Holiday Decorating With Pets: A Christmas Tree Safety Checklist
Anchor the tree, hang soft ornaments low and glass ones high, cover cords, keep tinsel, candles and food gifts out of reach, and give your pet a quiet room. Here is the full checklist.
In short
- Anchor the tree to a wall or ceiling hook and use a wide, heavy stand so a climbing cat or a bumping dog cannot tip it.
- Hang unbreakable ornaments on the lowest branches and save glass and heirlooms for the top third of the tree.
- Skip tinsel in a home with cats, keep ribbon and string out of reach, and slip light cords into chew-resistant tubing.
- A freestanding pet gate or playpen panels around the tree is the simplest way to keep curious paws back while you are out of the room.
- Keep wrapped gifts that hold food up high, use flameless candles, and ask your vet before bringing home a holiday plant.
Hello, lovely! A sparkly tree is the best kind of mystery to a cat or a dog: something new to sniff, climb, bat and carry off. Christmas tree safety for cats and dogs comes down to three ideas. Make the tree hard to tip, put the tempting things out of reach, and give your pet better things to do. Work through this checklist the day the tree goes up, then once more when the gifts arrive.
1. Anchor the tree before you decorate
Start with stability, because every other step is easier on a tree that cannot fall. Choose a stand that is wider than the tree's lowest branches and fill it so it sits heavy. Then tie the trunk to the wall: a screw eye or a strong adhesive hook behind the tree and clear fishing line or a soft cord around the trunk at about two thirds of its height. A climbing kitten or a dog that leans in to sniff will rock the tree, not topple it.
- Place the tree in a corner so two walls block it.
- Keep it away from sofas, shelves and cat trees that work as launch pads.
- Cover the water in a real tree's stand with a tree skirt or a stand cover so pets cannot drink from it.
- Give a new cat a few days with the bare tree before you add lights and ornaments, so the novelty wears off first.
2. Ornaments: soft and unbreakable low, glass up high
Think of the tree in three bands. The bottom third, the part a wagging tail or a curious paw can reach, gets only unbreakable ornaments: felt, wood, fabric, plush and shatterproof plastic. The middle gets the light, sturdy pieces. Glass, heirlooms and anything with small parts go in the top third. Use closed hooks or twist ties instead of open wire hooks, so an ornament stays put when it is batted.
Paw print keepsakes are a lovely way to make your pet part of the tree, and they belong high on the branches with the treasures. Our post on Christmas gifts for dogs has more ideas for the ornament box.
Keepsakes to hang up high
Make a paw print together, then hang it out of reach.
3. Tinsel, ribbon and string: keep them out of reach
Anything long, thin and shiny is irresistible to a cat, and dogs love to chew ribbon. The simplest answer in a home with cats is to skip tinsel and loose garland entirely. Choose wide fabric ribbon or bead-free garland, wrap it high on the tree, and tie gift bows with paper or fabric instead of curling ribbon. Tidy up every bit of string, tape and ribbon after gifts are opened. If you think your pet swallowed any, call your vet right away.
4. Light cords: cover them and keep them tidy
Run cords behind the tree and along the wall, never across a walkway, and gather the slack with velcro ties. For the stretch a pet can reach, slip the cord into clear tubing made for this job. Look for tubing sized for normal appliance cords that you can slit and wrap around a cord already plugged in. A citrus-scented cord coating is another option for pets who like the taste of rubber. Unplug the lights whenever you leave the house or go to bed.
Cord covers for curious chewers
Clear tubing slips over a cord; the second option adds a bitter, citrus-scented coating.
5. Put a gate around the tree
A barrier is the most reliable step on this list, because it works while you are asleep or out. A freestanding folding gate wraps around the front of a corner tree with no screws in the wall. Exercise pen panels do the same and can be shaped into a half circle. For cats, who jump, a gate works best paired with an anchored tree and nothing breakable on the low branches. Browse pet gates and pens by height: taller panels suit big dogs and jumpers.
| Barrier | How it works around a tree | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Freestanding folding gate | Hinged panels stand on their own and fold into an arc | Most dogs, corner trees, renters |
| Exercise pen panels | Metal or plastic panels clip together in any shape | Larger trees, puppies, flexible layouts |
| Pressure-mounted doorway gate | Closes off the whole room instead of the tree | Homes where the tree sits in its own room |
Gates and pens that wrap around a tree
Folding and freestanding styles set up in minutes and pack away after the holidays.
