Holiday Decorating and Pet Safety: What Every Pet Owner Should Know

How Do You Keep Pets Safe During Holiday Decorating?

To keep pets safe during the holiday season, secure all electrical cords out of reach, keep toxic plants like poinsettias, mistletoe, and holly away from pets, anchor your Christmas tree so it can’t be knocked over, keep small ornaments and edible decorations out of reach, cover tree water stands to prevent drinking, and never leave open candles unattended with pets in the room. If you’re unsure whether a decoration or plant is safe, assume it isn’t — and keep it out of your pet’s reach entirely.

The holiday season is wonderful for people — and genuinely hazardous for pets. Dogs and cats don’t know that the sparkling things on the tree are breakable, that the water in the tree stand can make them sick, or that the plant in the corner is poisonous. They just know it’s all very interesting and probably worth investigating.

The chaos of the season makes things worse. Guests coming and going, unusual food left on counters, new objects appearing throughout the house — all of this increases the number of opportunities for a pet to get into something dangerous. The good news is that most holiday pet hazards are entirely preventable with a bit of advance planning.

Electrical Cords: The Most Immediate Risk

Dogs and cats are attracted to cords — they move when batted, they’re chewy, and there are suddenly a lot more of them around the house during the holidays. A pet that chews through a live electrical cord can suffer severe burns to the mouth and throat, electrical shock, or cardiac arrest. This is a genuine medical emergency.

How to protect your pets from electrical hazards:

• Run cords along the baseboard and tape them flat to the wall so they’re less interesting and accessible
• Use cord covers or cable management channels to enclose cords your pet might reach
• Ask your holiday decorator to route light strings as high as possible on the tree, away from the lower branches where pets can reach
• Never leave a pet unattended in a room with low-hanging cords or accessible plug connections
• Consider cord deterrent sprays (available at pet stores) for particularly persistent chewers

Toxic Plants: More Dangerous Than Most People Realize

Several traditional holiday plants are toxic to pets — and some are significantly more dangerous than their festive reputation suggests.

Plants to keep away from pets:

• Poinsettias — mildly toxic, causing drooling, vomiting, and skin irritation if ingested or if the sap contacts skin
• Mistletoe — more seriously toxic, causing gastrointestinal upset, low blood pressure, and in large quantities, cardiovascular problems
• Holly berries — toxic to dogs and cats, causing vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy
• Ivy — toxic when ingested, causing vomiting, diarrhea, and in larger quantities, more serious symptoms
• Amaryllis — toxic to both dogs and cats, causing vomiting, tremors, and low blood pressure
• Christmas cactus — generally considered low-toxicity but can cause vomiting and diarrhea in sensitive animals

If you’re not certain whether a plant is safe, keep it out of reach entirely — or skip it this year. When in doubt, consult your veterinarian before introducing any unfamiliar plant into a home with pets.

The Christmas Tree: A Pet Hazard in Disguise

Your Christmas tree is, from your pet’s perspective, a fascinating new indoor object covered in interesting things to investigate, chew, and potentially knock over. A few precautions can prevent most tree-related pet incidents:

• Secure the tree firmly — use a stable, wide-base tree stand and consider anchoring the top of the tree to the wall or ceiling with a thin wire or fishing line. A tree toppled by a curious cat or an excited dog can injure both the pet and anyone nearby
• Cover the tree stand water — the water in a live tree stand can contain fertilizers, pesticides, or bacteria from the cut trunk that can make pets sick if ingested. Cover the stand with a tree skirt or a physical barrier
• Keep real tree needles swept up — fallen needles can get lodged in a pet’s throat or cause gastrointestinal irritation if swallowed. Consider an artificial tree if this is a recurring issue
• Hang breakable ornaments higher on the tree — glass ornaments at lower levels are a breaking and ingestion risk for dogs and cats. Reserve the lower branches for unbreakable ornaments
• Avoid tinsel entirely if you have cats — cats are particularly attracted to tinsel, and if swallowed it can cause serious intestinal damage requiring emergency surgery
• Keep small ornaments, ribbon, and decorative picks off the lower branches — small objects that look like toys are swallowing hazards

Edible Decorations and Holiday Food

The holidays bring more food into the home than usual — and more opportunities for pets to access things they shouldn’t. Edible decorations are a particular risk that’s easy to overlook.

Food-related hazards to watch for:

• Popcorn strings — if you’re decorating with strung popcorn, keep it well above pet height; dogs in particular will investigate anything that smells like food
• Chocolate — toxic to dogs and cats; theobromine, which chocolate contains, can cause vomiting, seizures, and cardiac problems. Keep all chocolate well out of reach, including in wrapped gifts
• Candy dishes — keep elevated and covered; many candies contain xylitol (an artificial sweetener) which is extremely toxic to dogs
• Holiday baking — rich, fatty, or spiced foods that are fine for humans can cause pancreatitis and other digestive issues in pets; keep counters and tables clear when you’re not in the room
• Bones — cooked poultry bones from holiday meals are a choking and intestinal hazard; secure garbage bags and dispose of bones promptly

Candles, Flames, and Curious Pets

Open flames and pets are a genuinely dangerous combination. Candles can be knocked over by a wagging tail or a curious paw — causing burns to the pet and potentially starting a fire. A cat’s whiskers are singed more often than most people realize simply by the animal approaching a lit candle out of curiosity.

• Never leave a lit candle unattended in a room with a pet
• Use flameless LED candles wherever possible — they provide the same warm ambiance without any of the fire risk
• Place candles on stable surfaces well away from the edge, in holders that can’t be easily tipped
• Keep candles out of reach of jumping cats and tail-wagging dogs

Managing Holiday Stress for Your Pet

Pets are sensitive to disruptions in routine — and the holiday season is full of them. Guests arriving, unusual sounds, rearranged furniture, and the general excitement of the season can cause anxiety in dogs and cats, which in turn increases the likelihood of them getting into something they shouldn’t.

• Create a quiet retreat — give your pet a safe, comfortable space away from the main activity where they can decompress when the household gets busy
• Maintain their routine as much as possible — feeding times, walks, and play schedules help anchor anxious pets during a chaotic season
• Introduce decorations gradually — bringing out all the decorations at once can be overwhelming; spread the process over a few days
• Monitor guests around pets — well-meaning guests sometimes feed pets from the table or leave doors open; brief guests on your house rules before they arrive

A Beautifully Decorated Home That’s Safe for Everyone

Christmas Décor of Oakville’s professional installation team is experienced in working around households with pets, children, and all the real-world considerations of a family home. When you hire us, we route cords carefully, secure lights out of reach, and ensure that our installation doesn’t create hazards for the other members of your household — two-legged or four.

For your free design consultation, call us at 905-632-2445 or request a quote online. We serve Oakville and south Mississauga (south of the QEW).