1. Choose the Right Spot in Your Home for the Tree. Pick an area where the tree can be fun and enjoyed by the family without becoming a "climbing tower" for your pet. Secure the tree to the wall or ceiling, and place away from furniture. Furniture can serve as a step ladder for your pet to reach higher limbs on the tree. Try to place the tree near an outlet so you don't have to run electrical cords across the flour and for long distances.
2. Securing Your Tree. Cats (especially frisky kittens) love to climb trees which can be very dangerous for small children and for your rambunctious kittens. Kittens can be injured if the trees or ornaments fall and break. Dogs can inadvertently knock over a tree by rubbing against or playing underneath it. Increase the safety of the tree by securing it to a corner from two sides to small hooks in the walls. Another trick is to place a small hook in the ceiling above the tree and use clear fishing line from the top of the tree to the hook. The clear line is invisible.
3. Hide the Electrical Cords. Electrical cords are especially dangerous for pets. Puppies and kittens will chew on anything, including electrical cords, this can cause serious injury or even death. Secure the cords by positioning them higher than the pet can reach or hiding them with special covers.
4. No Hooks. Check your ornaments and replace hooks with a loop of string tied in a knot. Ornaments often fall from the tree and pets may catch their mouths on or swallow the hooks.
5. Choose Safe Ornaments. Pet "safer" bulbs would be plastic or wood. Glass bulbs on the lower limbs can be especially dangerous as pets can step on them and cut their feet. Pet can treat the glass bulbs like a ball and chew on them causing them to break, resulting in mouth or throat trauma and bleeding. There is no perfectly pet-safe bulb, as any ornament can be ingested and cause an intestinal obstruction. Many pet owners have learned the hard way not to place any ornaments on the lower limbs. Be aware that ornaments made of food may be especially attractive to pets.
6. Ribbons. Replace tinsel and garland with big red velvet ribbons. Tinsel and garland can be eaten by cats and dogs and become caught in their intestine. Cats are especially attracted to the bright shiny tinsel. Ingestion of this material can cause intestinal obstruction that may require surgery.
7. Gift and Presents. Dogs and cats love to investigate and don't understand that the presents are not meant to be opened before Christmas Day, particularly by them. The draw of decorative ribbons and string can be enticing and if ingested very dangerous. Gifts can be destroyed by a playful pet so consider storing the presents in a safe area until right before the holiday. Another option is to make sure your pet is always supervised while investigating and searching for his special gift.
8. Sweep and Water Pine Needles. Sweep up the pine needles. Ingestion of needles can cause vomiting and gastric irritation. Keep the tree watered and only turn the lights on when you are at home. Risk of fire is always there with a live tree. Do not allow your pet access to the tree water to drink.
9. Supervise. The safest thing to do is to allow your pet access to the tree only when supervised. Pets that continue to want to bother the tree should be encouraged – using positive reinforcement – to leave it alone. Bitter apple can be sprayed on low branches for persistent chewers.
10. Enjoy. The holiday season is a fun time of the year for family (human/ canine/ feline), friends, and colleagues. During the busy holiday season it is easy to forget that pets still need to spend time with their loved ones. Make time for walks, play time, and cuddle time.
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