Consider a fake tree. Pine needles can be dangerous for cats who love to chew foreign objects. If ingested, they can pose a serious health risk. Consider a smaller tree for your feline friends!
Wait before decorating. You might be used to busting out the ornaments as soon as you get the tree home, but it helps to give your cat a chance to get bored with the tree first. Set up the tree a few days before decorating so your furry companions can investigate it (and soon lose interest in it).
If you purchase a real tree, cover the water bowl with a tree skirt and place presents on top of the skirt so that your kitty isn’t tempted to drink the water. Intestinal illness can occur. Most cats hate foil and citrus scents, so wrap your tree trunk in foil, and place a few lemon or orange peels around the base.
Focus on the top half of the tree. Place more of your ornaments where it’s harder for your kitty to reach them—at the top and toward the center of the tree).
Take care with lights. Place lights more towards the center of the tree so that your cat is less tempted to chew on the wires, Another tip is to cover the end of the wire that plugs into the wall with a cord protector. Always unplug the lights when you’re not able to supervise your cat. If your cat tries to chew the wires, it’s better to take the lights off the tree than risk your friend being burned or electrocuted.
Tie ornaments. Your cat can be injured by the little metal hooks typically used to hang ornaments, so instead, try tying the ornaments to the tree.
Skip the tinsel. Tinsel may be cheap and flashy, but it’s a serious hazard to cats, Cats often can’t resist eating it and therefore risk choking on it or getting it stuck in their intestines.
Avoid other holiday hazards. Don’t risk using decorations such as real candles, small ornaments that your kitty could choke on, or fake snow (which may contain harmful chemicals). And be sure to keep foods and plants that could be poisonous out of kitty’s reach—or better yet, out of your house. These include chocolate, mistletoe, lilies,
cyclamen, poinsettias, and amaryllises, among others.
