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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Is there a way to deter my cat from climbing and lying in my Christmas tree?!

120 replies

JMSA · 03/12/2025 00:46

Recent rescue cat, so this is her first Christmas with us.
I don’t mind really, but I’m worried that I might never be able to switch the tree lights on again 😆 And I’m concerned that it could topple while I’m at work.

Peek-a-boo!

Is there a way to deter my cat from climbing and lying in my Christmas tree?!
OP posts:
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35
Bagpuss1200 · 05/12/2025 12:37

My Christmas tree went up on Monday. Lights lasted approx 3 hours until mysteriously turning off, yep, Mowgli had bitten through them!

SoftLass · 05/12/2025 12:56

Oxo01 · 04/12/2025 15:42

Pic from a few years ago, ( sadley she died Sept this year ) she done it once but then took to laying under the tree and play with lower baubles for a few hours.

She's so beautiful, looks like a snow princess in the tree!

LastNightMyPJsSavedMyLife · 05/12/2025 13:01

Scentsticles. Three hung in the bottom branches will keep cats away.

IsntItDarkOut · 05/12/2025 13:04

You’ve put a massive toy up and asking them not to play with it….
im putting off putting mine up.

Isobel201 · 05/12/2025 13:31

Putting the lights on will be okay, the cat won't be zapped by electricity as they're secured bulbs. If you really worried about toppling, perhaps close the door to where the tree is when you're out at work so the cat can't get to it?

randomgeneratedusername1 · 05/12/2025 13:32

I have 4 cats and they all love the Christmas tree they get in and curl up in the branches lights on or off. I have special bolts on the wall so it can be strapped in place because they’re all rather chunky 😂.

CornedBeef451 · 05/12/2025 13:36

I used to just attach the tree to the wall for safety and then fish the cats out as required when they got stuck. They didn’t manage to electrocute themselves despite one of them being a notorious wire nibbler.

Mine seemed to have calmed down now. There was a year where one cat discovered the joys of wrapping paper and helpfully chewed through a selection of packages but then we switched to cloth for wrapping so now she just sleeps amongst the gifts.

tinyspiny · 06/12/2025 01:17

Loving the cat pics . Just a word of warning in case not everyone knows already but the ‘snow’ flocking on some artificial trees is toxic to cats if they chew it .

Oxo01 · 06/12/2025 01:48

tinyspiny · 06/12/2025 01:17

Loving the cat pics . Just a word of warning in case not everyone knows already but the ‘snow’ flocking on some artificial trees is toxic to cats if they chew it .

Thanks yes I was / am aware of that. Luckerly she never ate any.

MsGinaLinetti · 06/12/2025 04:48

Are real trees toxic to cats?

QuaintSwan · 06/12/2025 04:51

I sprayed the tree with lemon oil which made the cat avoid it. This was after I'd had to cut through the second set of lights he had completely ensnared himself in...

MsGinaLinetti · 06/12/2025 06:03

Nervous now
we collect our little rescue kittens today

Gribouille · 06/12/2025 10:08

MsGinaLinetti · 06/12/2025 06:03

Nervous now
we collect our little rescue kittens today

SQUEEEE! Exciting! 😍

These photos would make wonderful Christmas cards... 😻

tinyspiny · 06/12/2025 10:38

MsGinaLinetti · 06/12/2025 04:48

Are real trees toxic to cats?

I doubt it but like anything if you’ve got a cat that chews it probably wouldn’t do them much good / might cause an obstruction.

Nanny31 · 06/12/2025 11:29

I love this thread!

Morning all, about to get the trimmings done today. We have 2 rescue kittens at 6 months old. Any advice / tips welcome - it's their first Christmas 😍

TheChosenTwo · 06/12/2025 11:34

No advice sorry, don’t have cats and not a big cat fan in general (sorry!!) but opened this thread in the hope of seeing lots of silly cats in tree photos and you have not disappointed me 🤣
they just look so funny, leave them there to enjoy it too!

user2848502016 · 06/12/2025 12:15

Haha no mine does this too, she is 4 and has done it every Christmas we have had her.
Also loves knocking baubles off which is ….helpful.
We can close the door of the living room when nobody is home, and just have the lights on as they are LEDs do don’t get warm and have never seen her chewing the wires.

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Is there a way to deter my cat from climbing and lying in my Christmas tree?!
tragichero · 07/12/2025 00:40

God, this thread is the best. It's really making me smile! I have just been showing the beautiful pictures to my lovely cat as she licks my dressing down sleeve (the weirdo). She'd look so cute in the Christmas tree, but has thus far shown no interest in it (it did only go up today). She even vacated her igloo of preference (located near to the tree) in favour of the hidey-hole section of her cat tree - never known her spend so long in there - she even moved her catnip banana (comfort banana she takes everywhere) in there with her.

Tomorrow I might take her and actively show her the tree, while singing Xmas songs with her name replacing random words...... This worked with her advent calendar, which she is now quite taken with, despite actually ignoring the treats when I offer them to her.

Cats are so weird. And yet, so perfect!

MsGinaLinetti · 07/12/2025 04:10

Desperate to fetch tree now these boys have arrived. No I did not go check on them at 3:30 am.

Is there a way to deter my cat from climbing and lying in my Christmas tree?!
Is there a way to deter my cat from climbing and lying in my Christmas tree?!
whirlyhead · 07/12/2025 09:41

Birdie only attacked the tree in her 1st year with us. Now she prefers to take her wrath out on the cat flap which she hates as she is a princess and princesses do not use cat flaps!!

Is there a way to deter my cat from climbing and lying in my Christmas tree?!
Judystilldreamsofhorses · 09/12/2025 22:25

Louie is resisting the tree, and is frankly quite suspicious of it - but he’s furious the armchair that usually sits in the bay window for him to survey the street on has been temporarily moved to the spare room. (He’s had to make do with the very narrow window sill.)

Is there a way to deter my cat from climbing and lying in my Christmas tree?!
Judystilldreamsofhorses · 09/12/2025 22:28

I should have added this pic too - a Louie decoration and one for our beautiful white girl who we sadly lost last year. (She never climbed the tree either, but was a total monkey for stealing baubles and battering them noisily up and down the wooden hall floors.)

Is there a way to deter my cat from climbing and lying in my Christmas tree?!
MrsSkylerWhite · 09/12/2025 22:30

No. Just take as many photos as you can.

Is there a way to deter my cat from climbing and lying in my Christmas tree?!
Ahwig · 09/12/2025 23:14

It’s funny but I had 2 cats previously who both climbed the tree on their first Christmas despite spraying them with water but on their 2 nd year were hardly bothered about it. We lost those 2, 6 years ago and we have another 2 now. They were exactly the same. A right pain the first year, in fact we had to tie the tree up but since then, nothing.

Vinvertebrate · 09/12/2025 23:33

My house is currently sans cat and these pics are making me want to fix that.

My actual tip is to second the water spray idea, but add a few drops of vinegar in the water (cats hate the taste when they lick it off) and to use a water pistol instead of a spray bottle (because it’s more fun).