Cat owners looking to prevent their pets from destroying their Christmas tree can follow some simple tips. Felines often attack, climb, and hide in Christmas trees. Just one shiny ornament or a string of garland can be enough for a cat to ruin a tree. Trees can also give cats stomachaches if they swallow pine needles or ingest pesticides on real trees. Pet owners can prevent these issues and save Christmas decor destruction by thinking ahead. These steps provide easy ways for cat-proofing your Christmas tree.
- • Purchase an artificial Christmas tree rather than a real one. The non-living branches won’t be a major attention grabber for cats, though it may not solve the climbing problem. Consider a tree cut-out design on a wall or a tree that hangs from the ceiling.
- • Select the tree’s location carefully. Consider placing it in an area far from any “jumping points.” Felines can usually jump between 5 and 6 times their own height without needing a running start. Jumping points include tables, couches and shelves. Rearranging the furniture can also be a good solution.
- • Be clever with decorations. Cats usually see a shiny ornament as a toy, which is why ornaments should always be hung high up on the tree. Less shiny ornaments can then fill in the lower half of the tree. The best ornaments for the top half of the tree are glass, metallic, feathered or dangly.
- • Once the Christmas tree is up, pet owners can cat-proof it by adding citrus, a scent that's unappealing to felines. Citrus sprays are available at Petco and Chewy. Ingredients like orange peels, lemon juice, rosemary, or white vinegar will also do the trick.
- • Keep your cat busy. More playtime with cats could help them stay away from trees since they will be too distracted to worry about the seasonal item. Things like extra attention and keeping up with regular meals or treats could also make sure felines don't have an appetite for trees.
