Ah Christmas, that wonderful time of year where people can gather round with loved ones to give each other tokens of your love for one another...and a time of year when cat owners say, "Get down from there!" more than any other.
Thankfully, some cat charities have been sharing their best tips for keeping your cat and your tree happy this holiday season!
One now-infamous TikTok by Becca Richards late last month saw her swinging her Christmas tree at her cat and chasing the cat around with it to traumatise her cat out of tampering with her precious decorations.
Unsurprisingly, people were not a fan of this, calling it "cruel." And, well, if swinging a Christmas tree at your cat is cruelty then the world has clearly gone bloody mad, eh?
However, certain cat charities sent out statements detailing easy ways to minimise the damage that your cat may be able to inflict on your tree, and on itself, that don't involve the word "traumatize" anywhere...hooray.
In fact, cat charity Cats Protection, said of Becca's method: "[It will] serve no purpose other than causing [cats] unnecessary stress."
"Most cats will experience stress in this situation, particularly as Christmas can already be a stressful time for cats which may struggle with a change in routine, unfamiliar decorations and extra noise," behaviour officer Daniel Cummings explained to The Independent.
"Cats which are easily stressed, or persistently exposed to unnecessarily stressful situations may go on to suffer prolonged health problems, such as behavioural issues, and conditions such as urinary tract infections," Cummings added.
"No cat owner would want to intentionally stress out their cat, and part of cat ownership is accepting their natural behaviours. Cats love to seek out high up spaces, so it’s no surprise that some may be attracted to exploring a Christmas tree."
Smaller Christmas trees can be too fine for cats to be able to get a strong hold of, meaning that they will be unable to climb it and cause damage.
Always make sure, however, that your tree has a very sturdy base — regardless of the size of your tree.
"Creating a bit of a barrier with presents under the tree may also prevent your cat getting closer, and tin foil or citrus peel — both of which can be handy for making homemade decorations — can also deter cats from approaching, as many don't like the smell of citrus or the feel of foil under their feet," Cummings elaborated.
Introducing a new toy to your cat's environment may take their attention off the tree. However, a lot of cats can simply enjoy that they are not meant to be playing with the tree — in which case, it might be time to whip out the citrus and tin foil!
Hopefully this will give you some ideas to keep your cat from causing carnage in your front room this holiday season!
h/t: The Independent
