Your Cat's First Christmas (A Cat-Proofing Guide for First Time Cat Owners)

Congratulations, new cat parent! It's your cat's first Christmas! You've navigated the tricky waters of the first few months, learned the proper technique for scooping litter, and successfully identified the difference between a "hunting meow" and an "I'm starving" meow.

Now, prepare yourself for the ultimate final boss: The Christmas Tree🎄.

To you, the tree is a symbol of warmth, love, and festive cheer. To your cat, it is a magnificent, gigantic, scratchable, climbable, and potentially edible indoor playground that has magically appeared overnight. And those shiny, dangling objects? They are clearly just toys waiting to be liberated.

If you want to try to avoid spending Christmas Day at the emergency vet or performing CPR on a string of lights, read on.

🎬 The Introduction: From Curiosity to Cat-astrophe

When your cat first sees the tree, they won't just look—they will initiate a five-stage tactical assessment:

1. Reconnaissance: Intense sniffing of the needles and the tree skirt.

2. The Test Bat: A quick, curious paw tap on the lowest ornament. If it moves, it's prey.

3. The Ascent: The full vertical launch toward the mid-section.

4. The Tinsel Tangle: Attempting to chew or pull down anything shiny and stringy.

5. The Apex Predation: Reaching the top and attempting to displace the star, proving they are the true ruler of the house.
   

🚨 The "Don't Kill the Cat" Safety Checklist for Rookies

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Your house is now full of hazards. Here’s what must go, immediately:

Tinsel

Looks like shiny, enticing string. If ingested, it causes life-threatening internal blockages (linear foreign body).

ABSOLUTELY NO TINSEL. Use thick fabric garlands or simple paper chains instead.

Glass Ornaments

Shatters into tiny, sharp shards that slice delicate paws and mouths. Only use plastic, non-shattering ornaments, felt, or wood ornaments. Box up the heirlooms and you children's home -made gingerbread man until the cat is 18 (or moves out).

Ornament Hooks

Small, pointy metal hooks are easily swallowed, causing internal puncture wounds. Ditch the metal hooks! Use chenille pipe cleaners, ribbon, or mini zip ties to secure ornaments directly to the branch. There are also adjustable Christmas ornament hooks that are advertised as pet proof. I also like these mini adjustable ornament bows

Electrical Cords

Tempting to chew, leading to zaps, burns, or electrocution.

Tape down all wires. Use chew-safe plastic cable protectors or run lights through the inner branches close to the trunk where they are hard to reach.

Tree Water

If using a real tree, the water can contain toxic sap, fertilizer, or flame retardants.

Cover the stand. Use a sturdy tree skirt or collar to ensure the cat cannot drink the tree water.

Toxic Plants

Mistletoe, Holly, Lilies (extremely toxic!).

Keep them out of the house. While I'm not a big fan of fake plants, if you're "missing the mistletoe" so to speak, use high-quality fake versions instead.

🛑 Anti-Climbing Protocols: Preventing the Everest Ascent

Your cat wants to be the tree topper. Your job is to make the ascent as unappealing as possible.

1. Secure the Summit: This is non-negotiable! Use fishing line or wire to anchor the top of the tree to a heavy wall hook or a nearby sturdy bracket. When the cat inevitably tries to climb, the tree will wobble, but it will not crash. Also, consider keeping the tree against a wall or in a corner. The walls will give it more stability and enable you to wrap fishing lines around the trunk to fasten to the wall if desired.

2. The Launchpad Lockdown: Leave the bottom 18-24 inches of the tree completely bare. No lights, no ornaments, no temptation. If the launch area is boring, the mission is less exciting.

3. Watch your cat for a few days and when they try to climb, say loudly and firmly "NO!" and then gently move them away from the tree. You can also do this if your cat climbs your curtains.

4. Aluminum Foil Force Field: Line the area around the base of the tree (under the skirt) with wrinkled aluminum foil. Cats generally hate the sound and feel under their paws.

5. Cat Proof Tree Skirt Kit. This one looks a little like a bed of nails but does create a surface that discourages cats from climbing, scratching, or digging around your Christmas tree

6. Pet-Safe Orange Spray: Cat's hate this orange fragrance and will generally shy away from it. I just use the Angry Orange Pet Odor Eliminator that I have on hand for my three pets. It's a pet-safe citrus cleaner with natural orange oil. We all know cats are licking maniacs so be sure what you are spraying around your house is non-toxic.

7. The Decoy Tree Strategy: Set up a fun, cat-safe scratching post or Christmas-themed scratching post nearby, loaded with catnip, feather wands, and their favorite crinkle balls. Make the Decoy more appealing than the Real Tree. Reward them when they attack the approved target!

8. If all the above doesn't work, place a sign in the tree that clearly states, "NO CATS ALLOWED".

Welcome to your new holiday reality. You may lose a few ornaments, but by following these safety rules, you'll save on emergency vet bills and gain priceless photos of your cat looking incredibly guilty while sitting in the ruins of your holiday cheer. Good luck!