How to Pet-Proof Your Christmas Tree and Decorations
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A Christmas tree is a strange new object that appears overnight in the middle of the living room, covered in shiny things that dangle and swing. To a puppy it looks like a toy box. To a cat it looks like a climbing frame. This guide covers the main risks for dogs and cats (a tree that can tip, decorations that can be swallowed or broken, cables, tree water, plants and gifts) and the signs that mean you should call your vet straight away.
How we wrote this: the steps follow PDSA’s guides to dangerous Christmas decorations and Christmas plants that are dangerous to pets, Best Friends Animal Society’s page on Christmas holiday dangers for pets, and Dogs Trust’s advice on a dog-friendly Christmas. We put their advice in our own words and mark our own tips with “in our view”. All were checked on 2 November 2026. We did not test any of the products named here ourselves, and we do not show prices or ratings. This is not veterinary advice: if you think your pet has swallowed something, call your vet.
1. Choose the tree and the spot with your pet in mind
PDSA says that, in general, an artificial tree is the safer choice for pets, because a real tree adds needles, sap and a pot of water. An artificial tree can still be pulled over by a dog or climbed by a cat, though, so the set-up matters whichever kind you pick.
In our view, the spot is as important as the tree. A corner works better than the middle of the room, because two walls stop the tree being circled and bumped from every side. Keep it away from furniture a cat could jump from, and away from the route your dog races along when the doorbell rings.
2. Give the tree a sturdy base and anchor it
PDSA advises setting every tree, real or artificial, in a sturdy base so it is less likely to fall. Best Friends goes one step further and suggests anchoring it with fishing line tied to a hook in the wall or ceiling, so a pet cannot pull it down.
In our view, test it before any decorations go on: push the trunk gently at about the height your dog leans or your cat jumps. If it rocks, add weight to the base or tighten the stand before you hang anything.
3. Put a barrier around the tree if your pet will not leave it alone
PDSA’s simplest advice is to keep pets away from the tree, and if possible to keep them out of the room where the tree and other risky decorations are. That can mean a closed door, or a gate across the doorway so the room is off limits when you are not there to watch. Our best dog gate guide compares the main types. The Toddleroo by North States Easy Swing & Lock Gate is a steel walk-through gate that screws to the wall and closes behind you, according to its listing, which helps when people are going in and out with gifts. If your dog has never had a gate in the house, our guide on how to get a dog used to a baby gate explains how to introduce one calmly.
Some owners put a pen around the tree instead. The North States MyPet Petyard Passage is a folding plastic pen of pre-connected panels that unfolds into different shapes with no tools, according to its listing. It is 26 inches high, so in our view it works as a reminder for a small dog that does not jump, not as a barrier for a big dog or any cat. See how to get a puppy used to a playpen if your puppy is new to one.
4. Skip the tinsel and pick up loose ribbon
PDSA’s advice is to leave tinsel off altogether. It is not poisonous, but a pet may treat it as a shiny toy, and swallowed tinsel can choke a pet or get stuck in the gut and cause a blockage that needs emergency surgery. Best Friends adds ribbon and ornament hooks to the list and says to pick up everything that drops on the floor after you finish decorating, because a blockage may need surgery to fix.
In our view, this matters most with cats, which love anything stringy. Use ribbon-free wrapping on gifts under the tree, and do a quick floor sweep each evening for hooks, bits of ribbon and tags.
5. Use shatterproof ornaments and hang them high
PDSA explains that baubles can lodge in the throat or cause trouble further down if they are swallowed, and that glass ornaments shatter when they hit the floor, so a pet can cut its paws on the pieces. Its advice is to use unbreakable plastic ornaments and hang them higher on the tree, away from wagging tails and batting paws. Best Friends suggests that if your pets show an interest in the tree, the bottom third should only carry wood or plastic ornaments that cannot break.
In our view, keep anything precious or glass for a shelf or a room your pet cannot reach this year, and leave the lowest branches nearly bare for a curious puppy or kitten. Snow globes, artificial snow and anything edible belong out of reach too: PDSA notes that eating a lot of artificial snow can build up into a blockage, and that edible tree decorations made of chocolate are best not used at all in a home with pets. If you do hang edible decorations, PDSA says to put them right at the top.
