This is the time of the year when many cat owners struggle with the same dilemma: do we set up a Christmas tree (and if so, fake or real?) only to risk seeing it fall, get damaged, or cause terrible injuries?
It’s a fact: there’s a known love-hate relationship between cats and Christmas trees. No matter what you do, cats are curious, and the main subject of their curiosity in December is (you guessed it) your Christmas tree!
Let’s walk through the possible dangers a Christmas tree can bring to your cat and your home.
#Danger1 – Curiosity killed the cat
First thing first: our felines are curious and will surely want to snoop around. There will be tapes, balls and pretty thing hanging on strings, flashing lights, boxes, wrapping paper… This describes pretty much everything cats love to play with. Now, how to avoid it? How can you ask them to respect their human family’s seasonal tradition?
#Danger2 – What might happen?
Decorations and cats in the same room mean lots of headaches for you! Cats want to play with the decorations, but decorations are not cat friendly. Cats can swallow foreign objects – especially if is one of those cats who likes to chew everything. Cats often play with string, ribbons and bows on the presents. As you see there are already too many things that can cause incidents, and no one wants to spend the holidays with an emergency at the vet. Most of these incidents require surgery. Not to mention, tree falls are common and broken decorations can end in splinters.
#Danger3 – Christmas lights
Christmas lights are also fascinating to your cat, and if the cat is the type who loves to chew stuff, then be careful! Keep the wires and the lights away, prevent them from burning the tongue or their teeth.
Solution:Cat Proof Pine
Is there such a thing? Well, not really. But switch an artificial tree to a natural one. The needles are not as sharp and you can reduce the risk of your cat chewing pine leaves. Choose a smaller sized pine, so if it falls, the damage is reduced.
Solution: Decorations
Stores offer many different type of decorations to choose from. Chose those that are hard to break and knowledgeable about the materials! Avoid ornaments with catnip in them (yes, stores sell these) even though your cat would love them.If you prefer to stick to your typical christmas ornaments, try hanging them on the upper third of the tree.
Solution: ‘Tis the Season to Be Jolly
Christmas is about celebrating and spending quality time with your family. Try to avoid frustration. There are cats that simply can not get enough of the tree, so try to minimize the danger.
You can always take funny pictures of your cat meeting your christmas tree. Try to bring out the best of the situation. After all… it’s Christmas!
Author: Petable Team
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