How to keep your cat off the Christmas tree
The first year I put up our Christmas tree after we’d got our cats was, I’ll be honest, an absolute horror show. I’d spent a good couple of hours decorating the tree and it looked beautiful.
The next morning I woke up to the majority of my decorations strewn across the floor and all of the trees branches bent out of shape.
I cried.
Why do cats love playing with Christmas trees?
Well as we all know, cats really don’t give a crap about nice things do they? Be it couches, carpets, ornaments, curtains or even important letters.
Christmas trees are no different and whilst some cats will just ignore the tree altogether, others like to view it as their own personal toy/climbing frame/bed.
Some good news
There seems to be some correlation in tree destruction v’s age of cat, in that the older the cat, the less interested they become. So you can grasp on to the hope that at some stage in your cat’s life, they will no longer be as interested in the Christmas tree.
So how do you keep cats off the Christmas tree?
Look, it’s virtually impossible. There, I’ve said it. Unless you’re willing to stand guard 24/7, or use some form of punishment (which I do not recommend), your sweet house tigers are gonna try it.
If your cat responds to no, then keep going with that, lucky you.
Ideas to make the tree a no-go zone
There are certain things that cats just don’t like, so it’s possible to deter them by adding bits and bobs that make the Christmas tree no longer worth the effort.
✔ Cats don’t like the crinkly feeling that tin foil makes on their little toe beans and the sound is off putting for them also. You can add tinfoil at the base of your tree.
✔ The smell of orange peel is a real no-no for some cats so some of this sprinkled around the tree can help. You could even make some of those cool dried orange tree ornaments if you’re that way inclined!
How to make a Christmas tree less interesting to cats
I think the biggest goal here is to make the tree look less like a toy. There’s a number of things we can do to make that tree look boring AF to our furry friends.
✔ Try not to add too much decoration towards the bottom that will spark your cat’s interest.
✔ Use cat friendly ornaments, things that won’t smash or have little bits that your cat could choke on.
✔ Some cats just like to sleep under the tree, they don’t want to play or climb it at all. If this is the case, they why not make a little den for them to snooze in. You’d get some beautiful Christmassy snapshots for sure 😻🎄.
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Alternatives to Christmas trees
Get a tree that just has the tree part at the top.
Get a wall mounted Christmas tree.
Hang lights in the shape of a tree on your wall.
Have an outside tree near your window to enjoy.
Safety issues for cats and Christmas trees
Tinsel Cats have been known to eat tinsel and if digested this can cause a lot of issues. The last thing you want is a trip to the vet over Christmas, right? So ensure any tinsel you use in your decoration is out of the cat’s reach. We tend to use tinsel around the picture rails.
Electrics Some cats like to chew electrical wires, this can be more of a risk if you have a new and curious kitten. So protecting any new wires that are introduced to your cat’s usual play areas is of great benefit.
Topples If your cat(s) just really won’t leave your tree alone then it’s a good idea to anchor the tree to something so they can’t topple it over. Depending on the location, you could use a curtain pole, a hook on the wall or ceiling or to a piece of furniture.
So there we go, a few ideas to keep your cat off, or at least away from the Christmas tree. I’d love to know if you have any more tips, let us know.
Tag us on our Koro Cinco Cats Instagram account with your Christmas cats 😻🎄
Want more Christmas cat stuff?
Check out the Christmas section below.
