Cat-Proof Your Christmas Tree: 10 Simple Solutions for Pet Parents

It's Christmas season again, and for cat furents, this means the start of the eternal struggle between felines and festive firs. You'll also be starting a battle yourself, trying to protect your precious tree and keeping your beloved furball out of danger. Here is our list of the purrfect defense: 10 easy ways to cat-proof your Christmas tree.

What is it with Cats and Christmas Trees?

Ever noticed how, as soon as we set up our Christmas tree, our kitties go in Ninja mode? To better cat-proof our trees, it's best to know the reason behind the attacks. Here are a few possible explanations for this irresistible attraction:

Our cats' wild instincts: It may be nature calling that Christmas trees become huge catnips that awaken our kitties' wild instincts. Those swaying branches practically call them out, begging to be swiped at.

Our cats see them as a climbing challenge: Cats are natural-born climbers, and your Christmas tree instantly becomes a target and a spot for their aerial surveillance activities.

Our cats' senses are heightened: Dangling tinsel, garlands, shiny ornaments, and blinking lights add up to hours and hours of fun!

Now that we understand why they do it, we can craft the perfect plan for cat-proofing our Christmas trees.

Create Your Own Great Wall of Citrus

While we hoomans love the smell of citrus, our cattos absolutely abhor it. It's not about being picky; their noses are sensitive, and they find citrus oils overwhelming. You can take advantage of this natural aversion by creating a citrus force field around your tree. Scatter fresh peels of your favorite citrus, oranges, lemons, or lime, and replace them every few days to keep their scents.

As an added protection, you can place the peels in small sachets and tuck them neatly in your tree's branches or at its base. You can also make a citrus spray solution that you can spray onto the leaves, leaving them smelling citrusy and cat-free.

Secure the Base Camp

Because our kitties think of themselves as master mountaineers, it's best to protect our Christmas trees from their base. In the event that your Great Wall of Citrus fails, anchoring your tree is your next best defense. Choose a tree stand with a wide and heavy base (prepare it like it will be in a Category 5 storm).

You can also secure the tree to a wall using a clear fishing line to a hook or nail. Better still, place your tree in a corner where you can anchor it to two walls. 

Build an Aluminum Fortress

Another thing cats hate is aluminum foil. Something about the crinkly and reflective surface has cats running in the opposite direction. It could be the noise, the feel of it under their paws, or their own reflection, but whatever it is, this can be your holiday hero.

Lay sheets of foil around your tree's base, forming a circle barrier. You may want to crumple it for maximum crinkly effect. Also, get your cameras ready to catch the cat classic "approach-and-retreat" dance with the foil. 

Defend Your Decorations

The more precious your tree decorations are, the higher up the tree they should be. Let's create a Christmas tree hierarchy where the breakable VIPs go to the exclusive upper level, and the shatterproof ones (made with plastic, foam, or wood) stay at cat's eye levels. You can also create a buffer zone where the first few feet of your tree are ornament-free. 

Set Up a Cat Christmas Corner

Distract your cats with anything that can take their eyes and attention off your tree. Create a "Cat Christmas Corner" exclusively for your catto. You can set up their very own mini Christmas tree and decorate it with dangling cat toys, cat-nip-filled ornaments, or a robotic mouse going around the base. Add new toys every few days to ensure that the corner is a better place to be than your actual Christmas tree.

The Official Tinsel Forbiddance

Declare a total ban on tinsel in your home! While these shimmering decorations are a feast for the eyes and senses, they can be dangerous for your kitties. To avoid emergency vet visits care of these shiny strands, let's all call for a non-negotiable holiday peace agreement: no more tinsel.

Instead, you can use ribbon garlands, shatterproof metallic balls, or LED light strings (adequately secured). You can also make paper chains in metallic colors, allowing you to have that shining, shimmering, splendid holiday with your cats around.

Proper Electrical Cord Management

Because our furry little friends know nothing about electricity, we can't hold them responsible for chewing on electrical cords from those Christmas lights. And as the saying goes, curiosity killed the cat, and they may be thinking, "what would happen if I bite this?" To avoid this, keep all cords out of your cat's reach at all times. Wrap them tightly around tree branches and never let them dangle. You can also cover the base cords and plugs with cord protectors or PVC pipes.

The Water Bowl Vigil

Seasoned cat parents know that these little monsters will drink anywhere there's water, even going so far as to think it's superior to what they have in their own bowls. This includes your Christmas tree's water source. You can make a cat-proof barrier around the reservoir using aluminum foil (double whammy!), plastic wrap, or a tree skirt firmly attached to the stand.

The Strategic Tree Positioning

In setting up your Christmas tree, location matters. Be like a military strategist and position it away from any place or item your cat can use as a launch pad. Not near the bookcase, back of the couch, or a windowsill. A corner wall is your best bet (see solution #2).

Think like a cat by keeping a three-foot clearance around the tree: this is the average cat's jump span. Move furniture away and add a few strategic deterrents in potential jump-off points (see solution #1). It can take more work, but all these ensure the safety of your tree and your precious furbabies.

Strategize with the Spray Solution

A sure-fire way (but with cats, there really is no sure-fire way) to cat-proof your Christmas tree is to use pet-safe deterrent sprays. These sprays are specifically formulated to emit odors that cats find unpleasant safely. They are available in pet stores and can be added to your arsenal of tools for cat-proofing your trees.

Spray it around the base of your tree, on its lower branches, and on the tree skirt. This is an easy and safe way to keep your tree standing and your wits intact.