6 Home Decor Items You Might Not Realize Are Dangerous for Pets

If you have a four-legged family member at home, chances are you've already gone out of your way to make your space more pet-friendly. However, there are several home decor items, including holiday-related ones, that you might not realize are dangerous for your furry friends. "We consider our pets to be part of our families, but certain decorations that bring beauty and enjoyment to the people in a household can pose serious hazards to a dog or cat," Dr. Douglas Kratt, a veterinarian at Central Animal Hospital and president of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) says.

To help you pet-proof your home, we asked Kratt and Dr. Jamie Richardson, Medical Chief of Staff at Small Door Veterinary for advice about what decorative items to keep out of your furry family members' reach, especially during the holiday season. From toxic houseplants to Christmas trees, candles, and more, here's what they had to say.

For as beautiful and beneficial as decorating with houseplants can be, certain varieties can be extremely dangerous for pets. "Many common houseplants, including lilies, oleanders, sago palms, tulip bulbs, and holiday plants such as poinsettia, holly and mistletoe, can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and breathing difficulties, or even be fatal for pets," Richardson says. "For example, lilies can cause acute renal failure for cats, even from chewing on a single leaf, drinking the plant water, or brushing up against the pollen, so do not bring any plant into your home if it is toxic for pets, and avoid having them in your garden if you have a dog or an outdoor cat."

Like it or not, Richardson says indoor trees, especially holiday trees, can pose a number of dangers to your pets. "Firstly, cats are often tempted to climb trees, and an untethered tree could easily fall over, hurting them," she explains. "Secondly, for trees and other plants that require watering, it's important to ensure you never leave any stagnant water (or additive treated water) in the pot. Bacteria grows very quickly in tree water, and can cause serious stomach upsets for your pet if they try to drink from it." For these reasons, she recommends anchoring any trees in your home to the wall to ensure it can't fall over, and watering your trees regularly — and without any chemical additives — so your pets won't have access to standing water in a pot.

If you like decorating your home with candles, Richardson says it's crucial to place them in areas that your pets can't reach. "An inquisitive pet could easily burn themselves when sniffing a candle, or an errant tail wag could send a candle flying, setting fire to nearby items," she explains. "Cats also have very sensitive respiratory tracts and heavy fragrances from candles, incense, or sprays can cause an inflammatory response, resulting in an asthma attack, if they are susceptible." When you use candles at home, Richardson suggests sticking to soy candles, with natural cotton wicks, because they produce less soot and toxic chemicals when burned.

No holiday tree would be complete without ornaments, but according to Richardson, they pose several hazards to pets. "Ornaments are easily knocked over by a wagging tail or a cat jumping up onto a mantelpiece, and they may have sharp edges when broken, which can cut your pet's paws or cause internal punctures if eaten," she explains. "Place ornaments out of reach of your pets, avoid them entirely, or choose shatter-proof ones if possible."

For as festive as tinsel can look on trees, stair rails, and mantels during the holidays, Kratt says it can cause major problems if ingested by a pet. "Unfortunately, cats love tinsel as much as people do, and if they eat it, it could cause intestinal blockages that require surgery," he warns. Richardson says the same goes for other string-like decorations, including yarn, ribbons, streamers, and fringed fabrics. "Cats in particular enjoy playing with and batting string-like items, but if ingested they can easily bunch up in the stomach or wrap around the intestines, causing serious and potentially fatal harm to your pet," she explains. "Always put away any gift wrapping materials you've used right after you're finished with them."

Whether you're using them to dress up your space for the holidays or simply looking to create a more ambient indoor lighting scheme, Richardson says string lights, and other decor items with electrical cords can cause electric burns if chewed by your pets. "Inquisitive pets may consider dangling cables a chew toy, so always turn off electrical items when leaving the house," she advises. "Cord covers can help to conceal electrical cables and stop pets from chewing them, and if you have any long cables that run along walls, you can secure them to the wall with cable clips to make them less accessible."