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Step 1
Wrap your wires before wrapping your gifts. Adding numerous sets of lights and electrical decorations puts animals in harm's way when they mistake the cords for chew toys. Tape down or cover electrical cords to prevent burns, shocks and other serious injuries to your pets.
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Step 2
Find a different excuse to kiss. Plants associated with the holiday season such as mistletoe, poinsettias, holly, lilies, amaryllis, chrysanthemum, rhododendron and winter broom are poisonous. To avoid gastrointestinal problems, display fake plants instead.
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Step 3
Ban all people food from the mouths of pets. While it's tempting to "treat" your pet this time of year to fatty meats, gravies, chocolate and alcohol, indulging your pet can lead to toxic reactions, from vomiting and diarrhea to pancreatitis and death.
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Step 4
Provide a quiet and relaxing retreat. The number of houseguests and parties increases during the holiday season, and pets don't know what to make of all the extra household activity and noise. Allowing them their own private sanctuary will reduce the amount of stress they experience and the number of "accidents" you'll have to clean up off your floors and carpets.
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Step 5
Decorate your tree with the tinsel at the top. Tinsel can be too tempting to taste, especially to cats. Ingested tinsel can cause ailments such as cuts in the mouth and blocked intestines, which can lead to surgery.
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Step 6
Provide plenty of extra drinking water and cover your tree stands completely. Discourage your pet from drinking water from tree stands, particularly if you treat it with preservatives or aspirin to prolong the life of your tree. Both can prove lethal to pets, and even untreated water can contain life-threatening bacteria.
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Step 7
Identify your pet. If you haven't purchased an ID tag for your pet before the holiday season, make this the first gift you give him. With all the coming and going and opening and closing of the front door, it's just too easy for a pet to slip out and get lost, taken or hit by a car.
