Tag: christmas

Cat Care

Should You Give Kittens as Christmas Gifts?

mehshadoweye

Meredith Hemphill

mehshadoweye

Encyclopaedia Felidae now has a Patreon! Go to www.patreon.com/EncyclopaediaFelidae if you want to help support this content!

Do you remember FurReal toys? They probably still exist, but I remember one year when I was little, the FurReal Friends cat was a hot toy for Christmas. And I wanted it. Bless her, my mom managed to get one. I woke up Christmas morning to an orange-and-white robo-kitty. It was pretty cool. Electronic toys were a little bit of a novelty even then. And it was like having a cuddly kitty, too! Well, in a janky robot sort of way. But as is sometimes the case with children and their toys, I got bored of it after a while. I’ve never wanted to give pets as gifts, for any holiday or occasion, for that very reason. But animatronic toys aren’t real pets, and I’m no expert. So what do the actual authorities think about gifting pets?

I found it! It’s so much creepier than I remember…

Reasons to Gift

Anyone who has been lucky enough to have a pet in their life understands the joy that pets bring. It goes without saying why we might want to give that joy to someone we love. That’s not to mention all the homeless pets out there who deserve a family. But I had heard my whole life it’s a bad idea to give pets as gifts. I was surprised to learn how much support there is in the animal welfare and rescue community for the practice.

Starting in the 1990s, several research groups studied the reasons that people surrender animals to shelters (1, 2, 3). The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) followed up with a study that specifically considered pets given as gifts (3). In 1999, Scarlett et al. surveyed pet owners who surrendered their cats and dogs to county animals shelters with a focus on any “health and personal issues” that influenced them to do so (1). Of the ten major reasons given, the pet being an unwanted gift came dead last for both cats and dogs (1). The #1 reason? For cats, it was allergies, and for dogs, it was not having enough time (1).

New, Jr. et al. compared surrendered pets and their former owners to homed pets and their owners (2). They considered the source of the pets as a possible factor, and in some cases there was a significant difference. For example, cats and dogs purchased from pet shops were more likely to be given up (2). But the proportion of pets that had been gifts was the same in shelters as in homes (2). In other words, it made no difference in the rate of surrender that an animal had been a gift.

Most recently, the ASPCA decided to take a hard look at what happens when we give pets as gifts. In their 2013 study, they created a telephone survey to find and interview people who had been given a pet in the past ten years (3). The three survey questions of interest were:

  1. Were you involved, in any manner, in the selection process of the pet that you received as a gift?
  2. Did receiving a pet as a gift increase, decrease, or have no impact on your love or attachment to the pet?
  3. Is that pet still with you?
Tabby kitten with red gift ribbon on head
Photo by Avel Chuklanov on Unsplash

Most people said that they were either involved in picking out their gifted pet, or they were were surprised and okay with that (3). 97.2% reported that receiving their pet as a gift either didn’t change how much love/attachment they felt or actually increased it (3). Only seven of the 222 pet owners surveyed said that they felt less attached because their pet was a gift (3). Only 9.8% said that the pet was now in a new home (3). In the vast majority of cases, respondents still had the pet, but about as many had since died as been rehomed (3).

To summarize all those numbers, the data suggest that most of the time, the gift of a pet is appreciated. So these days, more animal welfare groups and rescue organizations support giving pets as gifts. After all, one of their primary goals is to get as many pets as possible into forever homes. As long as those gifted animals aren’t being returned to sender, at least no more than any others, then it’s just another way to get pets out of shelters and into loving homes.

Reasons Not to Gift

Contradicting all of that painstaking research are the statements of shelter staff and volunteers who say that surrenders see a surge around the holidays. Audra Stillabower, a Veterinary Information Specialist at the Pet Poison Helpline who worked in shelters for eight years, reports a spike in surrenders both before and after the holiday season (4). Before, because people are surrendering older pets to make way for new ones, and after because people realize they don’t want that live holiday present after all (4). Executive Director Cheryl Miller of the Wichita County, Texas Humane Society echoes that sad sentiment (5).

“I would bet we get at least ten calls a week with people having animals that ‘we just don’t have time,’ ‘this was given to us as a gift,'” says Anne Halbert of January at her Nebraska shelter, Start Over Rover (6). How can this be the case when there is so much data to support the position that people don’t usually abandon gifted pets? I couldn’t find an answer. I wonder if location makes a difference. Gina Knepp, a spokesperson for Front Street Animal Shelter in Sacramento, California, said “We don’t see a higher rate of abandonments during this time of year as compared to other times of the year” (7).

