A Cat-Friendly Christmas: Tips for a Safe and Festive Holiday

Christmas is a magical time full of glamourous decorations and cosy surroundings - but for cat owners, the festive decorations also bring a few challenges. The temptingly decorated Christmas tree, rustling wrapping paper and glittering lights tempt many a house cat. At the same time, many of the popular Christmas decorations and plants pose a danger to our cats.

In this Guide, you will find helpful tips and creative ideas on how to make your home festive and cat-safe. Find out how to secure the Christmas tree so that your cat cannot injure itself, which decorations are best avoided and how you can still create a Christmassy atmosphere with cat-friendly alternatives. 

We have also put together gift ideas and feeding suggestions so that you can really spoil your cat over the Christmas period, as well as tricks on how to minimise the stress during the festive season for your feline friend.

What's so special about Christmas with cats? 

As a cat owner, you know that you are no longer the master of the house once a cat has moved in with you. From now on, you will be sharing your home at best, acting as an employee or as a guest, constantly seeking the approval of your beloved feline. Of course, there are differences between indoor and outdoor cats - but as soon as a cat spends some or all of its time indoors, it is important for its healthy development and well-being that it sees its environment as its territory and marks it accordingly with scent marks. The cat places a scent mark by brushing its body or face against objects, scratching furniture (if no more suitable alternatives are available) and using the litter tray. If your cat does not feel comfortable, behavioural problems can very quickly arise, which can be accompanied by aggression or unwanted marking behaviour, such as peeing in places where it is not supposed to. 

Christmas time poses a particular challenge with cats, because by changing the territory in the form of decorations or Christmas tree etc., you can at best arouse curiosity and at worst uncertainty in your cat. Who could blame them? There are sparkles and glitter on the Christmas tree, which is ideal for climbing, wrapping paper rustles and there may even be new plants in the home - all these things need to be inspected and assessed. Whether your cat perceives them as an opportunity to play or as a danger depends on your cat - either way: something has changed in their territory and it is perfectly natural for your cat to react to this. 

Christmas with cats: What to consider when decorating for Christmas? 

For cats, the Christmas tree can be like a playground for children. There is a certain risk if it is not properly secured, however it is not fundamentally dangerous. Potential sources of danger can be avoided very easily. Christmas tree decorations made of glass, candles and tinsel as well as decorative plants such as poinsettias or chocolate sweets- these things can be dangerous for cats. We take a look at the various sources of danger and introduce some cat-safe alternatives.

Cats and Christmas trees

Even without decorations, the Christmas tree is wonderfully tempting. It brings a new and perhaps unfamiliar smell into the home, it is high and it invites cats to climb it. Many cats simply love to spend time in elevated positions. For them, a room is not only characterised by its surface area, but also by its height. Unlike dogs, cats have always been both hunters and prey, which is why they instinctively seek out spots that offer a clear view and a sense of safety at the same time. 

A festively decorated tree can therefore be dangerous for cats for various reasons. Cats can get caught in candles when climbing (caution: this not only poses a risk of injury to the cat, but also a fire hazard for the home!), they can get caught in fairy lights or tinsel. The entire tree can topple over and with glass tree decorations there is also the risk of glass balls breaking and the cat injuring itself on the shards. 

Are Christmas trees poisonous to cats? 

Fir or spruce are suitable Christmas trees, as pine trees are poisonous to cats and dogs. Nevertheless, you should not let your cat nibble on the Christmas tree, as many trees are treated with pesticides that your cat could ingest. Generally speaking, Christmas trees are not part of a cat's natural diet, which is why it is not common for cats to try to eat them. However, curiosity has led to some unusual cat behaviour and you should not forget that conifers contain resins and essential oils and these can be harmful to your cat. Pine needles are also often pointed or even sharp-edged - if your cat eats them, there is a risk of intestinal perforation. Also don't let your cat drink from the Christmas tree stand and remove fallen pine needles regularly so that your cat doesn't get the idea of eating them in the first place. 

What about Christmas decorations?

Christmas decorations can be dangerous for cats if they are very heavy or small and breakable or easily eaten by cats. In multi-cat households in particular, it often happens that one cat throws something down during playtime, with the risk of the second cat being hit by the object or injured by splinters if the object breaks on the floor. You should therefore design the decorations so that they are either inaccessible to the cats or cat-safe.

Tinsel, ribbon or similar rustling, sparkling decorative elements, such as small beads, are extremely tempting and are basically a challenge to be played with. If cats eat them, there is a risk of intestinal obstruction and this must be treated immediately by a vet. 

Burning candles are dangerous - your cat can burn itself, the candles can fall and therefore burning candles are not only dangerous for cats, but also for you and the entire home. Fairy lights, on the other hand, harbour the risk of your cat getting tangled up in the string and strangled.  

How to make Christmas trees cat-proof

There is actually nothing to stop your cat from using the Christmas tree to climb if you attach the tree securely and use lightweight decorations made of wood or felt, which are much more sustainable and won't break if dislodged. You can then use LED lights instead of candles. Attach the cable to the trunk and fix it along the branches so that the cat cannot play with it and get caught up in it. The larger the tree, the more difficult it will be for you to act if your cat does something in the tree that could be dangerous. It is therefore better to have a tree that is not too big in case something happens.

Nevertheless, you should observe whether your cat tries to nibble on any pine needles and prevent this. You should also remove any fallen needles immediately and ensure that your cat cannot drink from the Christmas tree stand.

