What to Know About Cats, Dogs and Xmas Trees

Cats, dogs and Xmas trees tend to be a heavy subject around the holiday season for pet owners. It can be overwhelming to plan and celebrate during the holidays, potentially forgetting the hazards and safety of your pets, especially with Christmas trees. Thankfully, there are plenty of general tips and advice to know with your cats and dogs with Christmas trees.

Below will take a close look at what to know about Christmas trees, their toxicity, what to do with a tree, if you can have a tree, how you can keep your pets out of the tree, and more. By the end of it, you’ll have a good idea of what to expect with your Christmas tree and your pets. Let’s take a look!

Can You Have a Christmas Tree With a Cat and Dog?

Yes, you can enjoy the Christmas spirit with a tree, even if you have a cat or dog. All you need to do is prepare for the holiday correctly to keep your pets safe. Pick a Christmas tree with pet-accommodating, malleable needles, like a Douglas fir or white pine.

These trees’ needles won’t stick in your pets’ paws, allowing you to celebrate with a great tree that won’t harm your pet. Understand that you’ll need to pet-proof a tree since it’s so common for pets to seek out a high spot to perch. Though more common for cats, there are stories of dogs doing a similar act.

What Christmas Trees Are Toxic to Cats and Dogs?

Examining cats, dogs, and Xmas trees revolves around their toxicity. Most Christmas trees are generally safe for pets. However, make sure you keep your cats and dogs away from holly, mistletoe, amaryllis, daffodils, and lilies. Though none of these examples are Christmas trees, they may be around for holidays.

Are Christmas Trees Toxic to Dogs and Cats?

Christmas trees are usually okay for pets. In any case, pine needles can damage your pet’s eyes if they run into the tree. If your pet ingests the sap from the tree, gentle gastrointestinal uneasiness might happen. However, regular trees tend not to be poisonous for cats and dogs but mildly toxic.

If a tree were extremely poisonous to a cat or dog, they obviously wouldn’t sell as well as they do now. Just make sure whomever you’re purchasing the tree from is okay for pets. As for fake trees, double-check online or in-person that it’s okay for your pets to be around. Either way, don’t let your pets eat or scrape the tree since this can cause mild toxicity.

What to Do With a Christmas Tree When You Have Cats and Dogs

Consider keeping your tree secret in rooms where your pets can’t get in. Assuming your pet is a known chewer, pick fake trees over genuine ones. However, biting can prompt an unfamiliar body obstruction. Blockade your Christmas tree behind child entryways or pens to keep your pet out.

Do what you can to ensure your tree is away from your pets, so they don’t mess with it too much. If you don’t have this option, consider putting a small “fort” in front of it to block the pets out. If you can manage to do this, you should enjoy the holiday while keeping your pets safe.

How Do I Keep My Cat and Dog Out Of The Christmas Tree?

A powerful tool to get pets far from a Christmas tree is aluminum foil. Wrap the tree trunk and base entirely with aluminum foil. Since most pets don’t care for the foil or the sensation of delving their paws into it, they’ll stay away from the tree.

Also, be sure to choose a tree that isn’t easy for your pet to jump in. As noted, pick a Christmas tree with pet-accommodating, malleable needles, like a Douglas fir or white pine. Spray repellents containing cords, securing your tree, and tree roadblocks are worth paying attention to as well.

• Pet-Accommodating Tree
• Spray Repellents
• Aluminum Foil
• Cord Containment
• Tree Securement
• Tree Roadblocks

Do Cats and Dogs Destroy Christmas Trees?

Besides keeping your pets safe, there comes the other point of keeping your Christmas tree safe. It’s common for cats and dogs to destroy trees. If you follow the tips above to keep your pets out, you shouldn’t run into any significant issues.

If your cat or dog does destroy your tree, make sure you don’t get too angry. Pets tend not to know what they did wrong, so it’s better to show them the issue rather than yell. Cats and dogs mainly want to climb and have fun in the tree, so try to understand it from that perspective.

Are Pets Okay With Real Christmas Trees?

Yes, real Christmas trees are fine for pets to be around. Just understand it’s more common for your cat or dog to try and climb a real tree, especially cats. If your pets tend to be mischievous creatures, you may want to go with a fake one instead. Either way, a real tree is perfectly safe for your pets as long as you pet-proof it properly.

Are Fake Christmas Trees Safe For Pets?

Some argue that fake Christmas trees are safer for pets than real ones. Though fake trees can have ingredients that aren’t ideal for pets, this tends to be the case with older fake trees. Newer ones are made with better ingredients and machines, ensuring your pet and everyone else is okay around the tree.

Want to Learn More About Cats, Dogs and Xmas Trees?

Hopefully, you got everything you needed to know about cats, dogs and Xmas trees. If you hope to learn more on the matter, visit or contact us at Gateway Veterinary Centre, especially if you’re new to raising a pet.

We’re a locally owned veterinary clinic that provides the latest, independent, and fair advice regarding your pet’s needs. We are open seven days a week and look forward to hearing from you!