With thoughtful preparation, your home can be a happy place for your cat during the holidays, whether you’re celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or any other special occasion. These eight tips can help you make sure the holiday is stress-free for your furry baby.

1. Style your cat decorations and holiday tree

Let’s start with the Christmas tree and your holiday decorations. You should be extra careful when protecting your tree from cats, because fake snow, tree water, some holiday plants, and even decorations can be dangerous to cats.

One of the easiest solutions to prevent a tree from tipping over is to mount the tree to a wall and make sure it is on a solid base. To prevent the decoration from breaking, hang the most attractive and fragile ornaments at the top of the tree out of your cat’s reach. Cats can climb, so you may want to use unbreakable ornaments on the tree and save more fragile ornaments to display elsewhere in cat-proof boxes. Try using plastic or shatterproof pet decorations and hanging them with string instead of hooks that could injure your cat.

Avoid decorating the tree with tinsel, as it can infect your cat if it eats it. Try embellishments made of felt, paper, or wood instead. You may also want to spray a scent your cat doesn’t like around the tree, such as citrus or apple cider vinegar.

Do not leave wires and cords exposed where your cat can chew on them, and be sure to turn off the lights when you leave.

If you have a live tree, cover the water tank with a tree skirt to prevent your cat from drinking from it. Even if you don’t use a chemical additive in the water, tree debris that enters the water can make your cat sick.

Make sure to keep pine needles away from your cat. Not only can real pine needles be poisonous, they can also cause a blockage that may require surgery. For this reason, you may consider using an artificial tree instead.

If your cat tends to eat spiky things, whether real or artificial, you may want to use a Christmas tree substitute. You can have a cute green cat tree in the shape of a holiday tree. Or use a different type of tree that’s mostly branches and decorate it with cat-safe, break-resistant ornaments.

Be very careful with holiday plants and avoid those that are poisonous or poisonous to cats, such as poinsettias, holly, and mistletoe, to name a few. Since there are no guarantees when it comes to all the creative ways cats can get themselves into trouble, the best option is not to leave them alone with their holiday decorations in the first place.

2. Focus on peaceful guest introductions

When the guests are at your house to celebrate, let your cat decide if she wants to interact with them or not. If a guest approaches your cat or tries to pet it, your cat may feel threatened and frightened. Let your cat set the pace for the guest’s interaction. In other words, let it be on your cat’s terms.

3. Use soothing diffusers to help your cat relax

Cats use pheromones to help them feel safe and calm. Managing your cat’s stress through all the changes in the house during the holidays is much easier when you can mimic those calming pheromones. Instead of worrying about guests coming through the front door or about new decorations, your cat can feel safe and calm.

 The Comfort Zone diffuser mimics cats’ natural pheromones, and shows that everything is safe and secure. It can help your cat enjoy the holidays and the exciting activities that temporarily become a part of her life. Plug it in a few days before the changes start (decorating, partying, etc.), so it’s time to start working.

4. Create a safe space to get away from it all

To keep stress levels low, create a place for your cat to feel comfortable and protected while watching all the new activities around the house. Consider using a cat tree, a canopy cat bed under a table, or a pop-up cat tent to create a sense of security while you watch the world. Spray a cat bed or pop-up cat tent with soothing pheromones to help create a relaxing haven for your cat. If you have a cat, a warm bed with a pillow that vibrates like a heartbeat will help keep him calm.

Some cats may prefer to stay in one place (such as the bedroom) with the door closed. This space should contain all the necessary items (food, water, litter boxes, toys, rest area) and be a place to retreat when the excitement of the holiday is too much.

5. Promote confidence building activities

One of the best ways to help cats feel more confident and less stressed during the holidays is to play with them using a toy stick that you manipulate. Your cat is at its most confident and fearful when it hunts – or in this case, preys on its toys. A moving toy can be much more enticing to a cat’s leg and chase than a toy mouse stuffed “asleep” on the floor.

Cats can also feel more confident if they have higher places to retreat to, so consider creating cat shelves, window seats, cat trees, and apartments. As an added bonus, the right cat toy or tree can distract your cat from holiday decorations and Christmas trees. If you give your cat a special housing your cat can only use during the holidays, she may lose interest in your tree.

6. Provide activities to relieve mental tension

Incorporate a food puzzle into your cat’s dry food or treat regimen to provide her with the much-needed mental activity that many domestic cats lack. A cat’s instinct is to work for their food. Providing this outlet in your cat’s environment can be a very effective way to de-stress during the holidays. Throughout the rest of the year, food puzzles can also help support ongoing physical and emotional health.

If your cat needs more mental stimulation, consider training her a clicker

7. A little extra attention can go a long way

Taking care of your cat, petting it, or spending some extra time with it, even if it’s just a few minutes between gift wrapping, can help improve your cat’s confidence and reduce stress. As long as your cat enjoys this activity, it can help your cat not only feel less stressed but more closely connected with you. Your cat loves you, and the more time you spend together, the better you’ll feel.

8. Predictability is important

Cats get used to the routine, and if something changes in their expected schedule, it can cause stress. This can be especially true for cats who feed at certain times of the day. If you’re going out late for the holiday shopping and you haven’t been able to feed your cat his regular evening meal on time, use a temporary feeder to dispense the food when your cat expects it. Timed feeds are available for both dry and canned food types. Try to maintain another routine as well, whether it’s a certain time of the day you always play a game or snuggle up at night on the couch.

When the festivities are over and the guests say their last goodbyes, don’t forget to pet your cat and enjoy some magical holiday moments together. The holiday is for everyone, including your furry baby.