Keeping your Christmas tree upright and alive when you have a cat is no small feat... but never fear, Yummypets is here to help! We've got 4 tips to keep your Christmas tree standing tall!
How to keep your Christmas tree standing
Sometimes there's nothing prettier than a sparkly, home-decorated Christmas tree to bring about joy and the festive spirit. But introduce a cat into the equation and things can get a little, err, interesting!
If only shiny, dangly, or climbing objects weren't attractive to our feline friends, we'd have no problems keeping them away from the Christmas tree. But the proof is in the Christmas pudding and you only have to jump online to find an array of Christmas tree vs cat disaster videos. We're pretty certain you've got your own story to tell!
So, to help keep your magnificent Christmas tree standing tall and proud this year, and for many more to come, we've got four handy tips just for you. Alternatively, you could always just buy a Christmas tree designed with cats in mind!
1. Keep Christmas tree ornaments out of reach
Certain ornaments and baubles may be more precious to you than others - perhaps due to price but maybe because of an emotional attachment to them. To help avoid shattered or broken ornaments, place them as high up on the tree as you can, out of reach of your keen-eyed feline friend.
If you can find citrus-scented decorations, these can be placed on the lower levels to deter your cat. Our feline friends are known not to appreciate such scents and this should keep them at arm's length.
2. Avoid certain decorations
For the safety of your cat, some Christmas tree decorations should be avoided or placed strategically if they're the type to get up to a little mischief. Fake snow spray that makes everything look beautifully wintery can cause diarrhoea, nausea and/or vomiting. Instead, try spraying less of it and in areas where your cat can't get to it for a lick.
Christmas paper is another fun play toy for cats, so you might need to consider your cat's ability to destroy present by present and where you place these. Some papers can also contain glitter and other chemicals that can be toxic if ingested, so keep this in mind when prepping your presents this year.
If your cat is a cord or cable chewer, please make sure that any electric fairy lights are kept well out of their reach. And make sure you read up on the types of typical Christmas plants that are toxic to cats.
3. Strengthen the base of your Christmas tree
If your cat isn't the sort to go too far with playtime, you might be happy for them to play with some of the lower branches of your tree (Christmas is all about sharing, right?!). So, to help cope with any pulling, tugging or launching at your tree, it will need to be very stable.
Try choosing a Christmas tree that is potted and filled with soil and/or sand to keep it firmly on the ground. If you're worried about your cat getting into the pot for a dig or bathroom break, try some of these tactics to keep your four-legged fur ball at bay.
4. Make a Christmas play area just for your cat!
To help distract your cat away from the Christmas tree, create their very own play area that will give them hours of fun to get their fill. As we know, cats love string, ribbons, crushed up paper and cardboard boxes. Using recycled and safe Christmas wrapping paper, wrap a box for your cat so once they've destroyed it they can curl up inside to rest their weary head!
To ensure you're properly prepared this Christmas, make sure you check out our article on Christmas dangers to pets to avoid any potential issues - so you can all enjoy in peace and harmony!
Merry Christmas everyone!
Aizen s