Cat and Christmas tree: how to make coexistence possible

Christmas is a long awaited moment for everyone, even our cat!

In fact, the cat, being a curious, lively and playful animal, is by its nature strongly attracted to everything that characterizes Christmas: the tree, the colors, the flashing lights, the glittering festoons, the sparkling balls, the gifts wrapped with ribbons and ribbons …

For him it is as if you have brought home a real amusement park!

And here comes the beauty: how to make our cat understand that the Christmas tree and the other decorations are not his playground and therefore he cannot be free to destroy everything?

Here are a few advice on how to set up your own Christmas tree at home, without necessarily having to give it up even in the presence of a cat, and at the same time save the decorations and above all the safety of our beloved cat! In fact, let’s not forget that many of these Christmas attractions can be very dangerous for him.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE CHRISTMAS TREE IF WE HAVE A CAT IN THE HOUSE

The synthetic Christmas tree is definitely the best choice, because it is the least dangerous for our cat. First of all, because the needles of the real fir are sharp and could hurt the animal in the eyes or prick its skin. Furthermore, the needles are toxic if ingested, and being sharp they could cause internal perforations.

Therefore, if we opt for the synthetic tree, we still try to choose one of good quality and robust.

If you really cannot give up the real Christmas tree , however, be aware that you are putting an extraordinary attraction into your home for your cat, as well as dangerous for him, as we explained in the point above.

If you choose a real fir, therefore, you need to be careful to cover the pot and the saucer of the plant, to prevent the cat from drinking the water (in which chemical residues of fertilizers can be found) or digging into the earth. We can cover the vase with aluminum foil, which the cat does not like, and put pine cones or stones on the ground, both of which are not very good for the animal. We can also cover the trunk of the tree with aluminum foil, so that the cat does not have the temptation to re-nail it.

It will also be important to sweep often to eliminate the needles on the ground , as they are dangerous if ingested.

Whether it is a synthetic Christmas fir or a real one, we try to choose it in a small size, so as to avoid injuring our cat in the unfortunate case the tree falls on him. Also in this regard we provide the tree of a vase or a solid and well-stable support base.

HOW TO DECORATE A CAT-PROOF CHRISTMAS TREE

Whenever possible , always prefer balls and decorations made of unbreakable plastic over glass ones.
If you have glass balls among the decorations , place them on the highest and least accessible branches.
All decorations must be fixed very well to the branches, to prevent them from falling.
The most colorful and sparkling decorations should also be placed in the highest part of the tree, because they are the ones that attract the cat the most.
Avoid decorating the tree with sweets of any kind. If one were to fall by accident and the cat were to eat it, it would be dangerous for him.
Avoid using angel threads: they attract the cat a lot and at the same time being light and placed on the surface of the tree they tend to fall often. There is a risk that the cat can ingest them.
Avoid putting real candles and spray snow : both are very dangerous.
Christmas lights: they are the most beautiful part, but potentially also the most dangerous for our cat! So let’s try to arrange them in the tree furthest inside possible and less on the external branches so that they are difficult for him to reach. At the same time one must take care of cover the remaining wire with tape or ducts.

HOW TO KEEP THE CAT AWAY FROM THE CHRISTMAS TREE

The first thing to do is to find the right place at the Christmas tree. The most suitable place is away from furniture , tables and chairs that could act as an access ramp to climb the tree.

The ideal would be to place the tree in the corner between two walls , perhaps fixing it to the wall or ceiling, to avoid any risk of falling.

If we cannot benefit from such a space, then we could use a small fence to put all around the tree.

Finally, here are some tricks to keep the cat away from the Christmas tree, which involve the use of substances that are unwelcome but obviously harmless , such as: