How To Protect Christmas Trees From Cats

Many homeowners and renters look forward to decorating their Christmas tree each year. However, proud cat owners must consider that their cat may wreak havoc on their Christmas decorations. Many people understandably wonder how to protect their Christmas tree from their cat.

You can protect Christmas trees from cats if you wind the lights from the center and pull them tight. That way, they aren’t loose and dangling, which makes it hard for cats to reach them. It also helps to tie the ornaments to the tree and avoid decorating the bottom of the tree. 

The worst-case scenario is that you must keep the door closed to keep your cat away from the tree. This may be necessary if your cat won’t leave the decorations alone. Follow along as we explore how to protect Christmas trees from cats. 

How To Cat-Proof A Christmas Tree

1. Secure The Tree

The last thing you want to do is pick up a mess of ornaments because your cats knocked the tree over. You can avoid this problem if you secure your Christmas tree with cords and anchors. For example, you can attach hooks to the wall and anchor your tree to them with cords. 

That way, your Christmas tree will stand tall even if your cats run into it. However, this option means that you must put your Christmas tree near the wall. Otherwise, you will create a tripping hazard with the long cords. 

2. Avoid Decorating The Bottom Of The Tree

It’s no secret that cats are curious and like to play with anything in reach. That includes the ornaments at the bottom of your Christmas tree. Because they’re so easy to access, your cats can easily knock your ornaments off the tree.

Not only are the ornaments likely to roll on the ground, but they can also break. You can prevent this problem if you avoid decorating the bottom of the tree. It’s a small sacrifice to make, but it’s worth it to avoid cleaning up messes. 

This takes some trial and error, as you may need to pay attention to which parts of the tree your cat can access. However, the cat can likely only reach the first foot or two of the tree. Never decorate with artificial snow, as it is often toxic to cats. 

3. Wind The Lights

String lights are staples of Christmas trees, but they also appeal to cats. Cats can’t resist slapping and grabbing string lights, especially when they’re loose. Winding the lights tightly around the tree makes it much harder for cats to mess them up.

Tightly wrap the lights around your tree starting from the center. Try not to leave too much slack, or else your cats may be tempted to play with the lights. It’s also easier to put your Christmas tree away at the end of the season if your lights are wound tightly. 

All you must do is follow the winding in the opposite direction. Keep a neat form so you can easily put your lights away until next year. 

4. Carefully Choose Your Decorations

Decorating a Christmas tree is a fun tradition for many people all over the world. However, it’s important to be careful about which decorations you use. For example, decorations like tinsel can easily entice cats to mess up your Christmas tree. 

Tinsel is also dangerous for cats because it can get stuck in their mouths and throats. Anything that is shiny and dangles may grab your cat’s attention. Look for solid ornaments and decorations without any pieces that could easily come off.

Think of your cats the same way you would about a toddler. Carefully inspect decorations for choking hazards to protect your cats. Ideally, you should also look for durable decorations that won’t shatter if your cat knocks them off the tree. 

5. Strategically Place Scratching Posts

Scratching posts work wonders to stop cats from wreaking havoc on any home. You can use posts to stop your cats from scratching furniture and messing up your Christmas tree. Set some scratching posts and toys out near your Christmas tree.

Keep in mind that each cat is different, so this may not calm yours. However, it’s quite effective in many households, as a cat needs an outlet to expel energy. Watch your cat to see how it reacts to the newly placed scratching posts.

It’s also a great idea to play with with your cat in the area to wear them out. Anecdotally, many cats calm down and stay out of trouble after getting tired from a fun play session. 

6. Set Up A Barrier

You can’t always trust a cat to give up on messing with your Christmas tree, no matter what you do. In that case, you may simply need to set up a barrier to keep it away from temptation. For example, you can place a pen made for dogs or toddlers around your Christmas tree.

However, cats can jump fairly high, so this doesn’t always work. The best option is to place the pen as close to the tree as possible. That way, your cat is unlikely to jump over it because there is nowhere comfortable to land. 

7. Close The Door

Are your cats overly rambunctious when it comes to your Christmas tree? If so, you may need to block their access to the tree entirely. The only way to do this in most cases is to close the door to the room with the Christmas tree. 

In that case, you may have to carefully consider where you put your Christmas tree. This can be disappointing if you have limited space in your home. However, cats are often set in their ways, so it may be the best option. 

8. Buy An Artificial Tree

Today, you can find many artificial trees that come pre-decorated that often feature ornaments that are securely attached to the tree. This makes it much harder for your cat to destroy the tree and ornaments. 

Ideally, you should look for an artificial tree without dangling parts. Check the tree for choking hazards before you buy it. 

9. Secure Your Ornaments

People typically use hooks to put the ornaments on their Christmas trees. This is effective, but not if you have cats that can easily knock the ornaments off the tree. It’s better to tie the ornaments to the tree with string or a piece of twine. 

10. Use A Spray Bottle

Spray bottles are humane cat deterrents that are useful during training. For example, you can teach a cat to drop a behavior if you gently spray them with room-temperature water. Eventually, you can get them to stop even if you just grab the spray bottle. 

Keep a spray bottle near the Christmas tree, so it’s within reach when something happens. This can also help train your cat to stop scratching the furniture. However, you must be gentle and only spray them once. Otherwise, raising your voice is another humane way to get them to stop bad behavior. 

Summing It Up

The best way to protect your Christmas tree from cats is to anchor it to the wall with a cord. You can also keep your cats from destroying the tree if you avoid decorating the bottom where they can reach ornaments. Otherwise, you may need to set up a barrier or close the door to the room with the Christmas tree. 

Related Guides:

• Limited Space? How To Incorporate A Christmas Tree
• When Should You Decorate For Christmas?