| It is that time of year when many families will be | | | | dangling ornaments and knocking them on the |
| preparing to put up their Christmas trees. It all | | | | floor. A lot of our ornaments were smashed and |
| starts either by getting your tree out of the attic | | | | broken that year, but I learned to not do that |
| or storage place, or going and picking out the | | | | again. I now put the ornaments on the upper |
| perfect tree from a tree farm or local store. No | | | | branches, and I no longer use glass bulbs or any |
| matter which way you start with, if you have a | | | | other ornaments that they can break. |
| cat or two in the house you need to consider a | | | | Another thing to consider doing if you have cats |
| few potential dangers when preparing this yearly | | | | is not to put tinsel on your tree. When I was |
| ritual. | | | | growing up, we always put tinsel on our |
| The type of tree is important to consider, if you | | | | Christmas tree. I never liked putting up the tinsel |
| do not keep it in a separate room away from | | | | because it was so hard cleaning up and getting it |
| your cat. Live Christmas trees can be deadly to a | | | | off of the tree. I am glad that I do not put tinsel |
| cat. If they eat the pine needles they could | | | | on my Christmas tree, especially since I have |
| puncture the intestines. Pine is also toxic to cats | | | | cats and it can harm them if they swallow it. It is |
| causing damage to the liver or death. An artificial | | | | better to not put tinsel on your tree if you have |
| Christmas tree is safer than a live one, but it can | | | | cats. |
| also cause blockage if it is eaten. | | | | Also, take care in the placement of the lights. You |
| I put up an artificial Christmas tree, not just for | | | | do not want your cat to chew on the cord and |
| the safety, but also for the convenience of the | | | | get a nasty shock. I did have two cats that liked |
| clean up. It still takes more planning and | | | | to chew on cords and I took extra care on |
| preparation to keep the cats off and away from | | | | making sure that they were placed where they |
| the Christmas tree. | | | | would not be tempted to chew. A wonderful tip |
| Start by finding a good spot where you can place | | | | to keep your cat from chewing on the cord is to |
| the tree that will allow you to secure to | | | | place it in a plastic strip and tape it to the floor. |
| something so that the cats cannot knock or pull it | | | | Another thing to do is to tape down or remove |
| down. It is also a good idea to keep the tree | | | | the tag that is attached to the lights; this is often |
| away from other items, such as tables, chairs, or | | | | a tempting object for cats to chew on also. |
| anything else your cat can climb on that will give it | | | | Once you have your tree up and decorated it is |
| closer access to the tree. | | | | now the time to become creative in keeping your |
| After you have found the perfect spot for your | | | | kitty away from the tree to keep your |
| Christmas tree, the next part of the yearly | | | | decorations safe from its curiosity. There are a |
| tradition is going to be the most fun. Decorating | | | | few things that you can try to keep your cat |
| the tree! Now this is the best part of getting the | | | | away from the tree. You can place foil or two |
| tree up and ready, but it can also be the most | | | | sided tape around the tree, they do not like the |
| mind boggling and nerve wrecking task. Especially | | | | feel of it and will often times stay away. Another |
| when you have to consider the placement of all | | | | tactic to try is to place citrus rinds or fresheners |
| of the decorations in proportion to your cat's | | | | around the tree; cats do not like the smell of |
| interest in any and all of the decorations. | | | | citrus and will stay away. You can also spray your |
| Now, I have learned the hard way with placing | | | | cat with water each time it attempts to get close |
| my decorations on the tree, that you must never | | | | to the tree and it will soon stay away. I have |
| put your glass bulbs near the bottom where the | | | | found that using the water bottle to be the most |
| cats can reach them. The first year that we had | | | | effective and easiest for me to do. Try each one |
| our cats and I decorated the tree not thinking | | | | and find one that will work for you and your cat. |
| that they would play with it, I put the glass | | | | Make this Christmas a memorable one and do not |
| ornaments as well as other ornaments on the | | | | forget to keep your cat in mind when making |
| bottom branches. Well, later that day I heard a | | | | preparations for your Christmas traditions, |
| bang, and smash of glass breaking, only to look | | | | especially those involving a tree. |
| out and see that both cats were playing with the | | | | |