How to decorate for Christmas safely for your cat
Christmas often involves a lot of decorating and we like to make it cosy during the dark months. It's a good idea to keep a few things in mind when decorating your home for the cat. They get into a lot of places and many of the decorations we want can be harmful to our cats.
Live lights and light strings
Keep in mind that cats don't know what candles are and that they are hot. This is often an underestimated danger, but it can easily catch fire when your cat pulls the tablecloth or knocks over a candlestick. The flickering flame of candles can be exciting and perhaps most so for young cats. This curiosity can result in burns to the paws and fur. Therefore, cats should never be left alone with candles and they should be placed out of reach of the cat.
Do you feel unsure about using candles? Then an alternative might be to find LED lights that simulate light. They are harmless to the cat but important to remember that it should not be able to access playing with light strings. It could accidentally tangle itself or bite the wire during a romp. So attach lights high up on the tree, don't leave long cables hanging at the bottom. Attach lights that illuminate windows properly so the cat can't pull them down and leave plugs in the socket only when you're in the room.
Decorate the Christmas tree safely for the cat
As we all know, cats are true climbers and great balancers - both in their beloved claw tree but also, of course, the Christmas tree. The glittery tree with lights and decorations can be tempting for cats to play with. But unfortunately, this is a danger for your cat.
A broken Christmas tree bauble can damage your cat's paws or mouth if they choose to bite on it. Should your cat then choose to swallow a piece, it could cause life-threatening injuries. Packing strings or other glittery decorations can cause intestinal upset or blockage. This can be life-threatening if the cat does not get help quickly. The cat cannot digest spruce bark and can cause damage to the inside of the stomach. The cat can be poisoned if it drinks from the Christmas tree water or licks the resin.
Keep this in mind when decorating the tree
Always sweep up fallen tree branches so that your cat doesn't have time to swallow any.
Cover the water on the base of the Christmas tree so the cat can't get at it.
Make sure there are no cables hanging out of the tree and place the lights close to the branches. Avoid candles in the tree as they are too dangerous for your pet and in case the tree falls over.
Decorate the tree with natural materials such as wood, straw or solid material that will not break. Would you like glass balls? Hang them high up where your cat can't reach them.
Make sure the tree is stable. So be careful when buying your Christmas tree base and if you have a lively young cat at home, it may also be a good idea to secure the tree to the wall with a string.
