Fur Baby Faux Pas: Holiday Hazards Hiding in Plain Sight

That sparkly tinsel draped across your tree might look like disco fever circa 1978, but to your cat, it’s a shimmering string of temptation. One playful chomp leads to ingestion, and suddenly you're dealing with a very serious intestinal blockage situation. Swap it for felt garland or ribbon instead. Your cat will still judge you, but at least it won’t be from behind a cone of shame.

We all know chocolate is bad for dogs, but tell that to the four-legged chocoholic who thinks your dessert tray is fair game. Since dogs have the self-control of a toddler in a candy store, keep truffles, fudge and anything cocoa-related out of reach. That also includes those fancy chocolate liqueurs. No one wants to spend Christmas explaining to the vet how your Labrador developed a taste for Bailey’s.

Your holiday spread is basically a Vegas buffet of danger for four-legged party crashers. Chocolate, xylitol (sneaky little ingredient hiding in sugar-free treats), onions, garlic, grapes and macadamia nuts are all on the naughty list for pets. Keep the snacks human-only and distract your furry guests with endless praise for being the goodest boy or girl at the party.

Nothing says "cozy holiday vibes" like flickering candles, but one enthusiastic tail wag can turn ambiance into an inferno. Battery-operated candles are your friend here. They're safer than the real deal and won't leave you explaining to the fire department how Fluffy started the great living room fire of 2025. Consider it one small step for safety, one giant leap for keeping your eyebrows.

Those essential oil diffusers and potpourri bowls filling your home with cinnamon and pine scent are essentially toxic soup for pets. Tea tree oil, wintergreen and citrus oils can cause drooling, vomiting and difficulty walking when ingested or even absorbed through the skin. Opt for pet-safe candles or just embrace the natural smell of pine needles; your guests came for the food anyway, not to be assaulted by “Arctic Balsam Bliss.”

Poinsettias get all the bad press, but the real heavy hitters are lilies, amaryllis and mistletoe, which can cause everything from kidney failure to cardiac issues. Holly berries deserve a dishonorable mention too since they'll have your pet vomiting faster than Uncle Gary after his third helping of rum cake. Stick with pet-safe alternatives like Christmas cacti, spider plants or faux florals.

For pets, fireworks are less “celebration” and more “apocalypse.” Even indoor sounds can send them into hiding under the bed like they’re in the witness protection program. Keep the blinds shut, the TV on and the comfort high. If they’re especially anxious, a thunder shirt or blanket fort can turn panic mode into mild suspicion and help you ring in the new year without an impromptu game of “find the terrified dog.”

Before the gift wrapping begins, stash scissors, ribbon and bows somewhere safe. Cats think they’re enrichment toys, dogs think they’re snacks and both are wrong. A safer plan: let them unwrap one soft toy of their own and call it a day.