thank you.
Good tips, thank you.
Hi Wyleen C. your cat Gizmo remembering me the one of seven cats of my neighbour. Unbeliveble.... Hope nothing bad happen during the winter holidays rondom the Christmas tree. Have a save Christmas! :)
thanks for sharing :)
Catherine, are the ornaments made of real straw? If so, there's your answer. If they're made of plastic, they could have corn starch in their coating. Cats love that (my younger cat has an awful habit of licking plastic bags - drives me crazy, trying to keep her away from them).
I got some Swedish straw snowflake ornaments recently that I thought would be great for the tree around my pets, being virtually indestructible. Dog chewed one, and the cats are licking them. What are they painted with that's so delicious?
Thanks for the tips....but is there really anywhere that would be visible to guests that is out of reach of a cat?!
thanks, not using a real tree - save the trees!
TIMELY WARNING! Thanks! Tinsel attracts my cat most. I try to keep my Christmas tree out of my cat's reach.
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