For many people, the Christmas tree is part of Christmas. But the combination of the cat and the Christmas tree can also be a source of stress. How do you keep the cat out of that Christmas tree you decorated so lovingly? In this blog, you will find do’s and don’ts!
Throwing cats??
The immediate cause for this blog is an email from one of my readers. I quote (with permission): “I saw a message on Facebook that someone sold the entire Christmas tree because the kitten kept climbing it. A wise decision I think…. but to my astonishment surprise I saw among the 60+ comments at least 10 times the advice that one should just throw the kitten in the tree once, and then it will not do it again. I was completely shocked that people seriously can give such advice and of course, unfortunately, the well-known spray bottle also made its appearance.”
Of course, those aren’t very cat-friendly tips, there are much better solutions.
The cat and the Christmas tree?
Although I love Christmas and like to put up a Christmas tree, there have been years when we were tree-less. Especially when there were kittens or young, playful cats around, we always chose different ways of decoration for Christmas. Safe and stress-free! To be honest, I think that is still the best advice: skip a year or two until the kitten has calmed down a bit.
A Christmas tree after all?
I know, however, that many people do opt for a tree. And they can go quite far in trying to protect it. On the internet you can see hilarious pictures of Christmas trees in a cage, hanging from the ceiling, and decorated cat climbs or ladders, creativity knows no boundaries! But what if the idea of a cage isn’t that appealing?
Climb and shine
Cats are natural climbers, and curious as well. This combination makes it so difficult to make the tree unattractive. Of course, a young cat wants to see if he can climb it, just because it’s new. And all those shiny balls, hanging decorations, and exciting lights are one big toy store for him. It almost doesn’t get any prettier! If he’s not allowed to touch it or will be chased away all the time, it becomes a major source of stress or frustration.
A safe tree
Safety first! With these tips, you can prevent accidents from happening.
- Make sure the tree is stable, with a sturdy base. It’s even better if you have extra points to use as support, for example, a hook in the wall or ceiling.
- Preferably place the tree in a corner. Remove any tables or chairs around the tree, your cat does not need to have extra easy access!
- Choose decorations that will not break.
- Attach the decorations securely to the tree.
- Some cats only play with the lower branches and/or decorations, make sure nothing breakable is hanging there.
- Don’t hang anything in the tree that the cat would want to eat (chocolate, for example, is toxic to cats).
- Don’t use tinsel or lametta (those silver strands), these are also poisonous.
- Pine needles are poisonous to cats too. If you have a saucer of water under the tree, be sure to cover it so cats can’t drink from it. Remove fallen needles daily.
- Turn off the lights when you are not in the room, and unplug the tree.
- Do not leave the cat alone with the Christmas tree unless he has no interest in it at all.
A less attractive tree
- So climbing is very important for the cat. Therefore, provide plenty of alternatives in the form of an attractive cat tree. You can make it super attractive by sprinkling some catnip or valerian on it. Alternatively, you can invite the cat to play around the climbing tree.
- Extra play is always a good idea, but especially now. This way you reduce the chance that your cat will play with the Christmas decorations out of boredom.
- Choose less shiny ornaments, for example, decorations made of wood, or make them yourself from paper and cardboard. Keep grandma’s antique angels in a box until another year.
- Some cats find artificial trees less attractive than real ones. Do choose a variety without glitter or artificial snow.
- Some recommend spraying the Christmas tree with a bitter spray or lemon scent. This may help some cats, but certainly not all. For them, the temptation of climbing or sparklers is greater than their aversion to the smell.
Not such good advice
- Will aluminum foil around the tree keep the cat away? Again, some cats find it scary, but most young cats find the foil attractive.
- Keep the cat out of the room when you set up the tree. I can’t think of what purpose that should serve.
- On the contrary, it may be good to let the cat smell tree and decorations right away under supervision. If his curiosity is satisfied, he is less likely to climb it after all.
- Do not punish the cat. No spray bottle and certainly no throwing the cat into the tree! It won’t help and it will only make the cat more anxious.
The cat and the Christmas tree
I advise you to be as relaxed as possible with this issue. Christmas should be fun for everyone. If your cat is so fixated on the tree, choose an alternative (for now). Neither he nor you will have pleasant holidays otherwise!
Happy holidays!
Photo: Myshun @ Pixabay