Cats and Christmas

Question
i have two cats who love to play and run and jump and climb. this will be their second Christmas but last year on Christmas they were very small, sick and timid. i am concerned with our tree. i am afraid they will climb up in the branches and not be able to get down. i have heard from some people that if i sprinkle cinnamon on the tree skirt, that they will stay away. is there any truth to this rumor.

Answer
Hi Stephanie,

I hadn't heard that about cinnamon- but I know that there are some scents that keep cats away- citronella and lavender are two that are most commonly thought to be unpleasant to cats, but my personal experience with using lavender is my cat doesn't mind it at all.

My experience with cats and trees is that some of them will climb, and some of them won't. I would play it by ear- when you bring your tree in, don't decorate it right away - give it a day and see how your kitties react to it. It could be that they are not really that interested. If they are attracted to the tree, try some citronella spray (you can get this at a healthfood store) around and on the tree.

When you do decorate, be very careful- tinsel is very dangerous to cats. If they swallow it it can cause bowel obstructions and poisoning. I gave up on using tinsel several years ago because of the risks, but if you do decide to use it, put it up higher on the tree where it isn't so tempting. If you're using glass ornaments, also put them out of temptations reach.

Good luck, I hope this helps. Have a happy holiday!