Rover dressed up as Rudolph is cute; Miss Kitty tangled in tinsel can be tragic. (A big bow? Also a no-go.) Over the holidays, seemingly benign decorations and festivities can be dangerous to dogs and cats. Here are five tips to safeguard your four-legged friends for Christmas.

¢ Secure the tree. Anchor your Christmas tree to the ceiling or wall, and make sure the base is heavier than the top. This way, mischievous pets won’t be on the receiving end of “Timber!” Place breakable and edible ornaments in the higher boughs, especially strings of popcorn. Sweep up fallen pine needles, which can puncture your pets’ intestines or get stuck in their throats.

¢ No drinking allowed. The water keeping your tree alive very likely contains sap and chemicals that could sicken your pet. Cover the basin tightly and spray citrus or citronella scents on the tree to ward off curious kitties.

¢ Decoration dos and don’ts. Use tinsel, hooks and string sparingly. If ingested, you might have to make an emergency trip to the vet. Place lighted candles out of the way of tails and paws. Remove all wrapping paper scraps, which could contain lead. Keep such toxic plants as mistletoe, holly, amaryllis and poinsettia far from pets’ mouths.

¢ Ignore the begging. Never feed your dog or cat chocolate Santas or other rich treats, such as peppermint candies, fruit cake, etc. The rich desserts could cause severe indigestion, or worse.

¢ Cold comfort. If you have pet-phobic friends visiting for the holidays, don’t send your dog outside into the freezing temperatures. Gate a section of the house where it can roam. For cats, enclose them in a spacious room containing their litter box, water and toys.