Sparkly, Shiny, Pretty, and Dangerous.

We love Christmas but Christmas can be dangerous for pets.  Before you start decorating and putting the gifts under the tree (remember pets love gifts too), make sure your house is pet proof.

Here are six things to look out for.

1.  Christmas trees.  The biggest part of Christmas decorating in most houses is the Christmas tree.  Lots of families like to have a real live tree and the bigger the better.  They look and smell so pretty but if you have a cat, a real tree can be very tempting to climb which could make the tree fall, break the pretty ornaments and even hurt the cat.

Dogs may not climb a Christmas tree but they still could knock it down.

2.  Chemicals.  A real tree needs to have water all the time and most peoples put chemicals in the water to keep the tree fresh longer.  A dog or cat may not know that the water bowl under the tree is not for drinking.  If you have to use a chemical, make it impossible for your pet to drink from it by covering it with something they can’t take off.

3.  Angel Hair and Tinsel.  Shiny and so pretty but so bad for pets!  The old Angel Hair was made of stuff that they can’t sell any more but some peoples have really old ornaments they like so be careful.  Tinsel makes a tree look so pretty but if a dog or cat eats it, they can get really, really sick or even died.  Best to not use any.

4.  Candles.  Candles make a house look and smell so pretty but be careful where you put them.  A kitty jump or a waggy tail can easily knock one over and make a fire start.  The best thing to remember is to not leave a room where a candle is burning, even for a minute.

5.  Candy.  Lots of childrens make Christmas ornaments out of candy and other foods.  Sugar is not good for pets but we like it so if we see ornaments made out of candy or cookies, it is hard not to try to eat them. Candy canes are pretty but are made of lots of sugar too.

6.  Plants.  There are plants that are special to Christmas.  Some of these plants like Amaryllis, Mistletoe, Poinsettia, Christmas Cactus and English Ivy to name a few, are poisonous to pets.

That’s lots of things to remember but every one is important.

In our house the big problem is the tree skirt.  DixieLee thinks the tree skirt is a blanket and blankets belong in her crate.

Time to check to see how our decorating is coming along and then maybe time for a nap.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Good Night.

Zeva

P.S.  Blatant self-promotion.  For the bestest Christmas gift baskets for  pets and the people who love them, check out pawpalsboutique.com