Cats & Christmas Trees

Once Thanksgiving is over, for many of us it’s time to decorate our homes with lights and Christmas trees. But, as you may well know, we’re not the only ones completely enamored by holiday decorations.

Cats are especially attracted to Christmas trees! They relish any opportunity to climb and explore something new in the house, and a decorated Christmas tree signals fun and adventure to most cats. But a cat’s curiosity can get them in trouble from chewing on the wrong “something.” So just like young children and toddlers, cats (and especially kittens) need to be supervised around Christmas trees and decorations.

Never leave a cat (or young child) unsupervised with your tree. Many ornaments from foreign countries may be painted with lead-based paints. Keep these out of the mouths of cats, puppies, and kids (or better yet, find some USA-made, lead-free ornaments).

Also, don’t encourage your cats to play with tinsel. They may chew and swallow pieces that can get stuck in the intestinal tract, requiring surgical intervention to remove them – the same goes for pieces of plastic, ornaments, and wire. This is a great time to give your cat better choices for fun, like a catnip mouse, feather toys, or kid-safe rubber balls. Ping pong balls are also great fun for cats.