7 Ways to Keep Your Cat Out of the Tree

Are you putting up a tree this year? If you have a kitty, you may find yourself trying to keep her from knocking it over. While some cats will content themselves with curling up beneath the tree and purring, others will see it as a kitty playground. Here, a Fort Collins, CO vet offers some tips on keeping Fluffy out of the tree.

There’s no reason you can’t give your cat her gifts a bit early. Offer Fluffy lots of fun new toys to occupy herself with. If your kitty tires herself out playing with her new squeaky mouse, she may be too tired to bother with the tree.

If you know or suspect that your cat is going to bring the tree down, use fishing line to secure the top of the tree to the wall or ceiling. It won’t show, but will add extra support. A sturdy tree base is also a must.

If you hang a bunch of shiny ornaments on the bottom of the tree, you’re pretty much offering your furball an irresistible assortment of toys to choose from. Keep sturdy, non-breakable items on the lower branches, and put the shiny, fragile ones on the top third of the tree.

Fluffy will have a much harder time climbing a fake tree than she will a real one. Consider getting a synthetic tree this year.

Try not to put the tree too close to a sofa, desk, or chair that Fluffy can climb onto. These things make great launching pad for frisky felines!

Take time to play with your cat every day. If you can get Fluffy to burn off her excess energy playing  Catch The Red Dot , she may leave the tree alone.

We know, you can’t really train cats. (Actually, Fluffy tends to train her human pals, but that’s another topic.) However, you can make your frisky pet think twice about getting too close to the tree. When your kitty goes near the tree, make a loud noise: clap your hands, bang two pots together, or sound a bike horn. Chances are, your furball will hightail it to her favorite hiding spot!

Happy Holidays! Please feel free to contact us, your Fort Collins, CO pet clinic, anytime!