Solution to pets and the Christmas tree. specifically for cats and ferrets.

Every Christmas I like to put up my Christmas tree like so many others. However, I have this cat, Cosmo that thinks that the tree is his personal jungle gym. He also hasn't grasped that he is a little too heavy to be climbing in a fake tree. If i'm lucky, I won't get broken decorations or a tree laying on the floor. As his compromise I get bent branches leaving massive gaping holes where he likes to sit and act like a jungle predator.

Christmas tree after Cosmo has been in it.

If Cosmo doesn't destroy the tree enough I then have my crew of ferrets that want to steal and hide anything shiny. They will also try to climb the tree although they are not heavy like Cosmo but instead risk injury to themselves from falling. If they don't fall they then shake out all the fake snow or decorations off the tree and risk ingesting foreign objects.

I'm not compromising my Christmas tree so I had to get creative. I had to figure out how to keep them from being able to climb in the tree, how to keep even the lowest branches away from the ferrets so that they can't take off with anything. And how to keep Cosmo from being able to jump in the tree and bend all my branches.

My solution is 2x4 web wire. I cut pieces long enough and wide enough to create a barrier on my bottom tier of branches in the tree. I secured those together and on the tree with zip ties. If you have some stubborn pets make sure these are tied down tight. At this stage you can also use the wire and zip ties to tie up the bottom tier of branches up higher so that the ferrets can't reach them.

For the remaining portions of the tree I took the web wire and made cylinder forms with it so that I can fill the tree with them so there is no where for Cosmo to maneuver through the tree or sit even if he is able to get pass the bottom barrier. I also zip tie these together and to the tree branches so they are not able to be moved.

I then adjust the branches to fill any holes and hide all the web wire and decorate. There was a learning stage where I would have to replace some decorations where Cosmo attempted to jump in the tree and knocked them off, but he soon learned that his attempts were pointless.

If your cat, dog or any pet likes to knock the tree plum over you can get a small hook and install above the tree. Then take fishing line and attach the tree to the hook with the line.

All wire fits in one plastic tub with other decorations

Storing the wire is also simple. It fits in a plastic tub with other decorations just fine.

Tree has been up for 2 weeks with no troubles

For more information for holiday pet safety you may also visit American Veterinary Medical Association where i found this link for more great holiday safety tips (click here).