I think we can all agree that one of the best things about Christmas would be setting up the tree and decorating it with lots of pretty and sparkly ornaments to ring in the holiday cheer
However, anyone who owns a four-legged furball knows that Christmas trees and pets aren’t a particularly harmonious mix. Because when the pets are around, the tree will most likely go down.
Which is why, it’s important to pet-proof your festive feature. Not only to keep your tree up and ready for the holidays, but also to keep your furbabies safe and sound.
So, here are some tips you can follow to pet-proof your Christmas tree and ornaments. Thank us later!
Disclaimer: All pets have different personalities and quirks, so do follow these tips or take extra precautions with your own pet’s best interest in mind to ensure their safety and well-being. Any pet is worth more than a seasonal decoration.
1. Baby gate your Christmas tree
By setting up a baby gate, it puts some space between your tree and animal, letting them know that the area is off limits. It also let’s them admire the sparkling lights and shiny ornaments from afar, without letting them get too near.
Plus, baby gates are lightweight and easy to move to suit the layout of your room. And you can definitely find affordable options on online stores.
Or, just cage your Christmas tree. That’s a fail-proof way to keep your pets away. (Okay, we’re obviously kidding at the last part).
2. Keep fragile, harmful, or valuable ornaments on the top portion of your Christmas tree
While you want to keep your precious decorations intact, this tip is more for the safety of your pets, as fragile ornaments can easily shatter and choke your pets, injuring them if they manage to get their paws or mouths on them.
This includes glass ornaments, Christmas lights, tinsel, and other hazardous knick-knacks that are not built for your pet’s rough housing.
So, keep these dangerous ornaments high up on your tree and out of the curious paws of your four-legged companion.
However, I’m sure many cat owners may be thinking that this tip will not be useful for those agile felines who can scale any structure no matter the height to get to something they want. In which case, cat owners can refer to the next point.
3. Spritz citrus scented oils or fragrances on your tree to keep curious felines at bay
Yeap, most cats are absolutely repulsed by citrus scents such as lime, lemon, orange, and grapefruit. So, if you want your furry feline to stay away from your tree and prevent a holiday cat-astrophe, give your tree a good spritz of any citrus oil or scent. It’s a lovely way to give your house a fresh scent too.
You may also opt to scatter lemon or orange peels at the bottom of your tree to ensure your cat won’t be going near your tree anytime soon.
But, please note that if your cat is the kind to eat anything and everything, scattering citrus peels around the tree is not advisable. This is due to the fact that citrus skins can induce vomiting, diarrhea, or dermatitis in cats when consumed.
4. Place “noisy” objects at the bottom of your tree
Pets are kind of like small children. When they’re going to do something they shouldn’t, they always try to carry it out as quietly as possible.
So, to put a stop to their dastardly plans of ruining the Christmas tree, it’s recommended you hang noisy bells or place tinfoil at the base of your tree as a way to alert you if your little furry troublemaker comes a little too close to the tree.
This may also work for anyone with small children who can’t wait for Christmas morning to open their presents.
5. Weigh down the base of your Christmas tree as much as possible or anchor your tree to a wall
If you have particularly destructive pets, it’s best to reinforce the structure of the tree to ensure the whole thing doesn’t come crashing down.
You can do this by weighing the base of the tree down with heavy bricks or sandbags so that it doesn’t topple over if your cat or dog decides to do their zoomies near your tree.
Or, you could anchor your tree to hooks that are screwed to the wall to make it extra secure.
6. And, if all else fails… get creative with how you set up your Christmas tree at home
Simplicity is key with this tip. You could simply hang strings of ornaments from your ceiling in a shape of a Christmas tree so that your cat can’t even try and climb it.
Or just hang an upside tree from the top of your ceiling. Make sure to hang it high enough that your dog or cat can’t reach it, even if they jump.
Sky’s the limit when it comes to creative ways to build a pet-proof Christmas tree.