How to Cat Proof Your Chrismas Tree

All cat owners will know that Christmas trees and cats are NOT a match made in heaven! Trees covered in ornaments and lots of sparkly things can be way too tempting for your favorite feline. Here are 5 ways you can cat proof your Christmas tree to minimise issues.

How to Cat Proof Your Chrismas Tree in 5 Steps

1. Be Mindful of Where You Put Your Tree

The easiest way to cat proof your Christmas tree is to put it in a room that your cat doesn’t visit or doesn’t spend much time in. If this isn’t possible, try to find a place in the room that isn’t next to an object your cat can use to help them climb into the tree.

2. Aim to Prevent Your Tree from Toppling Over

If your cat does attempt to climb into your tree, you run the risk of the tree toppling over, which might be dangerous for your kitty, not to mention bad for any breakable ornaments!

The best way to prevent your tree from toppling over is to ensure it has a very sturdy base. You could also use some wire to attach the top of the tree to the wall to help it to remain upright.

3. Don’t Decorate the Lower Branches

A key way to cat proof your Christmas tree is to avoid putting ornaments on the lower branches.

Decorating the lower branches is way too tempting for cats, as they can easily reach the ornaments and play with them. It’s unlikely that ornaments hanging from the lower branches will remain there for long! This is even more important if the ornaments are easily broken, as they might injure your cat if they try to play with them and chew on them.

4. Things to Avoid for your Christmas Tree

When trying to cat proof your Christmas tree, there are various things best avoided:

• Easily breakable ornaments: just in case your cat does manage to climb your tee and chew on them/knock them off. Wooden Christmas ornaments are a much better idea!
• Tinsel: it’s easy for cats to grab hold of and pull on, which increases the risk of the tree being pulled over. They might also be tempted to eat it, creating a choking risk.
• Artificial trees decorated with fake snow: they’re likely to make lots of mess if your cat plays with the tree, plus it’s not something you want them to eat.

5. Use Deterrents to Keep Cats Away From Your Tree 

Cats dislike citrus scents and foil, so using them as a deterrent around your tree works well to cat proof your Christmas tree.

Wrapping some foil around the tree trunk might help to deter your favorite feline from attempting to climb up the tree.

Lemon or orange peel can be placed around the tree to persuade your cat to stay away, or perhaps try spritzing the tree with some citrus spray. Cats have an excellent sense of smell, and as they hate citrus scents, this is a natural and effective way to keep your cat away from the Christmas tree.

We hope these tips help you to successfully cat proof your Christmas tree so that you don’t have to decorate your tree on more than one occasion! Looking for some gifts for cat lovers? Our Cat Collection is full of ideas! Our Most Likely to Bring Home a Cat Collection offers fun gifts for anyone who loves cats.