And that's just inside the house. Fortunately, most commercially available mistletoe substitutes plastic berries for the real thing. Greens such as balsam and pine, while not strictly toxic, also can cause minor irritation for munching pets. But some of the increasingly popular potted bulbs in the lily family can cause kidney failure in cats, he noted. Tinsel has no direct toxic effects, but it can cause gastrointestinal blockage that can be life-threatening.
Cats seem to love tinsel.
Styrofoam in ornaments or packaging presents the same threat of gastrointestinal blockage. And bubble lights contain methylene chloride, a moderately toxic solvent. Tree preservatives themselves are not particularly toxic, the poison expert said, but sugar-based preservatives may become hosts to bacterial growth over a period of time, and the bacteria may sicken a thirsty cat or dog. But too much milk chocolate with its high-fat content can lead to pancreatitis in pets. X-rays will reveal the whereabouts of batteries, which may have to be surgically removed.