Last Updated on November 10, 2023 by Holly Anne Dustin
I’m convinced Christmas must be the worst time of year for cats. Thanksgiving day is over and immediately it starts, if not before. All the cats and Christmas tree memes appear and every Facebook group is filled with people asking “how do I keep my cat out of my Christmas tree?”
Everyone grabs their spray bottles and yells at their cat. I’ve even seen posts from people who banish their cats to the basement for the month. Where’s the celebration in that for your furry family members? How is that fair to your cats who have no idea why they’ve been banished?
It takes some compromising to keep everyone happy and safe. Mostly, it’s on us to understand our furbabies natural behavior instincts and to adapt our holiday traditions to them. You can still have a magical holiday while accommodating your cat’s need to be a cat.
Check out this post for more holiday safety tips
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Why Are Cats Attracted to the Christmas Tree?
Well, First off it’s a tree. Cats naturally climb trees. And then we add sparkly lights and ornaments that look an awful lot like cat toys dangling from the branches. What is a cat supposed to think? We bring the most fun “toy” into the house and then we tell them stay away, don’t touch.
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How Can We Keep the Cat From Wrecking the Tree?
There is no truly sure-fire method short of a closed door. Just accept it, reduce the potential damage, and don’t stress. There are some tricks worth trying to keep your cat out of your Christmas tree if it is important to you.
How to Keep Your Cat From Climbing the Tree:
- Consider a fake tree. Kitty is still going to want to check out this new thing in his space. But it might not set off his desire to climb the tree continuously. It’s also safer. Natural tree needles are toxic and can cause internal damage if Kitty chews and swallows them. The bucket of water needed is also toxic. Cover the bucket.
- Put the tree up early but don’t decorate it. Let Kitty get used to its existence. He can do his exploring before you dress it up.
- Choose the location carefully. Don’t put the tree in his favorite sleeping spot. Definitely don’t move the litter box! A corner in a less used room is a good choice. But don’t place it near furniture that makes a nice springboard to launch Kitty into the upper reaches of the tree.
- Secure the tree to withstand Kitty’s efforts to tip it over. Use a solid base. Tie the tree to the wall with strong fishing line. Adding a tie to the ceiling helps if your furbaby is determined.
- Elevating the tree above him by getting a shorter tree and tying it securely to a table as well as the wall prevents them from seeing it the same way.
- Surround it with a puppy playpen or gates. It’ll keep little kids and dogs away from the tree too.
It won’t be easy, but there are steps you can take to reduce the mayhem and keep everybody’s holiday stress to a minimum.
Consider Your Decorations Carefully:
- Solid lights are less cat attracting than twinkling lights
- Skip the tinsel and garland. They aren’t safe for Kitty. No one wants an emergency vet bill for Christmas.
- Opt for plastic and nonbreakable ornaments. Save your heirloom ornaments or anything that would be heartbreaking to have broken until your cats grow up.
- Don’t let ornaments on the bottom part of the tree dangle. Attaching them firmly to the branches with twist ties instead of letting them swing makes it less likely Kitty will see it as a toy.
- Decorate the bottom of the tree with actual cat toys.
Keep Your Cat Out of the Christmas Tree:
Don’t pull out a squirt bottle or a can of coins. Leave the spike mat and static shock strip in the store. It’s a Christmas tree after all, it’s not worth ruining your relationship with your cat.
There are other, less aversive, methods that can keep your cat from wrecking your Christmas tree.
- Try a deterrent spray. You can buy a commercial pet deterrent spray at most pet supply stores or online.
- Citrus sprays, or citrus peels hung on the tree, may repel your cat.
- Decorating with bells keeps some cats away from the tree. You get a warning about impending mayhem if nothing else.
- It is hard to come up with a barrier that will keep a cat away from the tree. But you can try an x-pen or playpen.
- There are some cute little fences that won’t stop a cat. If you combine them with Sticky Paws though, they might have Kitty thinking twice.
- Wrapping the trunk of your Christmas tree with aluminum foil might deter kittens. They don’t like the feel of their claws going through it.
- A barrier wrapped around the trunk of the tree can keep your cat from climbing, but not from playing with the ornaments.
- There’s one deterrent device recommended by experts: The Ssscat can. It is a motion detector that essentially hisses at your cat. It doesn’t hurt and it won’t break your relationship because it happens without your involvement.
- Obviously, the ultimate protection is to put the tree in a room with a door you can close. You can put a screen over the door just to keep your cat out of the Christmas tree.
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Give Your Cat Her Presents Early.
Giving her other things to do, especially if they involve you and an interactive toy, may help keep your cat out of the Christmas tree.
Putting a good quality cat scratching post beside the Christmas tree may provide a distraction and give Kitty a proper scratching place.
Put out boxes, empty paper bags, and puzzle feeders. Get her a new cat tree or a window perch to compete with the Christmas tree and load it up with new toys. She might just be happy enough with her own new stuff to bother with your tree.
Opt Out of a Tree:
Your holiday doesn’t have to involve a tree. Consider if an alternative would make it easier on everyone. Some ideas could be:
- Hang up a wreath, make a tree shape on the wall with your Christmas cards, or pine garland, out of the reach of your cat.
- Put together a tree outside.
- Decorate a cat tree for them.
- Or just give in and let the cats play in the tree. Set it up safely and decorate with cat toys.
Enjoy Your Cat
Yes, Christmas trees can become difficult. But it is generally temporary. Kittens and young cats are the worst. Some are hardcore and never get over it like my Treeno, but most grow out of truly trashing the Christmas tree. Using these tips can reduce your stress at Christmas by keeping your cat out of the Christmas tree.
Great post ! We think we can give our humans 2x four paws up for the Christmas tree : fake tree, plastic or textile ornaments (they make amazing cat toys, MOL), and good location. Our Christmas tree usually faints three or four times during the Holidays, but it just makes our humans smile, and it makes us smile when we look at them searching the ornaments under the couch.
Great post! We almost always put our Yule tree up pretty early. It was a task and a half getting my dogs to leave it alone when they were puppies. A lot of your suggestions for cats would work for puppies/dogs too! Although they don’t so much climb it, as generally try to eat it lol.