Holiday Decorations Could Be Harmful to your Pet

(this part I of our series about keep your Pets safe this holiday season)

Keeping Pets Safe during the Holiday Season

The holidays are here and your attention is probably on the perfects gifts, the feast to come, decorating and travel.   Sometimes the last thing on your mind is the family cat and dog.   While pets may bring joy to your playful holiday moments, they also serve as the reason why you should be super cautious when the holiday festivities are in full swing.  

Decorations as “Destroyers”

Bright and shiny decorations are perfect lures for your kids and pets alike. Sparkling holiday lights, fluffy bows, wrapped gifts, and in fact, the newness of celebrations is just enough to tickle the curious spirit of your pets.   
When decorating your home this holiday remember:

o   Cats tend to view tinsel, garland, and string-like objects as their toys and such perceptions can really prove to be hazardous for their health. Ingestion of these objects can case damage to the gastrointestinal tract and some serious cases may demand surgical intervention.  Glass decorations may fall and break and your pets may fall victim to the sharp surfaces.   

o   Lights that twinkle and bring ecstasy to your evening indoors may pose a threat to your pooch or frisky. The innumerable cords and the plugs may become your pets’ favorite chew items and incidences of shocks and burns may spoil your celebration.

o   Candles… big or small… white or colored, twisted or plain… Santas or fairies light up your moods with their natural warmth, but may be associated with a fire threat when knocked over. 

o   Dried flower parts or essential oils found in potpourri may act as a poison to your pets and this holds particularly true for cats. Your feline may get affected with fever, difficulty breathing, and tremor and may sustain chemical burns in the mouth.

o   Live Christmas trees add life to your festive moods, but they may not be friendly to your pets as well! Water at the base of Christmas trees may be contaminated with fertilizers or toxins and may pose a risk to the wellbeing of your pets.

o   Plants form an integral part of celebration as we feel a lively presence with rejuvenating aroma. Unfortunately, some of the holiday season plants are not pet-friendly.  Poinsettias, holly mistletoe, lilies, and ivy, can be  poisonous to both cats and dogs.   

Be mindful of these dangers when placing these items in your home.  Try "baby-proofing" techniques that keep unsafe items in areas where your pets cannot get to them or where holiday decorations can be tightly secured.   In the instance of plants, trees and flowers, try fake silks instead.  Not only are they safer for your furry companions, you can reuse them year after year. 

You can also use distraction as a means to keep your pet safe too.  Try keeping your pet's mind off all the new shiny, smelly holiday decorations by getting them a new toy or play thing.  Keeping their mind busy with a new toy or exhausted from play, will lesson the chance that they go looking for trouble elsewhere.  We recommend FroliCat toys, our innovative pet toys designed to engage your pet in fun exercise and enthusiastic play.