I don’t know about Wichita County, but I know that Nebraska tends to get a lot of wintry weather, and Sacramento very much does not. I could see why the best time to get a new puppy that needs to go outside, like, every twenty minutes wouldn’t be when there’s two feet of snow on the ground. It’s just a theory, though, and the weather probably wouldn’t have as much of an impact on whether someone kept a new cat or not. Whatever the reason for the discrepancy, we know that some gifted pets are “returned.” If you choose to give a pet as a gift, it’s your responsibility to think some things through first. And if you are not absolutely certain that the person is interested in a pet, do not give them a pet (4, 7-10).

Pomeranian dog in red gift box
Photo by Jill Wellington from Pexels

The Best Way to Give a Gift that Keeps on Purring

It is very important for a new pet to fit well with their new owner and that person’s life. There are a couple ways that you, as the one intending to give the pet, can ensure that your gift is a good one. One is to take the recipient with you and pick out the pet together (4, 8, 10). Another is to buy an adoption certificate instead of a pet and give that as the gift (7, 8, 9). Adoption certificates are offered at many shelters and allow you to pay the adoption fees without taking home a pet. Then, the recipient can go pick out whatever pet they want. Or, if they decide they don’t want a pet, the gift ends up being a donation to the shelter in the honor. That’s not a bad deal either.

In terms of presentation, a cute suggestion is tying a note or adoption certificate to a plush/toy pet (9). After all, live animals don’t really belong in wrapped boxes, under Christmas trees, etc. The only pet I can think of that is appropriate to actually package up would be sea monkeys. Maybe an ant farm? But that’s it. No matter what the movies sometimes tell us.

Because pets are expensive, it would be courteous to provide some extras with the pet, especially if you know the recipient doesn’t have all the equipment already. Maybe wrap up a pet starter kit to give them the day of the holiday or special occasion (7, 8).

If you decide to give pets as gifts this holiday season or any time in the future, do so wisely but also in the knowledge that the data says it is a good way to give animals loving homes. And remember, adopt, don’t shop! Choose to give pets from shelters and rescues. Even purebred cats and dogs and unusual pet species can be found in these places. Don’t purchase a pet from a breeder when there are homeless ones waiting for that special someone already. I don’t know about you, but saving an animal’s life sounds like an amazing gift to me.

Works Cited

  1. Scarlett, J.M., Salman, M.D., New Jr., J.D., Kass, P.H. (1999). Reasons for relinquishment of companion animals in U.S. animal shelters: Selected health and personal issues. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 2(1), 41-57. doi: 10.1207/s15327604jaws0201_4
  2. New Jr., J.D., Salman, M.D., King, M., Scarlett, J.M., et al. (2000). Characteristics of shelter-relinquished animals and their owners compared with animals and their owners in U.S. pet-owning households. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 3(3), 179-201. doi: 10.1207/S15327604JAWS0303_1
  3. Weiss, E., Dolan, E.D., Garrison, L., Hong, J., et al. (2013). Should dogs and cats be given as gifts? Animals, 3, 995-1001. doi: 10.3390/ani3040995
  4. Stillabower, A. (n.d.). Giving animals as Christmas gifts. Pet Poison Helpline. https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/blog/giving-animals-christmas-gifts/
  5. Connor, C. (2019, December 3). Plan ahead before giving pets as a Christmas gift. News Channel 6 Now. https://www.newschannel6now.com/2019/12/04/plan-ahead-before-giving-pets-christmas-gift/
  6. Dickeson, K. (2019, December 4). Animal shelters advise against giving pets as holiday gifts. KSNB Local 4 Hastings. https://www.ksnblocal4.com/content/news/Animal-shelters-advise-against-giving-pets-as-holiday-gifts-565809791.html
  7. Escalante, E. (2018, December 18). Pets as Christmas gifts: Why shelters say it’s okay to give a pet as a gift. ABC 10. link here
  8. Picard, C. (2019, July 24). Why pets can make good gifts, according to animal adoption experts. Good Housekeeping. Retrieved from https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/pets/a28410545/why-pets-make-good-gifts/
  9. Mettler, L. (n.d.). Pets as presents: A good idea? Petfinder.com. https://www.petfinder.com/pet-adoption/dog-adoption/pets-as-presents/
  10. Oregon Veterinary Medical Association. (2017, December 18). Giving pets as gifts: Consider the choice carefully. https://oregonvma.org/care-health/basics/giving-pets-gifts

Published December 7th, 2020

Updated May 12th, 2023

Behavior

How to Keep Your Cat out of the Christmas Tree

mehshadoweye

Meredith Hemphill

mehshadoweye

Encyclopaedia Felidae now has a Patreon! Go to www.patreon.com/EncyclopaediaFelidae if you want to help support this content!

