Cat and Christmas tree: how to have both at home without risk
With the arrival of the Christmas holidays, do you want to decorate the tree but are you afraid for cat’s health and safety? Don’t worry, here’s how to combine the presence of a cat and a Christmas tree in the house.
The symbol of Christmas par excellence is the tree, but if you have a cat at home it is very likely that you are worrying about its safety. Cat loves sneaking into his branches and playing with balls, angel hair and colored lights, taking many risks. The presence of both under the same roof is however (contrary to what you might think) possible by following some simple advice.
Cat and Christmas tree: instructions for use
So that the cat does not run into danger between Christmas and New Year and to avoid the risk of seeing the decorations and the tree on the ground after taking the time to fix it, you will have to take precautions… only in this way you will have a cat-proof tree!
1 – Choose a fake tree instead of a real one: the needles of the natural one could prick cat’s eyes and body and cause him pain and problems. Furthermore, if chewed, they could harm the intestine and cause it to become intoxicated. If you want to necessarily opt for a real tree you will have to be very careful, sweep and collect the fallen needles from the ground frequently and make water available to cat in case of poisoning;
2 – choose a small and stable tree: if it falls on him, a small tree is better than a large and presumably heavy one. The tree must also be stable so you will need a strong base and if you can fix it to the wall or ceiling;
3 – find a strategic position in the house: the tree must be placed in a room with a door in order to isolate it when you are not at home, try to place it in a corner and away from cupboards, furniture, armchairs that can allow cat to jump on it easily;
4 – accustom the cat to the presence of the tree: once the tree is at home, allow a few days to pass before decorating it. Cat will get used to the presence and you can educate him not to approach;
5 – moment of decoration: do not let the cat see you when you decorate the tree and, if it is present in the house, do not let it play with the decorations while they are on the floor or on the table. If he plays then he will want to continue playing even when they are hung up;
6 – balls: prefer not too shiny plastic balls instead of glass ones. The sparkling ones would be irresistible to the cat’s eyes, the glass ones dangerous if they were to break;
7 – the lights: do not let the wires dangle and to prevent them from biting and puncturing the protective coating (with the risk of getting a shock) you can protect them with cable covers of sufficient thickness so that the teeth do not reach the electrified part. Turn off the lights when you are not in the house;
8 – dangerous decorations: do not put objects that swing a lot and angel hair, the latter if ingested can cause intestinal obstruction with serious consequences and suffocation. Also no to artificial snow due to its toxicity;
9 – smells and perfumes: if you have chosen a real tree, sprinkle the branches with apple cider vinegar; use a mixture of cayenne pepper and water in the plastic tree case and lemongrass for pine cones and branches. Kitty does not like these smells and therefore could stay away from them;
10 – gifts under the tree: it would be advisable not to put parcels and packages under the tree because they are a real “funfair” for cat. If you really don’t want to give them up, the shiny and rolled ribbons (which in addition to ruining the package can cause gastrointestinal problems) opt for rope threads or wider ribbons.
