Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cats

Try these tips for keeping the cat out of the Christmas tree this year

'Tis the season for keeping the cat out of the Christmas tree

Paige Cerulli
By

As the holidays approach, you’ll probably start decking your halls and home. This annual to-do probably means putting up the Christmas tree. You might put a lot of time and effort into finding the perfect location for the tree and picking out the best spots for each ornament, but your curious cat can undo all of that work in seconds if he decides to climb the tree.

We’ve all seen the videos that circulate each year of cats decimating Christmas trees, destroying ornaments, and potentially even hurting themselves in the process. Keeping the cat out of the Christmas tree can be a real challenge, but these tips can help keep both your tree and your kitty safe.

Cat batting at a Christmas ornament on a tree
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Put your tree in a secure room

One of the easiest and most foolproof ways to keep your tree safe from your cat is to put it in a room that you can close off and keep your cat out of. If you have doors in your living room, a den, or an enclosed office, you might want to consider putting the tree in that room and keeping the doors closed. When the family’s home and you’re spending time in the room, your cat can come in and join you, but when it’s time for bed, remove your cat from the room and close the doors.

Recommended Videos

You can sometimes create this same effect using pet gates. You’ll need multiple gates that you can stack up in the doorway to keep your cat out. This method may or may not work, depending on how ambitious your cat is.

If protecting a full-size tree from your cat is difficult, consider getting a smaller tree that’s only a foot or two high. You’ll still be able to decorate the tree for Christmas, but there won’t be much tree for your cat to climb. If the tree does fall, it won’t endanger your cat. If you decide to use a full-size tree, you’ll need to carefully plan how you can keep your cat safe.

Cat under the Christmas tree

Secure your tree to protect your fir and furry friend

If you suspect your tree will need to withstand attacks from your cat, then take extra measures to secure it so it stays upright. Invest in a broad, heavy base that stabilizes the tree from the bottom, then create multiple anchor points to secure the tree to the wall and the ceiling.

Putting your tree in the corner of the room can make this easier, since you can secure it to both walls with wire. You may be able to insert heavy-duty screw eyes into the corners or edges of your windowsills, then attach the wire to those screw eyes. This can help conceal the anchors a bit, and it means you won’t have to create holes in your wall. Alternatively, position the tree next to a stairwell, so you can anchor it to the banister.

Cat in a Christmas tree
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Carefully choose your ornaments

Choose ornaments that your playful cat won’t easily damage. Look for plastic bulbs, cloth ornaments, and other durable items.  To make the tree less tempting, consider not hanging ornaments on the bottom foot or so of the tree, so there are fewer fun-looking things to catch your cat’s attention. Have a playful kitten? Then maybe it’s best that those fragile, treasured ornaments stay packed away this year.

Make sure to avoid anything that could be toxic or harmful to your cat. Spray snow isn’t a good idea, and avoid tinsel, which can cause intestinal blockages if your cat swallows it. Sweep up pine needles frequently so your cat isn’t tempted to chew on them.

Cat lying underneath a Christmas tree
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Always supervise your cat

Even with plenty of planning, it’s still important to closely supervise your cat. There are all sorts of dangers that come with the holidays, including your tree, decorations, and the extra food that’s present during parties. Planning ahead and making sure your cat can’t get access to many of these dangers is a good first step in helping to keep him safe, but it’s still important to be aware of what your cat is up to during the holidays. With some extra effort, you may be able to protect your Christmas tree from your cat so you can all enjoy it together without worrying about when it will come toppling over.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Paige Cerulli
Paige Cerulli
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Paige's work has appeared in American Veterinarian, Business Insider, Healthline, and more. When she's not writing, Paige…
This video of a confused kitty discovering a cat water fountain is adorable
Your feline might actually prefer a cat water fountain if you can teach her how to use it
A tiny gray kitten drinks from a ceramic plate

Humans see water fountains just about every day, but that doesn't mean our pets understand them. In the wild, most animals probably drink running water but are unlikely to approach a waterfall for their liquid needs (and let's not forget, many of our pets' undomesticated counterparts get most of their hydration needs from food). But what happens when a kitten does discover a cat water fountain and wants to take a sip? This baby cat shows us in a video entitled "She can play for a day."

It opens with a tiny gray kitten putting her little paws up to an equally tiny water fountain. She spends some seconds examining it before diving in to attempt a drink only to be surprised by the splashiness. So kitten takes a different approach: standing up on the edges of the fountain to get at the water from the top. Kitty gets in a few licks until her paw winds up in the water — needless to say, the little fuzzball does not like that. The video ends with the gray cat shaking off her now slightly damp paws and giving up (we suspect she has a real water dish somewhere else).

Read more
Why doesn’t my cat meow? Here are 5 reasons why your feline friend is silent
Physical and mental reasons why a cat suddenly stops meowing
Bengal cat lying down, looking at the camera

It's not exactly news that cats communicate with humans by meowing, In fact, you may have already learned to recognize what each of your cat's meows means. If your cat stops meowing, though, you might have a problem.
Some causes of this odd change are normal and harmless -- and some will even resolve quickly -- but there are also potential causes that can be much more serious. This is why it's important to get your vet involved early on. If you're wondering "why doesn't my cat meow?" you'll want to get to the bottom of the issue to determine whether your cat needs additional help.

Why doesn't my cat meow? Emotional upset could be the cause
If you think that "my cat doesn't meow," it might be because they're stressed or upset. If your cat is experiencing significant change, like having just moved into a new home, they may be staying quiet out of fear. The same is true if you've recently brought a new pet home. Your cat may be trying to avoid the new pet and any resulting fights that could occur if they meow and make noise. Alternatively, something like the loss of a companion or a recent illness could cause a kitty to feel shut down and quiet.

Read more
Is your cat hissing and growling a lot? These 5 tips will work wonders on your feline friend
Follow these tips if your cat is constantly hissing and growling
Tiger cat outdoors hissing

Understanding pet behavior can be a challenge, and if you see your cat hissing and growling, knowing what to do can help you deal with it and calm them down. Growling and hissing are natural behaviors for your cat. They're communicating to you that something is wrong. It's up to you to determine what's going on so you can take the right steps to address the issue and help your cat feel better. In turn, the behaviors should stop, and both you and your kitty should feel happier. If your cat is hissing and growling, put these tips to use to help fix the problem.

Try to identify the cause of the cat's hissing and growling
It's uncommon to see a cat hissing and growling for no reason. Usually, they are prompted by some sort of issue or change in a cat's environment. If you can identify this issue, then you can take steps to make your cat feel safe and stop the hissing and growling.

Read more