Tabby cat in Christmas tree
Photo by Jessica Lewis from Pexels

If you celebrate Christmas, there’s a good chance you put up some kind of Christmas tree. If you read this blog, there’s a good chance you have at least one cat or are thinking about getting one. So if you celebrate Christmas and read this blog, then you probably have reason to keep a cat out of a Christmas tree. Me too, my friend. The two cats we had growing up actually showed very little interest in the Christmas tree, except as a new thing to sleep under. But in recent years, I have lived with cats that had a lot more holiday cheer, shall we say.

So this article is for Sven, my roommate’s cat who thought a two-foot plastic tree would somehow stand up to 10+ pounds of tomcat flinging himself into its branches. And for Joon, whose teeth marks are forever left in my shiny foil Christmas present ornament. This will be her first Christmas in a house with a Christmas tree that’s actually large enough for a cat to climb, and I am panicking more than a little. But my research says all hope is not lost.

Choose Your Tree Wisely

I have never once had a live Christmas tree. I was probably eight years old before I found out that was a thing people did. Now I know that for many people, the live tree is a big part of their holiday tradition. And the first people to put up Christmas trees certainly weren’t using plastic ones, so tradition really is on your side if that’s your preference. However, live trees are much more attractive to cats than artificial ones.

Climbing is hardwired into the feline brain, and one of the most readily accessible climbing surfaces in nature is trees (1, 2, 3). In addition to climbing trees to hide, hunt, and survey their domain, cats also use trees to mark territory (1, 2). Marking can include rubbing and scratching or really quite unpleasant urine and fecal scent deposits. Artificial trees can look similar to real trees, but they don’t smell like them. Scent is very important to cats–hence the marking–so when you bring in a real, live tree, they know it’s a tree (2, 3). And their feline mind has very different ideas about what a tree in the living room is for than you do.

If it’s really important to you to have a live tree, it can be done, but it’s easier (and often safer) to have an artificial one. Whichever flavor of tree you choose, keep in mind that smaller trees are less likely to become kitty jungle gyms (2). Plus, if your cat does climb the tree and manage to knock it over, the smaller the tree is, the less likely your cat is to get injured in the fall (4). Slimmer trees also make less appealing targets, so consider a pencil tree if you’re going artificial or a live tree with a similar profile (5).

Location, Location, Location

Once you have your tree picked out, you need to set it up. Depending upon the tree, that can be an ordeal in itself, but with a cat extra care needs to be taken. First of all, make sure that you have a heavy-duty base to secure your tree with (1, 2, 4-6). The hope is that the cat won’t climb the tree at all, but you want to do your best to keep the tree from toppling if they do.

Next, look for a place where there would be plenty of open space around the tree: no furniture, cat trees, or other launching pads your cat might jump into the tree from (1, 2, 4-6). Ideally, the amount of empty space around the tree will be equal to the height of the tree (2). So a six foot tree would have a furniture-free zone extending six feet from it in all directions.

Of course, having that much free space around the tree isn’t always practical. Fortunately, you can work around the need for so much space in a number of ways. We’ll get to the more complicated ones later. The simplest ways are to 1) have a shorter and/or slimmer tree that doesn’t need such a big zone around it, or 2) put the tree in a corner (6). That completely eliminates two directions from which a cat could come flying. It’s also safer for your cat–and your decorations–because it eliminates two directions in which the tree could fall, too.

If your home is amenable to it, it’s a good idea to secure the Christmas tree to a wall or the ceiling. Screw an eyebolt into the wall or ceiling and tie the tree to it with clear fishing line. It’s a nearly invisible fix that might prevent a disaster. Just make sure your cat doesn’t get ahold of the fishing line and decide to eat it! (1-3, 5, 6)

If you really want to keep the cat out of the Christmas tree completely, you may want to put the tree in a room that you can close off and restrict the cat’s access to (1, 7). Before you decide to shove your beautiful, festive tree of holiday cheer into a back room somewhere, though, wait until we’ve gone over all the options. There are lots of tricks you can try yet.

