Cats off the Christmas Tree

My kitties did that when they were young. The first year, I had only one kitty, about 6 months old at the time. I'd come in after work to find her lying across the branches deep inside the tree. Year #2, I had the second kitty, and she was about 9 months old at the time. They would both take running leaps from the couch into the tree. I picked it up off the floor many times that year. For the next few years all they did was occasionally slap at an ornament.

Fast forward to this year - Smokey is 14 years old now. And guess what she's trying to do again - she's been attempting (and probably successfully while I'm not home) to lie in the branches. I've caught her a few times over the past couple days.

Try putting a motion sensor Xmas decoration near the tree. Something that is loud or moves! This will not only scare off the cats it will also give you a heads up that they are in there!

Squirt gun, after 48 hrs of you busting them, they'll be done.

I have heard of using dryer sheets because the soapy feel is something they don't like.

I have 3 cats who used to do this. They just will not stay out of the tree. So, we just sucked it up and bought a brand new one and tossed cat nip in the old one to keep them interested in the other tree. We do keep the other tree downstairs, where there is more "privacy" for them (from the kids) and they tend to like that more. They haven't touched out newer tree and the old tree looks horrible (it was artificial) with the branches being all bent up...but who cares? It's now their Christmas playground. LOL

Hope you find a solution that works for you.

I don't think I'd recommend spraying them with hot sauce. What if it gets in their eyes! Not very humane if you ask me. You can buy Scat Mats and lay them under the tree. It's basically a mat that sends a small electrical charge (it doesn't hurt! it just scares them). You can adjust the charge to high, medium or low. Of course start with the low charge. I have tested it on myself and it just feels like a small, mild shock. But it's obviously enough to scare the cats away.

Good luck! Luckily my cats only bat their paws at my ornaments. Though one of my dogs did eat a Christmas light last year!

I had the same problem. My vet gave me the following suggestions:
1. put tin foil under the tree as the feel and the noise of their paws on the foil will make them nuts and deter them
2. spray the bitter apple spray around the tree
3. mix hot sauce with water in a spray bottle and spray the cat every time they go near the tree, which should deter them because they don't like the taste of it

Good luck!

Try sprinkling cayenne pepper around the tree and on the branches (not enough to be visually obvious). This keeps my cats off the tree.

Wow, I must be really lucky that our cats generally leave our tree alone. Ours destroy the wrapped presents and steal bows instead. My mom suggested when they were kittens to wrap up a small box filled with catnip and to leave it under the tree for them. They can smell it through the box and it doesn't hav to be opened so you can keep it there for them to play with. That way, they'll be attracted to the catnip, get mellow, and leave your tree alone (hopefully). Good luck!

We also have 4 cats and have lost some ornaments! We now dont use anything breakable just in case they get in the tree. However, that doesnt seem to be a problem any more (knock on wood)...we put boxes all around the base of the tree (empty ones too) and they arent able to make it to the tree to climb! Our tree is real so I dont know if that makes a difference.

Good Luck

T.

Did you try shatter proof decorations. I took lots of pictures of my brat in the tree. I scrap booked them and call her naughty kitty.

We had the same problem...year after year and our cats actually broke the branches on our trees. This is the first year that we have not needed to buy a new tree!!! We bought a tree that has small branches...it's tall, but the branches are not long at all. Our cats can't get in the tree! They haven't even tried.

In our old trees, they would sleep in them, climb them, attack them...etc.. They haven't done any of this in two years. Now, the only problem we have with them is chewing on the bottom branches and I'll take that over the other! We tried spraying stuff on the tree to make it smell weird, didn't work. We tried spraying the cats with water every time they got in the tree...didn't work. We tried loud noises, didn't work. The new tree worked for us!

Good Luck!
A.

We have a cat that chews thought the lights so we have a tree without lights. We also have to keep all electric cords hidden or wraped or she will chew them. We have a baby fence around our tree and she just jumps in. Good luck

A., we always had a cat and never had a problem with our trees each year.
However you have 4 cats so I must say that I do not see any solution to your problem because one or another of the cats is going to initiate contact with the tree and influence the others to join in.
Our cat liked to sleep under the tree and occasionally he would bat at an ornament or two and I'm sure I had to correct him a time or two, but that was the extent of it.
So good luck with that. Sorry I can't help you. I don't now if the animal repellent they sell to spray on furniture would help....

We do not have any cats, but I do know from past experience that the aluminum foil really does work! They don't like to step on it. My sister used to put it in the baby's crib (when the baby wasn't in it!) to keep her cats out of it. And my mom used to use it at her house too.

T.

I've used orange oil and water in a spray bottle to keep cats off of things. I've used orange peels to keep them from digging in my plants outside.

You can get real orange oil at many stores but make sure to be careful when you use it. It will take the finish (including paint) off of anything!

M

LOL, have fun with that! I have 2 cats, at one point I had 3 and I have ALWAYS had this problem. What I have done is used this spray product called Cataway or Bitter orange. It does keep them away from it for an hour or two, but once the scent starts to wear away, they are right back there. Since I am at work all day I am sure they are in it during the day when we are gone. I don't really have any suggestions other than to commiserate with you, and I will be watching this thread for any other suggestions.

We have cats and foster cats, so our house is always full of cats of all ages. We use a garden sprayer, it's just a high powered spray bottle. It works pretty well, though it doesn't deter them from drinking all of the water in the Christmas tree waterer at night while we are sleeping. they also sell things at Petco and petsmart that you can place on counter tops or under couch cushions to re-pell cats, so i am sure you could sick it in the tree somewhere. Good Luck!