How To Cat-Proof Your Christmas Tree

Jamie Middleton from Pets Radar said: “Apart from cats ruining your Christmas set-piece, it can also be dangerous when your cats jump at your Christmas tree. Your feline pal can suffer a nasty injury from pulling a Christmas tree down on top of them. Cats can also get ill from eating pine and fir needles, fake snow, tinsel, or drinking the treated water that’s keeping your tree alive for the season. They can also have an unhealthy fascination for tree lights and can electrocute or burn themselves if they chew through them.”

But don’t worry, there are some effective techniques to keep your cat and Christmas tree safe.

Location is very important

Mr. Middleton advised: “if it is possible, keep your tree in a room which you can close off to your cat when you aren’t there to stop it attacking or climbing it. This will stop your cat investigating it without supervision and prevent midnight marauding.

If your tree is small enough, and you have a way of securing it, putting it out of reach of your cat may make them lose interest. At the least, keep it away from shelves or surfaces your cat can jump from so they can’t leap onto it from above.

Wherever you put it, ensure it isn’t easily pulled or pushed over by your pets by using a heavy solid base, and securing it to a wall with some wire to help keep it from being toppled over.”

Discouraging smells

Cats don’t like certain smells.

Mr. Middleton stated: “Although lion dung is a highly recommended way to keep cats out of your garden, you probably don’t want that in your living room. Fortunately, there are some more pleasant smells that felines tend to dislike that you can use to keep cats away from your Christmas tree.

First of all, there are shop-bought cat-deterrent sprays, which you can spray over your tree so your furry friend will turn its nose up at it. They are scented with smells designed to be unpleasant to cats, but not to people.

There are also automatic sprays that only spray when they detect motion in a place you don’t want your pet to be, which can be a more effective deterrent.”

There is also a homemade remedy, just spray apple cider vinegar on some pinecones and place them at the bottom of your tree.

Tin foil

Cats don’t like tin foil because of the texture and the sound it makes.

Mr. Middleton stated: “Cats tend to climb Christmas trees using the trunk rather than the flimsier branches, so if you can put them off at the base, they may give up. An easy way to do this is to wrap the base of your tree and trunk in foil. Most cats don’t like the feel of foil on their paws and aren’t keen on the noise it makes when they walk on it. You can decorate the foil too, so it isn’t too much of an eyesore.”

If you don’t like the way it looks, you can get Christmas tree defenders in a store and place them around the bottom of the tree. Another option is placing a double-sided sticky tape on the floor around the tree because cats also hate this.

Keep the Christmas decorations up high

If a kitty can reach the lights, baubles, and tinsel, they will go for them.

Mr. Middleton said: "Don't hang ornaments, tinsel, or Christmas lights low down on the tree where cats can easily see and get to them – if they are out of their line of sight, they may not notice the dangling treats above them. If you are worried about the tree looking bare, use less shiny objects lower down, which will be less of an attraction to your cat."

Always make sure the decorations are firmly attached to the Christmas tree, so if the cats touch them, they won't fall down.

Mr. Middleton said: "Using tightly wrapped wire ties can ensure the tree ornaments stay where they belong. It may also be worth delaying decorating your tree until your cat is used to this new addition to the house. You can add the tempting decorations later."

Less tinsel

You should find a replacement for tinsel because it doesn't mix well with cats.

Mr. Middleton said: "You couldn't design a more perfect shiny, dangling temptation for your furry friends. It's also the ideal tool for your inquisitive feline to pull the tree down on top of them. What's more, it can make your cat ill if, as well as attacking it, it decides to eat it.

Although most tinsels are not toxic to cats, it is a choking hazard, and if ingested it can get stuck in their intestines causing blockages."

You should choose paper alternatives such as thick ribbons and chains or thick ribbons that won't intrigue your cats this much.

He added: "Similarly, shiny, light-reflecting baubles are like catnip to curious cats. Consider toning down your tree ornaments, and your cat may not consider them worth bothering investigating."

Slim it down

Cats love full-looking Christmas trees as much as we do.

Mr. Middleton believes that Thinner trees will be less attractive to your cat: “You can discourage cats from wanting to climb your tree if there are less places to nose through and hide in.

Pencil trees – slimline versions of Xmas trees – may put your cat off wanting to explore. They have the added bonus that you need less room to display and store them, and they cost a lot less to decorate!”

You can buy a cat-friendly Christmas tree, and one of them is Nordmann Fir. This tree has soft rich-green needles and almost no scent.

Fence it off

If your kitties can’t be discouraged, you may need to place a fence around the tree.

Mr. Middleton clarified: “This may seem like an extreme option, but if all else has failed, it may be worth using a free-standing pet safety gate or small pet exercise pen to help fend them off.

Wooden varieties of pet gates and fences aren’t as harsh looking as metal ones, and can be used to keep them out of other areas when the holiday season is over.”