Ornaments Hung by the Greenery with Care

Decorating the tree is one of my favorite Christmas traditions. I love the beauty of the ornaments and remembering the history of each one as we go through them. Unfortunately, to cats, ornaments look an awful lot like toys. To avoid broken ornaments and possibly trips to the vet, we have to be careful about how we decorate our trees.

You may want to start decorating the second you get the tree put up. I know I do. But hold off for a while. If you leave the tree bare for a few days, it gives your cat a chance to investigate it and hopefully get bored of it before you start hanging any tempting baubles (4).

Brown tabby cat swatting gold Christmas balls
Image by Myshun from Pixabay

When it is time to decorate, first things first: if you decorate with tinsel, don’t. This is one thing that is non-negotiable. I know, tinsel is shiny and awesome, but cats think so, too. And they respond to shiny, awesome things very differently than we do. Cats infamously like to eat tinsel, and when they do the tinsel can choke them or get caught in their digestive systems (2, 4-6, 8). These are life-threatening emergencies. The digestive blockages caused by tinsel usually require surgery to repair. So, no tinsel.

Garlands may also be a chewing hazard, but it depends upon what they’re made of. Food garlands might seem safe, but some human foods are toxic to cats, not to mention that they tempt your pets to get into the tree (6). Anything tinsel-like has the same risks as tinsel. Paper garlands can be a good idea (8). They aren’t very attractive to cats, and if kitty does nibble them, it’s no big deal. Wood also doesn’t grab a cat’s attention the way shiny things do (3, 5).

Now, for the main event–the ornaments. Perhaps the simplest thing to do is not decorate the bottom of the tree at all (2, 4-6). How much of the tree you leave plain is up to you and the reach of your cat. Pet Health Network suggests not decorating the bottom fifth (2). Alternatively, decorate only with unbreakable ornaments at the bottom–wood, plastic, felt, burlap, etc. (5). That may still be too tempting and get your cat too interested in the tree, though. You can always try and see how it goes, if you’re feeling brave.

It’s best to only decorate with unbreakable ornaments, really. They’re typically less shiny, so they don’t attract cats as much (3, 5). And those fragile glass ornaments, while beautiful and often sentimental, can be very dangerous for your cat if they break them (1, 6). They might ingest small pieces or cut themselves on the sharp, broken edges (1, 6). And even if no one gets hurt, who likes broken ornaments? No one, that’s who. But most of us have some fragile favorites that we like to see on the tree every year. So make sure to put them toward the very top of the tree and secure them well. In fact, secure all your ornaments well.

The more ornaments sway, the more enticing they will be (3). Metal ornament hooks can hurt your cat’s paws if swatted or stepped on, and they aren’t very secure anyway (4, 5). Instead of hooks, consider tying your ornaments to the branches with twist ties, wire, or twine (2-6, 8).

The Art of Deterrence

Now we get to the more creative approaches. If you just can’t keep your cat out of the Christmas tree in any of the above ways, try the following. Remember, however, that wherever you say “no,” you must also provide a “yes” (3). If the only climbing/scratching/perching surface in the living room is the Christmas tree, there may be no amount of deterrence that will keep your cat from trying to get into it. The Christmas tree is usually in a socially significant area of the house, so your cat will want to hang out in that area with you (3). Therefore, make sure that you have a tall, quality cat tree in the room with the Christmas tree as an appropriate alternative to the tree itself (3). Just don’t put it too close to the tree, or your cat will be tempted to jump between the two (3)!

Started from the Bottom

If your cat is climbing the Christmas tree from the base, there are several ways you can discourage them from this point of entry. Wrap the bottom of the tree trunk with aluminum foil (2, 4, 5). Cats usually don’t like the sensation or sound of foil. A circle of foil under the tree skirt may also work (4, 7).

The Christmas Tree Defender – Photo from company website

A more heavy-duty solution for the problem is the Christmas Tree Defender, a circular grate made of green plastic that clips around your tree. It can also be used for potted plants year-round. It is treated with a flame retardant, though, so it may not be suitable if you have a cat that likes to chew hard plastics.

Trees Are Not for Eating

Speaking of chewing, Christmas trees and their strings of lights can be tempting targets for chewers. Cats are known for investigating new and interesting things with their mouths, but when it comes to Christmas decorations, this is not just destructive but very dangerous. Pine needles are sharp and toxic to cats (3, 4, 6). Artificial needles can be dangerous if eaten, too, as plastic doesn’t really digest (1). Then there’s the lights. Some cats just can’t resist chewing on cords, but if they reach live wires within, burns on their mouths are a best-case scenario.

