Protecting the Christmas tree from the cat - pine trees are poisonous

Created: 12/22/2022, 12:30 p.m

The Christmas tree with balls and tinsel is often the most beautiful toy for cats.

This is how you prevent more damage.

Who doesn't remember the old clips from “Oops!

– The Pannenshow”, in which the cat jumps from the sofa in a high arc into the Christmas tree, which then falls over and destroys the whole Christmas feast?

Such spectacular situations are probably the exception rather than the rule.

Nevertheless, it is well known that cats see a nice toy in a festively decorated Christmas tree, which can sometimes lead to accidents.

Dangling balls, moving tinsel and flashing fairy lights are an invitation for the velvet paws.

Here's how to make sure your cat leaves the Christmas tree alone this year.

Choosing a tree: Pines definitely don't belong in a cat household

Unfortunately, cats tend to confuse Christmas tree decorations with toys.

(Iconic image) © mimeto/Imago

Of course, before the Christmas tree can be decorated, it must first be bought.

As a pet owner, you should also make sure when buying the fir that the tree gets along with the animal.

Therefore, reach for organic conifers from ecological associations, farmers or foresters that have not been treated with pesticides.

The remedies can remain on the tree and harm the cat.

Incidentally, the same applies to pine trees, the needles of which are poisonous to cats.

Therefore, be sure to choose a fir or spruce as your Christmas tree.

It is also advisable to regularly sweep up the pine needles that have fallen out, because otherwise curious house tigers could nibble on them.

Although pine needles are not poisonous, they are sharp and not necessarily healthy for the cat's stomach.

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Tree Stand: Best heavy and inaccessible to the cat

If the tree is chosen in such a way that it will not harm the cat, you should now take measures to ensure that the cat does not harm the tree.

The location and the tree stand play a role.

It is best to place the Christmas tree in a place where the cat cannot jump in from chairs or window sills.

Ideally, you can also lock the room with the tree when you are away so that the cat is not alone.

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The tree stand should be very stable and prevent the cat from knocking over the Christmas tree.

It is also advisable to cover the water in the stand so that the cat does not drink from it and ingest resin or tree oils, for example.

If you have a Christmas tree in a pot, you can use a box with a round opening around the trunk to prevent the cat from digging in the ground and supposedly doing business there.

Fleece for covering flower pots can also be used for this.

Lighting: Festive but still safe for humans and animals

The lighting should also be designed to be as low-risk as possible.

This means, for example, that real candles are taboo, but they are hardly ever used anyway.

Fairy lights are better for the Christmas tree.

Make sure, however, that you place the lights high enough so that the cat cannot fish for the cable from the ground and possibly pull the entire chain.

Cables lying on the floor, for example on the way to the socket, should also be hidden from your cat, because many cats love to nibble on cables.

For example, you can wrap the cable in some fabric or hide it under a carpet.

This way the Christmas tree doesn't suddenly go dark at Christmas because the cat bit through the cable.

Christmas tree decorations: This decoration should definitely not be hanging on the tree

The last step to the perfect Christmas tree is the decoration.

Under no circumstances should it be missing, but it is precisely the dangling balls that attract cats to play.

Therefore, make sure that you either do not use filigree glass balls at all or hang them higher up in the tree out of the cat's reach.

Instead, use ornaments made of wood or paper, for example.

These are just as Christmassy and will give your tree a cozy - and cat-proof - vintage look.

You should also avoid tree decorations that ring or glitter in a particularly striking way, so that the cat is not unnecessarily drawn to the Christmas tree.

The same applies to tinsel: the colorful plastic fibers are not only harmful to the environment, they are even dangerous for cats.

If your velvet paw gets a few streaks between its paws and teeth, it can do a lot of harm to the cat's body.

Other tricks: keep cat away from Christmas tree

If you want to be on the safe side, you can take other measures in addition to the right decoration.

Aluminum foil on the tree trunk keeps cats away because they don't like the feel of the foil.

You can also spray the fir with citrus or orange scents, which cats also find unpleasant.

Or distract the animals by providing cat grass to nibble on or a scratching post nearby.