How to Keep Pets Safe From Your Holiday Decor

The holidays are a magical time of year—even for pets. To them, there’s nothing better than batting a ball of tinsel or chewing up a misplaced wooden dreidel. But the decor that brings so much holiday cheer can also be harmful if you’re not careful. To have a great, safe holiday season, you need to know what decorations to avoid and what to get instead, how to properly secure your holiday trimmings, and—if the worst should occur—when to contact your local emergency vet.

Keep decorations away from your pets

Aside from keeping holiday items out of your home completely, the best strategy is to do everything you can to keep decorations out of the reach of your pets,” said Douglas Kratt, DVM, and, at the time of our interview, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Common holiday dangers include string tinsel, lights, broken ornaments, potpourri, chocolate or sugar-free candy containing xylitol, and batteries from gifts and electronic decor, Dogs are also attracted to homemade salt-dough ornaments, which can cause salt poisoning if ingested.

Many holiday plants are bad for pets to consume, and several, such as lilies and mistletoe, may be life threatening if eaten. But despite the urban legend that has led some cat owners to believe otherwise, poinsettias usually aren’t a concern. They can cause digestive upset, but they’re “not highly toxic,” said Kratt, who owns the Central Animal Hospital in Onalaska, Wisconsin.

If you’re unsure whether something is harmful to your pet, consult a pet poison control list prior to bringing any plants, decorations, scents, or holiday treats into the home. Both the ASPCA and the Pet Poison Helpline maintain robust lists.

No matter if you use menorah twinkle lights or Christmas lights, you need to keep them secure and out of reach. Cable ties and sleeves can prevent pets from tearing down loose light strings, and LEDs—such as the GE Energy Smart Colorite multicolor lights or the white lights of the same line—emit very little heat, so your pet won’t suffer burns in case they do nab a strand.

As for cutesy costumes, it’s safest to avoid them entirely. Noël Duan, founder of the dog lifestyle brand Argos & Artemis, bought her dog Artemis jingle bells to wear around the ankles. “I turned my head to decorate some cookies [and] she decided to pull off all the bells,” Duan said. “I learned my lesson.”

Opt for pet-friendly decor

“Artificial trees and garlands are great because without the scent of the outdoors, they are less likely to draw the attention of dogs and cats,” said Zay Satchu, DVM, co-founder and chief veterinary officer at Bond Vet in New York City. Our experts also advised against flocked or snow-covered artificial trees, which can still pose a hazard to pets. (Most of the picks in Wirecutter’s best artificial Christmas tree guide aren’t flocked.)

Mikel Welch of Mikel Welch Designs has designed a number of pet-friendly living spaces and believes you don’t have to spend a fortune on pet-friendly decorations. He recommends pet-safe decor such as framed scraps of wrapping paper and shatterproof seasonal ornaments. Target has many festive options for the latter.

Protect your trimmings with a few hacks

For both cats and dogs, never underestimate the appeal of a great toy to distract them from the shiny objects in the room. A puzzle toy can keep your dog focused on safer activities. You might be able to divert a cat with an interactive cat toy or by giving them a new cat scratcher.

Another way to save yourself a lot of headaches: banning your pets from decorated rooms with a dog gate or keeping them confined to a bedroom or a crate when you’re away.

But cats can easily squirm past any barrier. Consider covering a tree skirt in double-sided sticky tape; most cats hate how tape feels, and after a few days, they should lose interest. We like Pioneer Pet Sticky Paws Furniture Strips because they’re more durable than standard double-sided tapes from stationery stores and don’t leave a residue behind.

Similarly, Wirecutter staffer Bryan Cardillo uses aluminum foil (which his cat doesn’t like) to build an obstacle around his tree to keep his cat, Lily, away from it overnight when he can’t monitor the situation. You can also deploy sticky tape or aluminum foil to keep curious cats off tabletops with holiday decor.

If you get a fresh tree, make sure to secure it properly. Our favorite Christmas tree stand, the Krinner Tree Genie XXL, has a narrow water reservoir opening that’s hard for pets to drink from. (It has kept my own curious cat at bay.) Although this stand is sturdy enough to keep most trees from tipping over, there’s no guarantee with pets around. If a rambunctious kitten likes to play hide and seek in your tree’s branches, use a fishing line to anchor the tree to a nearby fixed spot like a door frame, strong banister, or the ceiling, which can add stability.

Bryan also mists the low branches of his tree with this water-based bitter-tasting training spray, which he has found to be effective in keeping Lily from taking unauthorized nibbles. Additionally, placing your tree on a box out of your pet’s reach (try hiding the box with a tree skirt) may keep their interest level low, said Satchu.

Don’t fill your tree’s water reservoir with aspirin, sugar, or any other preservative, just in case your pet does sneak a sip. And wrap the exposed part of the reservoir and tree trunk in aluminum foil to keep curious paws out of the water. I also find it helpful to add a large water bowl in the same room as the tree to lure my pets away.

Whenever you light candles, whether in a menorah or just for atmosphere, make sure to keep them out of reach of pets and never leave them unattended. To help keep candles secure, we recommend using this special adhesive, which Wirecutter editor Courtney Schley likes.

Have a safety plan

When you’re surrounded by holiday cheer, it can be difficult to tune in to your pet’s behaviors. But keep an eye on them and look for issues such as digestive upsets, reduced appetite, or listlessness, which are all signs that they could have ingested something bad for them. “You know your pet better than anyone,” said Kratt, “so if you see your pet acting strangely, contact your veterinarian.”

Even if your pet seems fine, if you suspect they swallowed something they shouldn't have, it’s best to play it safe and get them to a vet quickly. “There is the possibility that we can save them from abdominal surgery and use an endoscope to retrieve it,” noted Satchu.

Lastly, remember that during the holidays it can be challenging to make vet arrangements. Make sure to confirm your veterinarian’s holiday availability and to program the nearest emergency vet and pet poison hotline into your phone.

I like having two hotlines on speed dial in case one doesn’t answer right away. Both the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435 and the Pet Poison Helpline at 855-764-7661 offer 24/7 emergency assistance. Both hotline services charge a per-incident fee – the ASPCA costs $95 and the Pet Poison Helpline charges $85.

Sources

1. Noël Duan, founder, Argos & Artemis, email interview, November 9, 2020

2. Douglas Kratt, DVM, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association and owner of Central Animal Hospital, email interview, November 9, 2020

3. Zay Satchu, DVM, co-founder and chief veterinary officer, Bond Vet, email interview, November 9, 2020

4. Mikel Welch, interior designer and television host, Mikel Welch Designs, phone interview, November 12, 2020