What to do? For the lights, apply a pet-safe bitter spray or cream to them before you string them on the tree (2, 3, 5, 6). If using a spray, it’s best to spray a cloth and then wipe the cords with the cloth (5). Make sure to wear gloves! If you have a pre-lit tree, this will obviously be a rather difficult endeavor. Just do your best and tuck away any dangling wires once you’ve coated them. You can also spray the whole tree with bitter spray, which works for cats that want to chew the branches (6).

Unplug the lights when not in use to minimize the chances that the wires will be live if the cat bites into them. It’s also a good idea to use a cord cover on the unlighted length between tree and wall socket so that the cat is unlikely to chew through to the wires at all (1, 3-6, 8).

Prevention is Scent-sational

There are certain smells that cats do not like. There are exceptions to almost every rule, but most likely your cat won’t be a fan of citrus, citronella, menthol, and apple cider vinegar (1, 3-5, 8). You can buy cat repellant, usually citrus-based sprays to spritz the Christmas tree with (1, 5), or you can use a variety of homemade solutions.

Cat behaviorist Jackson Galaxy suggests putting citrus zest, whatever kind strikes your fancy, into plastic bags, poking a few holes in the top, twisting them up, and hanging them inside the tree (3). He says that from a distance nobody will think anything of it (3). I trust Jackson Galaxy to the moon and back when it comes to cats, but I do wonder about his aesthetic sensibilities. You could maybe do the same with cheap plastic Christmas balls with holes poked in the top, but I haven’t tried it. I might, though, so watch this space. Other possibilities include:

  • Placing lemon or orange peels around the base of the tree (4, 8)
  • Including orange slices or strips of orange peel in the tree decorations (5)
  • Spray pinecones with apple cider vinegar and place them at the base of the tree (8); if using pinecones from outside, bake them in the oven at at low heat to kill any bugs first
  • Mix a little citronella oil into a spray bottle of water and spritz the tree with it (8)

Not-So-Holy Water

One of the big problems with cats and live trees is that cats want to drink the tree water. This isn’t just weird. It’s unsafe. The water may contain pine sap, fire retardants, pesticides, and fertilizers, all of which are toxic to your cat (1, 2, 5, 6, 8). Not adding anything to the water yourself, i.e. Aspirin, can prevent further toxicity, but it’s best to keep the cat out of it any way you can. Some tree stands include a cover for the water bowl, so if you can find a sturdy stand with a cat-proof cover, you’re in luck (1, 6)! But if not, aluminum foil or plastic wrap can be your friend here just like on the tree trunk (1, 2, 8). Netting or Sticky Paws for Plants, a kind of double-sided tape for deterring cats, are other good choices (6).

Creative cat-proof Christmas trees with Cole and Marmalade

Works Cited

  1. Jordan, E. (2019, October 17). How to cat-proof your Christmas tree (or at least try to). Pet Central. https://petcentral.chewy.com/holiday-safety-tips-pet-proofing-christmas-tree/
  2. Lee, J.A. (n.d.). Help! How do I keep my cat out of the Christmas tree? Pet Health Network. https://www.pethealthnetwork.com/cat-health/cat-behavior/help-how-do-i-keep-my-cat-out-christmas-tree
  3. Galaxy, J. (n.d.). The ugly truth about cats and Christmas trees. JacksonGalaxy.com. https://www.jacksongalaxy.com/blog/the-ugly-truth-about-cats-and-christmas-trees/
  4. PETA Living. (n.d.). How to cat-proof your Christmas tree. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. https://www.peta.org/living/animal-companions/how-to-cat-proof-your-christmas-tree/
  5. Nicholas, J. (2017, November 7). How to keep your cat out of the Christmas tree. Preventive Vet. https://www.preventivevet.com/cats/how-to-keep-your-cat-out-of-the-christmas-tree
  6. Johnson-Bennett, P. (n.d.). How to keep your cat away from the Christmas tree. Cat Behavior Associates. https://catbehaviorassociates.com/how-to-keep-your-cat-away-from-the-christmas-tree/
  7. Becker, M. (2012, December 17). How do I keep my cat out of the Christmas tree? VetStreet. http://www.vetstreet.com/dr-marty-becker/how-do-i-keep-my-cat-out-of-the-christmas-tree
  8. Kostelny, L. (2020, November 5). How to keep your cat out of your Christmas tree. Country Living. Retrieved from https://www.countryliving.com/life/kids-pets/g28916373/how-to-keep-cats-out-of-christmas-tree/#

Published November 29, 2020