Safety Tips for the Holidays

The holidays are a time for festivities and celebration. There are parties, presents, and time spent with families and friends. However, amidst all the celebrations, those of you with pets need to spend a little time to make sure your furry family members are kept safe from holiday dangers. Here are some tips to keep in mind to ensure the safety of your pets during the holiday festivities.

Plants

According to Kathy Wahlers at the Pet Poison Helpline, poinsettia plants get a bad rap, but they are only mildly toxic to pets. She says that holiday bouquets containing lilies, holly, or mistletoe are far more worrisome. Be sure to keep these plants well out of the reach of animals in your home, or consider using artificial versions. “Lilies, including tiger, Asiatic, stargazer, Easter, and day lilies, are the most dangerous plants for cats,” said Dr. Ahna Brutlag, assistant direct of Pet Poison Helpline. “The ingestion of one to two leaves or flower petals is enough to cause sudden kidney failure in cats.” Other yuletide pants such as holly berries and mistletoe can also be toxic to pets and can cause gastrointestinal upset and even heart arrhythmias if ingested. One other common toxic plant used in wreaths is eucalyptus. I was guilty of forgetting this one. I recently purchased a live eucalyptus wreath from Trader Joe’s and hung it on my front door, not bothering to worry about its toxicity since it was hung outside. However, the leaves are starting to wilt and fall off when I open the front door, and I caught one of my cats playing with a leaf. While one leaf shouldn’t harm my cat, it’s worth paying attention to if you happen to have one of these wreaths!