6. Make the lights and cables safe
PDSA warns that tree lights carry a risk of electric shock, above all higher-voltage sets. Best Friends says not to leave tree lights on when nobody is home, because a pet can get tangled in the cords, and to unplug them whenever you are not using them.
In our view, run the cable up the back of the tree rather than across the floor, keep the plug end behind furniture or inside a cable cover, and check the wire every few days for chew marks. A puppy that is teething will chew any cable it can reach, so this is where a gate or closed door helps most. If you ever find a chewed cable, unplug it before you touch your pet, and call your vet even if your pet seems fine.
7. Real trees: cover the water and clear the needles
PDSA says the needles of pine, fir and spruce are not toxic if a pet just brushes past, but they are sharp and can upset the stomach, irritate the mouth or harm the eyes, and can get stuck in a cat’s soft palate. It suggests vacuuming up fallen needles often. The oils and sap from a real tree are toxic if eaten, according to PDSA, which advises calling your vet at once if your pet may have swallowed any. Best Friends also warns that the sap is dangerous if eaten.
The tree stand water is the other risk. PDSA says not to add chemicals, fertilizer or preservatives to it, because many are toxic to pets, and points out that even plain water left standing breeds bacteria that can upset a pet’s stomach. Both PDSA and Best Friends suggest covering the water, for example with netting or a tree skirt, and PDSA reminds owners to keep a bowl of fresh water out at all times.
8. Keep festive plants, candles and edible gifts out of reach
PDSA names five Christmas plants that are dangerous to cats and dogs: holly, mistletoe, poinsettia, ivy and amaryllis. Its advice is to place real plants high up and well out of the way, or to use artificial ones instead. Best Friends gives the same advice for poinsettias and mistletoe. Dogs Trust lists holly berries among the festive hazards for dogs as well.
Best Friends also says to keep every wrapped gift that contains food off the floor, because pets can smell it through the paper, and to put lit candles where pets cannot reach them and never leave them burning on their own. Dogs Trust reminds owners that chocolate hanging on the tree or tucked in advent calendars is easy for a dog to reach. In our view, keep those gifts in a closed cupboard until the day, and tell guests not to put food parcels under the tree. For what dogs and cats can safely eat at Christmas, ask your vet; our sister site InTheKibble covers pet food.
9. Give your pet a quiet place to get away
Dogs Trust suggests keeping to your dog’s usual routine of meals and walks on busy days, and making sure it has a quiet spot with a bed and fresh water to go to when the celebrations get too much. It also asks everyone in the family to learn the signs that a dog needs some space. In our view, the same goes for cats: a high perch or a bed in a spare room away from the tree and the visitors gives a cat somewhere to retreat. Getting a new kitten this season? Our guide on getting your home ready for a new kitten covers the rest of the house.
When to call the vet
PDSA advises calling your vet straight away if you know or suspect your pet has eaten tinsel, a bauble, chocolate, a sweet that may contain xylitol, tree sap or a toxic plant, even if it seems fine at first. Signs that something has been swallowed include vomiting, diarrhea, not wanting to eat, drooling and lack of energy, according to PDSA, and it warns that these can be mistaken for a simple stomach bug. Do not try to make your pet sick at home. Have the packaging or a piece of the plant ready, as your vet will want to know what was eaten and roughly how much.
FAQ
How do I stop my cat from climbing the Christmas tree?
Anchor the tree to a wall or ceiling so it cannot fall, keep it away from furniture a cat can jump from, and keep the cat out of the room when nobody is watching. PDSA and Best Friends both suggest restricting access and securing the tree.
Is a real or an artificial Christmas tree safer for pets?
PDSA says an artificial tree is generally safer, because a real tree adds sharp needles, toxic sap and stand water. Either kind still needs a sturdy base.
Are Christmas tree needles toxic to dogs?
PDSA says the needles are not toxic to touch, but they are sharp and can upset the stomach or hurt the mouth if eaten, and the sap is toxic. Vacuum fallen needles often and call your vet if your dog has chewed the tree.