Christmas can be a tricky time when you have cats. After all, there is a tree inside the house, ribbons all over the place, and twinkly lights everywhere they look! A cat may want to climb the tree, eat the tinsel, play with the ornaments, and knock around the lights. All of these can pose real threats to our cats. Thankfully, with a few easy steps, the boobytraps of the holidays are easily avoidable; having a cat safe Christmas is easier than you think!
5 Ways To Ensure a Cat Safe Christmas
1. Make sure that your Christmas Tree is secure
Make sure the tree is secured tightly in a heavy base. You can also use fishing wire to tether it to the wall or ceiling in case your cat tries to climb it. This will help it not topple over when they get excited about having a tree in their living room. It may not save all the ornaments, but it could prevent them from being crushed by it.
Monitor your cat around the tree whenever you can. However, if they are left at home alone for long periods of time you may want to call a pet sitter to check on them during the day.
Another trick is the Argos Home 6 ft Half Parasol Christmas Tree sold by Argos. This clever idea allows one to celebrate the holidays without the worry of there being a “cat”tastropy!
2. Skip the tinsel & stay away from fragile ornaments
Tinsel is almost irresistible to cats. It moves easily, it is super shiny and they are a lot like the ribbons on their toys. Make the tree safer by not using tensile and also keeping any fragile ornaments put away. If your tree is on a hard floor, you may want to skip the fragile ornaments altogether. Even if the tree doesn’t fall, if a breakable ornament falls, the shards could easily cut their paws. Sometimes, making sure you have a cat safe Christmas means skipping certain things altogether.
3. Keep an eye on the gifts
Ribbons and cats are like two peas in a pod. Try to skip on extravagant ribbons when decorating presents that are to be left under the tree. If you’re giving away yummy treat baskets, put those away until it’s time to give them out. The smell of smoked meat and cheese could be too much for your cat to ignore. By scavenging through the plastic wrap on these types of gifts, they could ingest the ribbons and the wrappers which can lead to intestinal blockage and/or choking.
4. Hide all of the wires that you can
For whatever reason, some cats can’t resist a delicious chewy wire, especially if it has little twinkly lights on it. Play it safe and tuck those wires behind furniture or anywhere else you can think of that your cat can’t access it. No one wants to see their cat get hurt by being electrocuted or shocked by the Christmas tree lights.
5. Water the Christmas tree often
Pine needles are toxic to our pets. By keeping the tree nice and hydrated, the needles won’t fall off as easily. When they fall on the floor, your cat may think it is a type of grass and try eating it. This could make for one sick kitty. If your pet has unexplained vomiting, lethargy, changes in appetite or behavior, they may have eaten a pine needle off the tree. If this is the case we suggest taking your cat to the veterinarian immediately.
It’s Easy To Have a Cat Safe Christmas
We all want to celebrate the holidays with our family and friends, surrounded by a beautifully decorated tree and home. However, keeping your frisky feline in mind will be sure to keep them safe and healthy during the Christmas season.
Nicole founded Miami Pet Concierge in May 2007 with a mission to provide Miami, Florida’s pet parents with personalized pet care plans based on their pets’ species, age, breed, health, and lifestyle – All while keeping their pets “happy at home.” In addition, offering pet care education to all pet owners to help them become great pet parents.
