Cats and Christmas Trees

If you co-exist with a cat (you never really “own” a cat), here are some tips to make the kitty safe and keep your Christmas tree intact. Our Butchie could care less, but I’ve had to resort to some drastic measures in the past as far as Christmas trees go. This information comes from the Facebook page “And My Cat.”

Keep kitty in mind when selecting the actual tree. If you don’t have a tree yet, then your cat might influence its size and type. You might want to consider a smaller tree – in the event it comes crashing down – as opposed to a gigantic tree to reduce potential damage.

Some suggest that an artificial tree might be better too, as a real tree’s pine needles are very sharp and potentially toxic for kitty. Others argue, however, that an artificial tree isn’t much better if kitty is going to chew on the branches. So, if you do decide to keep it real, put foil on the trunk to discourage your cat from scratching or climbing it, and make sure that the tree’s water is NOT accessible to the cat. The tree water can be very dangerous for kitty to drink.

Put it somewhere far away from climbing options. If the tree is really close to furniture, you know your cat will plot a way to jump from armchair to tree. Place it somewhere surrounded by a lot of free space, away from places that kitty can use to spring onto the tree. A corner spot would actually be great, because the two walls guard against half the tree.

Invest in some citrus deodorizers or orange peels.  We were skeptical of this suggestion at first, but last year it worked wonders for the tree. Cats dislike the smell of citrus, so placing a citrusy air freshener at the base of the tree and placing orange peels on the branches makes the entire thing undesirable for felines. Orange extract is a good idea, too.  

Be strategic about ornaments, tinsel, and other decorations. It’s the shiny ornaments dangling from the bottom branches that really catch kitty’s eye, so consider moving the decorations to the top two-thirds of the tree out of their reach and eyesight. If specific ornaments are very fragile or special to you, tuck them high on the tree so kitty is less likely to break them.

Tinsel can also be dangerous for cats – both digestive wise and because it’s so sparkly and enticing – so you might want to consider forgoing it as a decoration.

Using cushy or plastic ornaments is also a good way to ensure they don’t break if kitty does manage to knock them off a branch. If you’re really concerned, being very sparing with the decorations also works as an option.

Make sure the base is stable – and even surrounded by presents. In the event that your feline does manage to paw at the tree, a stable and strong base can help prevent it from falling over. Aside from shopping for a firm base, we’ve found that surrounding the base with wrapped gifts blocks them from getting under tree branches and to the tree’s trunk.

With these tips in mind, you can make sure that the tree is twinkling per usual but isn’t something kitty wants to (or can) jump onto. Perhaps wait to put the catnip presents under the tree until the last minute, too.