What cat-friendly alternatives are there to Christmas trees? 

If this is all too tricky for you because you know that your cat will chew on everything, then an alternative could be a wall tree. You can easily make these yourself and decorate them for Christmas. However, you should avoid decorative plastic Christmas trees, as there is also a risk that the cat will eat the small plastic pine needles.

Poisonous for cats: Be aware of these things 

Many of the things that we enjoy at this time of year, such as poinsettias and chocolates, are poisonous for cats.

Avoid poisonous Christmas plants for cats 

Many Christmassy plants are poisonous to cats. These include, among others: 

• Poinsettia 
• Amaryllis
• Mistletoe
• Buckthorn or Holly

The plants mentioned above are extremely popular at Christmas time, but you should still consider whether you should do without them out of love for your cat. Even if you place them in places that are out of reach for your cat, individual leaves or berries could come loose, fall to the ground and be ingested by your cat. 

What alternatives are there to poisonous Christmas plants for cats?  

As an alternative to the usual Christmas plants, you can put up plants that are not a problem if your cat eats them. Cat grass or catnip make wonderful decorative displays and are safe for your cat.

Toxic foods for cats 

The treats that we prefer to eat at Christmas also pose a danger to cats. Some of them are very poisonous, poorly tolerated by cats or simply do not belong in a cat's bowl. These include, among others:

• Chocolate and sweets 
• Alcohol
• Sultanas
• Christmas spices, such as cloves or nutmeg, which are contained in many Christmas biscuits  
• Christmas biscuits or other Christmas cakes (contain too much sugar and fat and are therefore poorly tolerated by cats, and often contain Christmas spices)
• Leftovers from Christmas dinner (usually salty and too greasy)
• Leftover bones from the festive meal

Christmas with cats: How to avoid holiday stress for my cat 

Basically, it depends on how your cat reacts to Christmas - some cats don't show any signs of stress (but that doesn't mean they're not stressed), others withdraw or show behaviours such as stress peeing or aggression. In any case, the changes on the cat's territory will be registered by the cat and you can easily help to ensure that this does not cause stress in your cat.

• Make sure that you continue to adhere to the cat's feeding times, even if there are family visits and a Christmas dinner to be cooked.
• Create retreats (quiet rooms, cuddly dens, etc.) for your cat if it gets too busy due to visits from family and friends.
• Redecorate in the presence of your cat and show them what you are changing. You are the cat's confidant - if you show them that there is no danger to them, this is a valuable support, especially for insecure cats. This can help them to react less stressed to the change in the environment.
• Avoid using scented lamps that spread Christmas scents around the home - it can be extremely stressful for the cat if the familiar smell of the environment suddenly changes. There is also a risk that it will drink from the fragranced lamp. Most essential oils are toxic to cats, so there is also a health risk for the cat.

Calming your cat at Christmas - this helps with stress during the festive holidays 

You can support your cat in the run-up to Christmas with Felins Plus® Tranquil Pet. This will help them to start the festive season in a more relaxed state. Tranquil Pet supports the normal functioning of the nervous system, which can help to ensure that stressful situations such as changes in territory or family visits over the festive period can be handled with more inner calm and balance. Anxiety-related moods can be alleviated and it can also provide valuable support for hyper-nervous cats that find it difficult to calm down or are prone to aggression. Healthy, restful sleep is promoted, which can help nervous animals to face the day with more calm. 

The capsules can be fed for a short time in stressful situations or for longer periods as required. They are therefore recommended for all cats that are prone to stress during the Christmas period. Additionally, New Year's Eve is also coming up at the end of the year. If your cat's stress levels are already rising at Christmas, New Year's Eve can become a challenge. Would you like to find out more about how you can support your cat on New Year's Eve? Then take a look at our Guide on the subject.  

Gift ideas for cats at Christmas 

Snacks such as our Starry Fish Treats, mini lung pieces made from lamb, beef, horse or goat or even our sprats are suitable for all kinds of games in the home. You can also use them for your cat's advent calendar. You can find some more snack ideas for cats here.

Try a cosy & cat-friendly entertainment programme 

Cats like to be entertained and especially for outdoor cats, who normally spend a lot of time outside, it can quickly become boring in winter. Your cat will love it if you make your windowsills cat-friendly and place cosy cuddly caves or warm blankets there. From there they can watch the winter views or the hustle and bustle on the streets.

Special meals for cats at Christmas: Tips & feeding ideas  

Of course, you want to spoil your cat especially during the Christmas period - but please bear in mind that cats are particularly susceptible to stress caused by any changes. A completely new food, the smell and flavour of which are unfamiliar, can cause stress at Christmas if the cat is particularly sensitive or already stressed out by other factors. 

If this is the case with your cat, it is best to stick to food that it is familiar with, such as our Felins Plus® Complete Tinned Meals. If you still want to offer your cat something special, take a look at our Felins Plus® Krill Oil capsules or our Felins Plus® Salmon Oil. These high-quality oils are full of valuable nutrients that can boost your cat's skin and coat, joints, metabolism and immune system. Our Felins Plus® Full-cream Goat's Milk Powder also tastes delicious to every cat and can be wonderfully used to refine your cat's food. You can simply mix it into the familiar food, to give the food that extra touch suitable as a special festive treat.

However, if your cat is used to different types of food or is not as susceptible to stress, you can of course also offer something new and special for Christmas.

We wish you and your cat a Merry Christmas and a peaceful festive season!