Protecting Your Christmas Tree from Curious, Climbing, Clever, Cats

Thanks to the feline capers of Bob and Harry, Cassie and Rosie, my Christmas tree has listed south since the day after I put it up. Twice I have been jolted awake by a nocturnal crash – yes, the clutter (another and in this case accurate word for group of cats) is nocturnal cats-and when I investigated I discovered the Christmas tree sprawled across the floor in a prone, submissive position.

The tree ornaments have been scattered, stashed under furniture for Christmas future, baptized in the bathtub, and buried under the rug. They have been placed and replaced and taped back together. The wooden manger underneath the tree has a row of teeth marks that look like a beaver chewed it for lunch. Threats of permanent exile and temporary deportation in the snow hover in the air above the sounds of Christmas carols.

The clutter sleeps soundly on the couch, after stashing a few stray ornaments underneath it for later in the day, blissfully unaware of Christmas tree transgressions and the peril to their collective thirty six lives.

The Yearly War of Christmas Tree versus Cats

Each year when I put up my Christmas tree, I repeat the mantra of their Christmas tree transgressions and my cat safety commandments for cat and Christmas Tree survival. Veterinarians and pet experts do have some suggestions to keep your cat and your Christmas trees safe.

Cat SurvivalAvoid using tinsel. Veterinarians warn that Tinsel lures cats with its glitter, but if cats swallow tinsel, it can do much damage to their digestive systems. There isn’t a strand of tinsel in the house. Sigh of relief. Spray light cords with bitter apple spray to discourage cats from chewing on them. Aerosol deodorant or antiperspirant sprays work too. Bob thinks bitter apple is catnip and acts accordingly. He isn’t as enthusiastic about tape. Sigh of frustration. Protect Tree Water. The tree water keeps a Christmas tree from drying out, but thirsty pets want to drink it too. Drinking tree water isn’t good for pets. It can make them sick. Protect our tree water with screen or mesh fabric duct taped over the pan. I have an artificial tree so I don’t have to worry about tree water. I just have to worry about tree survival and Harry raids at dawn. Sigh of weariness. Clean up pine needles if you have a live tree. Eating pine needles can disrupt and seriously harm a cat’s digestive system. My Christmas tree is fabric green branch artificial, so I just have to restrain Cassie from nipping off branches and eating them like a chicken leg. Sigh of resignation. Avoid edible ornaments like candy canes. Cats smell edible ornaments and relentlessly hunt them down. One year when I was still becoming cat savvy, I put candy canes on the tree. Over two nights Rosie introduced me to a new brand of candy cane with teeth marks clearly visible among the stripes. Sigh of amusement. Use a strong and sturdy tree stand. Put a small hook on the ceiling and attach a fishing line from the top of the tree to the hook. My tree stand has the strength of ten, but the clutter has a combined score of forty. Sigh of resignation. Avoid fresh mistletoe with its tempting red berries. Mistletoe and its red berries means a sweet treat instead of a kiss to cats, but eating the leaves and berries can cause drops in blood pressure. Avoid live holly and ivy. Ivy can give cats diarrhea, convulsions and occasionally even kill them if they eat too much of it. Avoid Poinsettias, as they can cause digestive harm to your cat. Poinsettias have large, red, white, pink or mottled leaves and they contain a thick, milky, irritating sap. Veterinarians say that a cat would have to eat a large amount of poinsettia leaves or stems to harm your cat. Signs of Poinsettia reaction include vomiting, anorexia, and depression. Other veterinarians say that they are not toxic to most cats. I wouldn’t take a chance on the clutter’s Poinsettia self discipline or speculate the effects of gobbled Poinsettias on their digestive systems.

Christmas Tree Survival

· Some cats don’t like the feel of aluminum foil. To protect your Christmas tree, wrap the lower trunk of the tree in foil and extend the foil to make a tree skirt. Foil comes in a variety of colors and sparkles in the light, so it looks like a part of the holiday décor. · Generally speaking, cats don’t like the feel of pine cones. Pile pine cones around the base of your Christmas tree to keep cats away. · Some cats don’t like the scent of oranges. Placing orange peels under and around the base of your Christmas tree might keep the cats away. · Use unbreakable ornaments. If you do put glass ornaments on your Christmas tree, place them closer to the top so it will be more difficult for your cats to reach them. · Unplug Christmas lights when you are not using them. Inspect them periodically for chew marks. · Use a baby gate to fence off your Christmas tree or keep it in a closed off room.

The Clutter’s Feedback

The clutter finds the tree survival tips about pine cones and the baby gate especially funny. They play catch with pine cones every night and they can zip to the top of the Christmas tree quicker than Santa can say ho ho ho. They advocate coexisting and occasionally conquering with the Christmas tree from INSIDE the baby gate.

The Christmas Tree Will Survive, Bedraggled but Recognizable and So Will I in the Same Condition

I sit in the rocking chair by the Christmas tree after a long, hard day of snatching pieces ot it back from the paws and jaws of the clutter. I touch the tree with one glance and the clutter with another glance. The clutter of cats, the Christmas tree, and I are bathed in the light and meaning of Christmas. Peace on Earth and Good Will to Christmas Tree Tampering Cats!

References

David, Ann. The Wonderful World of Christmas Trees. Mid-Prairie Books. 1997.

Hill, Lewis. Christmas Trees: Growing and Selling Trees, Wreaths, and Greens. Storey Publishing LL, 1989


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