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How to Keep Kitty Out of the Christmas Tree
The arrival of the Christmas tree is a big event for
Kitty. Life was bordering on “ho hum” before
you brought this wonderful piece of the great outdoors
inside. From the feline point of view this is definitely
one of the most thoughtful gifts you have bestowed on
your well-deserving companion. And if the tree
wasn’t enough, you so thoughtfully added all those
sparkly and dangly toys from its branches! Now… how
do you break the news to Kitty that the tree is really
not for him?
First of all, this is the time to present Kitty with
all the gifts that you were planning to save for December
25th. Of course, if one of those just happens to
be a floor-to-ceiling cat tree, your troubles are over. Let’s
face it, part of being a cat includes the drive to be
up high. It gives Kitty a feeling of security and
domination that is so essential to the feline psyche. A
few well-made catnip toys and some interactive play with
a new fishing pole toy will also help to compensate Kitty
for what he is not getting. Be sure that
your cat has a tall, sturdy, sisal scratching post to
which he can direct his instinctive scratching behaviors.
For the safety of the cat, the ornaments, and your household,
be sure the tree is stable and cannot be tipped. A
heavy tree stand will help but it is also wise to screw
a hook into the ceiling and attach a string from the
hook to the tree top in case Kitty makes a leap for the
tree when you are not looking. The ornaments on
the bottom branches should be tied on, not hung (green
twist ties work well) and they should be unbreakable. Remember
that pets love to drink the water out of the tree stand,
so don’t so don’t add any preservatives that
could be harmful to your furry family members.
In order to maintain that holiday spirit of peace and
goodwill it is important to devise remote corrections
to keep Kitty out of trouble. This means that the
environment, not you, tells Kitty to stay away
from the tree. Direct corrections (yelling or
squirting with a water bottle) only teach the cat “owner
absent” behavior. These methods can be confusing
and frightening to the cat and the added stress may result
in other behavioral problems such as housesoiling.
The following is a list of tips that Cats International
has collected to keep Kitty from spoiling the season’s
atmosphere of peace and good will
- Spray an indoor cat repellent such as B’Have,
KeepAway or Boundary on the tree before decorating
it. This is most effective with artificial trees.
- Remember that cats can launch an attack on the tree
from chairs, tables and other furniture pieces, so
keep these potential launching pads far from the tree.
- Hang lemon or pine scented air fresheners from several
of the low branches (most cats find perfumes repelling).
- Sound deterrents are highly effective with some cats. A
mini-motion detector with an alarm chime sold at Radio
Shack works well to keep cats from forbidden areas.
- SSSCAT is an aerosol can with a motion detector on
it. A blast of air is highly effective at persuading
Kitty to look elsewhere for fun. www.multivet-inter.com.
- Contech, the maker of the Scat Mat, offers mats that
can circle the Christmas tree. The mats emit
safe, electrostatic pulses that are uncomfortable to
pets. The mats can be ordered by calling
- 800-767-58.
Of
course, the obvious solution
to keeping Kitty out of
the Christmas tree is to
put the tree in a room that can be closed off but then
that would spoil the fun of trying
to outmaneuver Kitty, wouldn’t
it?
Keep the Holidays Safe—Be Alert to These Hazards
- Some holiday plants
are toxic to cats including
amaryllis, Christmas
rose, holly and mistletoe. Poinsettias
can be orally irritating,
but are not considered
dangerous. If in
doubt about a plant’s
toxicity, contact your
veterinarian .
- Tinsel, foil, cellophane strands, string, ribbon
and yarn can all be deadly to cats. Once in their
mouths, the backward-pointing barbs on the tongue make
it difficult to expel these items. If you see
the end of a swallowed string, do not try to
pull it out. Pulling the string may cause the
swallowed portion of the string to cut the cat’s
internal organs. Rush the cat immediately to
the veterinarian.
- Cat toys containing glued-on decorations, bells,
strings or eyes made from tacks (commonly found on
the popular real-fur mice) should be stripped from
these hazards before giving them to your cat.
- Dangling electrical cords can be an invitation to
play—especially for a kitten. Tape the
cords to the wall from the socket to the tree or purchase
cord covers from Radio Shack. Unplug the lights
when you plan to be away from home.
- Candle flames are fascinating to many cats. While
they are investigating the flame, they may be singeing
their fur or knocking over the candle.. Put candles
on unreachable shelves and just to be safe, anchor
them well.
- Don’t give the left-over turkey carcass to
your pets. The meat is a nice treat but cooked
bones are brittle and can cut your cat’s insides. When
you throw away the bones, take them directly outside
and place them in a covered trash can.
The holidays can be fun for your cat but they can be
stressful too. Provide a quiet place for Kitty
with all his necessities for times when the household
is too hectic. Plan to take a few minutes every
so often to cuddle and stroke your cat. You both
will be happier and more relaxed this holiday season.
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