Christmas decorations are especially enticing for your pets, with all of their sparkling lights and streamers. However, while all of these things are harmless to humans, they can pose very real dangers to your cat or dog. With that said, before you decorate your home, take a few minutes to consider pet-safe decorating.
Dog and Cat Proof Christmas Decorations
Pet Safety Tips for Christmas
Hanging Christmas Ornaments
If you have particularly curious pets, hang your delicate and/or glass ornaments on the higher branches of your tree. Additionally, be sure to secure them tightly. If you have cats, you may want to choose ornaments that are unbreakable. Furthermore, while tinsel can be very attractive, it can be quite dangerous for your pet.
As such, you may want to eliminate tinsel from your tree. Other decorations you will want to steer away from include candy canes, cranberry strings and popcorn garlands. All of these decorations can be harmful to your pet. You will also want to keep lights away from the lowest branches of your tree.
Dogs and Christmas Trees
Secure Your Christmas Tree. Dogs and cats are curious creatures and enjoy investigating anything new. As such, your pets will most likely want to investigate your tree. To prevent them from tipping your tree over, be sure to secure it in such a way that it will not topple over. You can accomplish this by securing it to a wall with fishing line or another strong type of string.
Another way you can discourage your dog or cat from playing with your Christmas tree is by spraying it with a spray designed to “scare” them away. There are many of these sprays available, and you can find them in your local department store, pet shop or veterinary clinic.
Electrical Cords
Christmas decor seems to involve an array of lights and electrical cords. Unfortunately, these cords can be very dangerous if you have a dog or cat. Keep any electrical cords out of reach of your pets and if necessary, you can even use duct tape to tape them to the wall or floor eliminating the chance of electrical shocks.
If you have curious pets, it is best to keep Christmas gifts locked away until you are ready to watch over them on Christmas morning. However, another alternative is to keep them on a table next to your tree that is out of reach of your pets. Some people have even gone so far as to place a protective dog pen around their tree until Christmas day.
Cat and Dog Christmas Ornaments
Make your pets a part of the festivities by adding some custom Christmas ornaments to your tree featuring them. Christmas is a most special time of the year that you will want to share with both your family and your furry friends. Make use of these valuable tips, and you will be sure to enjoy the holidays without any worries of danger to your pets.
Check out more useful Tips for Keeping Pets Safe during Holidays!