| How many years have you spent, with your cat | | | | often citrus can be overpowering and they will |
| finding your Christmas Tree irresistible? Younger | | | | not approach, this is why I recommend making |
| cats love to play with the baubles hanging off the | | | | the old fashioned orange and clove hanging tree |
| tree, as they are shiny and interesting things that | | | | ornaments. That way the Christmas tree will still |
| they don't see very often. What normally | | | | look nicely decorated, and you've got a built in cat |
| happens when your cat spots the baubles is that | | | | deterrent. |
| it will tap it and tap it, then it grabs it and pulls the | | | | The ideal way to make these is to purchase large |
| bauble off the tree. The chaos then follows! If | | | | oranges (not the easy peel type), you'll want to |
| you have a large real tree, you can guarantee | | | | dry these out as much as possible. Dry them in a |
| having an excess of pine needles covering your | | | | oven on a very low temperature, you want to |
| carpet, or if you have an artificial Christmas tree, | | | | evaporate the moisture in the orange rather than |
| your cat will probably have moved the lower | | | | cooking the orange. When the orange has dried to |
| branches causing your Christmas lights and tinsel | | | | a good degree (but not too hard), you need to |
| to hang off the tree; which then causes even | | | | push in the cloves all the way around the orange, |
| more of a problem by leaving the temptation of | | | | covering as much of the skin as you can. Decide |
| more hanging objects for your cat to pull down. | | | | now how you are going to attach the ribbon (to |
| The only way to stop your cat from causing | | | | hang the orange on the tree), you could put the |
| devastation around your Christmas tree is to use | | | | ribbon through the orange and secure it at the |
| a deterrent. Many people will use all sorts of things | | | | bottom with a loop at the top, or you could tie |
| to try and stop the cat from getting close to the | | | | the ribbon like a parcel around the orange, if you |
| tree, some people will put the Christmas tree in a | | | | want to pass the ribbon through the orange, then |
| children's play pen (however often the cat will | | | | make sure you make a whole now. Return the |
| happily jump over this or squeeze through the | | | | oranges to the oven on a low temperature to |
| bars), other people will recommend leaving citrus | | | | finish drying. Once dry, let them cool and then tie |
| peel around the bottom of your tree, I don't | | | | on the ribbon. |
| recommend this method as you can end up | | | | Your oranges are now ready to decorate your |
| staining your floor or carpet if you are not very | | | | Christmas tree. Your house will be wonderfully |
| careful, especially as the fruits contain acid. | | | | fragranced with the scent of oranges and cloves, |
| I have found by far the best cat deterrent for | | | | and I can guarantee your cat will avoid the |
| any type of Christmas tree is home made | | | | Christmas tree for the entire Christmas season. If |
| decorations. It is true that cats do not like the | | | | it looks like your oranges won't last that long, then |
| smell of citrus, their noses are very sensitive, and | | | | purchase some more and start the process again. |