How to get your tree feline friendly for the festive season

Many more of us will have a feline friend joining us for Christmas this year so it’s no surprise that Christmas tree favourites Pines and Needles have had lots of questions on how to cat-proof your Christmas tree.

Kitten and cat sales have soared the past couple of years and just when you think you’ve adapted to some of your cat’s more quirkier habits, you then decide to add to the mix by putting the Christmas tree up.

Cats are known for being curious, so they are bound to want to investigate what this big addition to the living room is but of course that shouldn’t put off the idea of a real fir Christmas tree.

Christmas tree expert and cat-mum of four herself, Veronika Kusak from Pines and Needles is on hand with her top tips to make sure your tree is feline friendly this festive season.

Don’t be afraid to go smaller. A smaller tree is friendlier for your feline friends, especially if your cat may try a few sneak attacks. If a smaller tree falls over, it’s less likely to cause damage to your little companion and less damage to the room.

Start off bare. Although you may be ultra keen to get the decorations out and up, start off with a bare tree and allow your cat to get bored. Once the tree has been up for a few days they will hopefully be bored of it by the time you start adding a few decorations to it.

A solid base. Ensure you have a solid base, cats love to climb trees so if you have it in a solid base then it is more secure overall. The more solidarity in the base the less likely the tree is to fall over. For extra security you could try to secure the tree to the wall.

Trimming the base. Most cats hate foil and citrus scents. Wrap the trunk of your tree in foil and place some lemon and orange peels around the base and a few pine cones. This should hopefully act as a sort of repellent.

Ornament placement. Try to place your more beloved and sentimental ornaments towards the top of the tree. Purchase plain and simple ones for the bottom of the tree that if they do get broken you’re not going to be as upset about. If you have a particularly curious feline consider forgoing all glass ornaments their first Christmas.

If you’re still worried about your Christmas tree and your furry friend, maybe go for an outdoor tree and bless the garden with some Christmas magic instead!

“At the end of the day it depends on your kitten’s temperament,” Veronika explained. “In my case I have three chill cats who are perfectly happy to ignore the tree and one who will climb to the top of the door frame to launch himself at it. Until he mellows it’s option six for us this year.”