For a wide corner tree
This white folding fence stretches up to 144 inches across and stands on its own, so it can curve around a big tree with room to spare.
- 30 inches tall with a walk-through door
- No mounting needed
- Folds flat for storage in January
6. Gifts with food inside stay off the floor
A dog's nose finds the box of chocolates or the tin of cookies long before anyone opens it. Keep any wrapped gift that holds food, treats or scented items on a high shelf or in a closed room until the moment it is opened. Pet gifts need the same care: a stocking full of treats under the tree is an open invitation. Put food gifts under the tree only on the morning they are opened, and only while someone is watching.
7. Candles up high, or go flameless
A wagging tail sweeps a coffee table clear in a second, and cats walk across mantels. Battery flameless candles give the same glow with no flame to worry about. If you light real candles, set them high, out of jumping range, in a sturdy holder, and never leave the room while they burn.
8. Holiday plants: ask your vet first
Seasonal plants arrive as gifts and centerpieces, and some are not a good match for a home with pets. Before you bring a new plant or a cut arrangement into the house, ask your vet whether it suits your cat or dog. Until you know, place it somewhere your pet cannot reach, and sweep up fallen leaves and needles daily.
9. Make a calm room for visits
Doorbells, coats, children and new smells add up. Set up a quiet room before guests arrive: a cozy bed, water, a favorite toy and a closed door with a note so no one lets your pet out. A long-lasting puzzle or a snuffle toy gives your dog something to do while the house is busy. Our Thanksgiving checklist for hosts walks through the whole visit, from the first knock to the last guest.
A cozy corner for busy days
Soft round beds and something to do behind a closed door.
10. Hang pet stockings safely
Stockings on the mantel look lovely and hang at exactly the height a dog can tug. Use weighted stocking holders that sit firmly, or hang stockings from a high hook, and keep anything edible in a closed cupboard until the morning. Toy-filled stockings make a sweet gift for a pet: unpack them together and stay close while the new toys are tried out. Choose toys sized for your pet's mouth and put away any that start to come apart.
Stockings and holiday toys for dogs and cats
Squeaky plush for dogs, crinkle balls and kickers for cats.
Find more toys in catnip toys and dog beds. Traveling instead of hosting? See traveling with a cat for the holidays.
The checklist at a glance
- Tree in a corner on a wide, heavy stand, tied to the wall.
- Unbreakable ornaments on the bottom third, glass up high, closed hooks.
- No tinsel with cats; ribbon and string tidied away.
- Cords covered, run along walls and unplugged at night.
- A gate or pen panels around the tree.
- Food gifts on a high shelf until they are opened.
- Flameless candles, or real ones up high and watched.
- New plants checked with your vet before they come home.
- A calm room ready before guests arrive.
- Stockings hung high, treats stored away.
Questions people ask
How do I keep my cat from climbing the Christmas tree?
Tie the tree to the wall so it cannot fall, keep furniture away from it, and leave the lowest branches bare or hung with soft ornaments only. Give your cat a cat tree or tunnel of its own nearby so there is a better place to climb and play.
Is a real or an artificial tree better with pets?
Both work with the same steps. With a real tree, cover the stand's water and sweep fallen needles every day. With an artificial tree, check that branches are firmly attached so pieces cannot be pulled off and chewed.
How do I keep my dog away from the Christmas tree?
A freestanding gate or exercise pen panels around the tree is the most dependable option. Pair it with a busy toy or a puzzle so your dog has something more interesting to do, and praise calm behavior near the tree.
Are Christmas lights safe around pets?
Lights are fine when the cords are covered or out of reach, run along walls and unplugged when no one is home. Check cords for chew marks every few days and replace any that are damaged.
Which holiday plants are safe for cats and dogs?
Ask your vet before bringing any new plant or cut arrangement home, since suitability varies by plant and by pet. Until you hear back, keep it well out of reach and tidy up fallen leaves.
About the numbers
- Product details on Hey Lovi, read 2026-10-28: Gate width and height and cord tubing details come from each product's own listing.
