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Natural born climbers, cats are drawn to Christmas
trees, especially real ones. Unfortunately, as much as
they brighten up our holiday spirits, Christmas trees
pose a long list of dangers to cats.
A cat that jumps on a Christmas tree, or tries to climb
it, runs a very real chance of knocking it down. This
not only risks injuring the cat, it also makes a mess,
destroying ornaments, lamps and furniture. If the tree
has lights turned on, turning it over can spark a fire.
Of course, cats that chew on the cords of Christmas tree
lights can electrocute themselves.
Christmas tree ornaments pose another threat to cats. An
ornament can easily break when it’s swatted or pounced
on, cutting the cat. Tinsel may be the biggest threat of
all. Many cats are drawn to its glitter; if they swallow
tinsel, it can get caught in their esophagus, or wrap
around their intestines, causing life-threatening
blockages.
The gifts under a Christmas tree present another danger.
Curious cats are drawn to the brightly wrapped presents.
When they try to find out what’s inside, they can choke on
ribbons or other wrapping decorations.
If you have a live tree, the water in the stand used to
keep the evergreen fresh poses a toxic threat to the
cat. Most live trees have been treated with pesticides,
which will seep into the water. When a cat drinks from
the tree stand’s basin, he’s ingesting these poisons.
You should take some common sense precautions to protect
your cat during the holiday season. If possible, the cat
should never be left in the same room as the Christmas
tree without supervision. Unbreakable decorations should
be used and tinsel should be avoided. Gifts should be
kept away from the tree, and the water basin in the
stand should be covered with foil or a tree blanket.
The electrical cords used for the Christmas tree lights
should be covered with repellent to keep your cat from
chewing on them. Repellent should also be applied to the
area around the tree to keep the cat from getting too
close.
You can also keep the cat from the Christmas tree by
surrounding it with automatic deterrent sprays. These
products will emit a sharp, sudden burst of gas when
your cat crosses your path. Although harmless and
odorless, this spray frightens cats and convinces them
to stay away from a given area.
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