How To Keep Cat Out Of Christmas Tree

It’s easy to see why cats love Christmas trees – they are a fun climbing target, have a pleasant fragrance, and an array of colorful baubles and tinsel that trigger feline hunting instincts.

Keeping your cat away from the tree is necessary for your peace of mind and your pet’s health. Needles and resin cause a stomach upset, and fir branches can be sharp.

There are plenty of ways to deter cats from Christmas trees. Not every method will be effective for your cat, but at least one should do the job.

Get A Small Christmas Tree & Place It Out of Reach

Many are tempted to buy tall, fluffy spruce almost reaching the ceiling. We get it – Christmas pictures turn out the better, the larger a Christmas tree is. However, it may not be the best choice for cat owners.

Why do cats climb Christmas trees? Shiny baubles aren’t the primary reason. No, cats climb Christmas trees because of their inherited instincts. In the wild, felines hide from predators and watch prey from tree branches.

Tall Christmas trees have massive perches, and dense needles effectively conceal a cat hiding among them. So, the easiest way to keep a cat out of the Christmas tree is to get one it can’t climb.

Even if a Christmas tree is too large for a cat to tip it over and the ornaments are securely tied to the branches, a cat may chew the needles and experience gastroenteric upset.

For this reason, the best Christmas tree for cat owners is one the cat can’t reach. Consider small evergreen coniferous trees you can put on a high shelf or another elevation your cat can’t jump on easily.

Keep the tree away from “launching zones” such as furniture and cat scratching posts to reduce your furry friend’s temptation to pounce on the tree.

Unfortunately, cats are good at jumping and climbing, so finding a place your furry friend can’t reach may be challenging. Still, a smaller tree will likely be less interesting to your cat than a large one.

Consider a Fake Tree

For many of us, fragrant balsam fir is the very essence of Christmas. But even if you’ve always been advocating for real trees, consider getting a fake tree to prevent your cat from ingesting needles and resin.

Fake Christmas trees don’t have to be tacky. Some of them are very realistic, and you can get fragrance sticks to imitate the smell of fresh fir.

Furthermore, faux Christmas trees come in any design – you can liven up your interior with a pink or gold tree, for example.

Most cats chew Christmas trees because they are attracted to the fragrance, but fake trees don’t always solve the problem. Some felines also chew on artificial Christmas trees, and ingesting plastic is no better than needles or resin.

If your cat is chewing on a fake Christmas tree, you may place the tree out of reach of use cat deterrent spray. Consider also buying your cat a substitute for a Christmas tree to chew, like a toy or dental treat.

Wait Before Decorating

Decorating the Christmas tree is arguably the most exciting moment of the holiday season, but it’s even more amusing for cats. Don’t rush to bustle out the ornaments as soon as you bring your Christmas tree home.

Let your furry friend get used to the tree first. Put up the tree and let it stay for a few days until your cat loses interest, then decorate it.

Don’t prevent your cat from investigating the tree when you bring it home. After all, your cat considers your home its territory and must be informed about any novelties.

However, don’t leave the cat with the Christmas tree without supervision because felines shouldn’t chew fir or spruce needles.

Ensure The Tree Has a Solid Base

Cats love climbing Christmas trees. In the wild, cats can jump on trees safely because the roots securely keep trees in place. Your cat isn’t aware that a Christmas tree doesn’t have roots and can tip over.

Even if you do your best to keep your four-legged companion out of the Christmas tree, your efforts may not be successful.

Some cats will show no interest in the Christmas tree while the owner is around but try to climb it as soon as the owner leaves.

Ensure your Christmas tree has a solid, sturdy base to prevent accidents. The best Christmas tree base should be heavy, with a non-slip bottom and strong bolts to secure the trunk.

Some Christmas tree stands can even be bolted to plywood for a better balance. For extra security, you may tie your Christmas tree’s top to the wall using some zip ties or wire.

Spray The Tree with Cat Deterrent

Most felines can’t stand the smell of citrus, so you can keep your cat off the Christmas tree with a DIY cat deterrent spray. Simply dilute orange, lemongrass, citronella, or another citrus oil with water in a sprayer bottle.

Another DIY cat repellent spray recipe contains garlic, pepper, and lemon juice mixed with water, but you likely don’t want your Christmas tree to smell like dinner. In contrast, citrus perfectly fits the Christmas atmosphere.

Alternatively, you may use commercial cat deterrent sprays, but they are pricey and have mixed reviews. If you smell a store-bought cat deterrent spray, you’ll be surprised that they typically have a rather pleasant scent.

Hang Citrus Ornaments

A simple and effective way to keep a cat away from a Christmas tree is to hang citrus ornaments or place citrus peels around the tree base.

Orange peels keep cats away from Christmas trees and give the room a pleasant Christmassy fragrance, but remember to change them every couple of days to keep the smell strong – dry peels lose the scent.

Thankfully, most of us have no shortage of tangerine and orange peels during the holiday season. Furthermore, citrus slices as ornaments perfectly fit a Christmas tree in eco style!

The first Christmas tree ornaments used by Germans in the 16th century were candied fruit and dry citrus slices. But to deter a cat, citrus slices must be fresh.

Note that this tip on keeping a cat off the Christmas tree isn’t universal. Like humans, felines have unique preferences, and some cats don’t mind the citrus smell.

Don’t Hang Ornaments Too Low

Know how to decorate a Christmas tree when you have a cat correctly. Focus on the upper part of the tree, where your cat can’t reach. Don’t hang the ornaments too low because your cat will perceive them as toys.

Don’t hang ornaments too close to the branch ends because your cat can flick them off. Hang them toward the center of the tree.

The same rule applies to tinsel. Cats absolutely love tinsel – it’s shiny and makes a funny rustling sound when you touch it. So, keep the tinsel up high and close to the tree’s trunk.

Ideally, refrain from tinsel altogether. It’s cheap and festive, but it’s a serious hazard to cats because of its small elements. A cat chewing tinsel may choke on it or have intestinal blockage.

Conceal Light Wires

Baubles and tinsel can’t compete with fairy lights for cat attention. Every feline owner knows that cats have an annoying habit of chewing cords, and Christmas light cords are even more appealing than a phone charger or router cable.

To protect your Christmas lights from your furry housemate, conceal the wires with tree branches, placing them closer to the tree trunk.

Cover the light plug and the end of the cord with a cord protector or aluminum foil. Always unplug the lights when you’re away – don’t risk your cat being electrocuted.

Tie the Decorations

Skip the little metal hooks when hanging your Christmas tree ornaments because your cat may get injured from the sharp edges. Furthermore, hooks don’t secure decorations on the tree properly.

Instead, tie Christmas tree decorations to branches using a thread or small zip ties. If you’re using a thread, don’t make a big loop because your cat can remove the ornament off the branch and run off with it.

Discipline Your Cat

Cats can be trained. Whenever your cat attempts to jump on the tree or plays with the baubles, loudly tell it “No!” and bring it to another room. Don’t use physical punishment, though, because it only leads to resentment.

The key to cat disciplining success is being consistent. Never let your cat climb the tree. Unfortunately, constantly supervising the tree is impossible, but we have a solution.

Hang small bells on the tree limbs. Whenever your cat starts playing with the tree, you will hear the bells and know it’s time to put fun to a halt.

You may also reward your cat for playing with its toys and climbing on a cat tree to make legal playing and climbing targets more attractive.

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