Are you putting up a tree this year? If so, you may want to take a few precautions to make it kittyproof. Fluffy has definitely knocked over a few trees in her day! However, if you just tell your kitty not to climb the tree, she’ll likely just meow in response. Read on as a Cherry Hill, NJ vet lists some ways to keep your cat out of the tree.
Don’t Provide Easy Access
Putting your tree near a desk, sofa, or another convenient kitty launch pad will make it really easy for your cat to get into the tree. Put it in a spot where there isn’t anything right beside it that Fluffy could jump off. If your feline friend just won’t leave the tree alone, use a baby gate to block her access.
Bribery
When it comes to solving behavioral issues in cats, you may have to resort to bribery. Offer Fluffy some fun new toys, and play with her every day. If you tire your furry pal out with a fun session of
Catch The Red Dot
, she may be more interested in napping under the tree than climbing it.
Decorate Carefully
Keep your feline buddy in mind when you decorate your tree. Fluffy probably won’t be able to resist batting at a shiny object that is hanging within paw’s reach. Put sturdy ornaments on the bottom, and keep your fancy, delicate ones for the top third of the tree.
Training
We know, cats are more likely to train their owners than listen to what we tell them. However, you can make your kitty think twice about getting too close to the tree. When your furball starts sniffing around the tree, disrupt her by making a loud noise. You can clap your hands, rattle two pots together, or sound a bike horn. These things won’t hurt your cat, but they will startle her. Our feline pals hate being startled! A few repetitions of this, and you may very well have Fluffy rethinking the pros and cons of approaching the tree.
Choose A Fake Tree
Plastic trees are much harder for cats to climb than real ones. Consider getting a fake tree this year.
Season’s Greetings! Please contact us, your local Cherry Hill, NJ animal clinic, for all of your pet’s veterinary care needs. We’re here to help!
