Holiday Season Poses Risks for Cats
Dr. Barchas,
Happy Holidays! But it won’t be a very
“Merry Christmas” for our family. How do you
keep your cat away from the tree?! We’ve tried
EVERYTHING! He likes getting squirted with a
squirt gun, and the “Stay away Cat Spray”
doesn’t work with our five-month-old kitten! We
can’t put up the tree, because it’s always down
by the morning! DARE we even put ornaments on it?
Double sided sticky tape around the tree? He hops
over it. An electric train, TACKLES it. An
electric collar……inhumane. Aluminum foil, HE
PLAYS WITH IT!!! Help me with my holiday crisis,
that many others are having!
Sincerely,
A Cat Climber’s Owner.
Lauren
Covington, KY
There is only one solution I can see. Place the tree in a room with a door and keep the door closed. Do not allow the cat into the room.
Cats that play with Christmas trees can injure themselves when they knock trees over. They may damage property. If lights are plugged into the tree, the cat may electrocute itself or start a fire.
And, although the vast majority of cats make it through the holidays without incident, people with feline friends should be aware of a couple of other holiday hazards.
Ribbons on presents are tempting playthings for cats. However, a swallowed ribbon may cause the intestines to bunch together. The condition can be fatal without surgery. Ribbons and other so-called linear foreign bodies were discussed in a previous post on feline hazards.
Finally, if your cat likes to chew on plants don’t buy mistletoe, poinsettias, or lilies. All are toxic.
About the photo: Sassy seems to be looking for trouble!
You have questions. 
Hello I would also like to add that if a live tree is being used instead of a fake tree, a cat may drink the water from the tree watering dish which may have rust in it….causing gastro problems. We had an old tree stand so perhaps the newer ones are better equipped for preventing animals from drinking from it. Laura H
We’re completely avoiding a tree this year for the exact same reason – five month old kitty!
We went to an artificial tree years ago because of the cats. We nailed it to a heavy piece of wood. No way for them to knock it over. We never put any decorations on the lower part of the tree, and never tinsel. They would still hide under the tree and take bows off the packages ( made from wide ribbon) but never got hurt.
No tree for us this year. Our kitten has trouble enough not trying to eat fabric and other objects that seem fun, and we just had to have a piece of collar removed from her stomach. Not fun for all involved. I can’t imagine how much trouble she would have with a live tree and packages under it.