Is bitter apple safe to spray on my Christmas tree to deter my cat?

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Luna. I love Christmas time so much, but cats can be such a pain in the butt about trees and climbing them. I don't know if this is an option for you, but I moved our tree into a room where the door is kept shut all the time, and the cats cannot get in it. That prevents them from having any access at all to the tree. Gates won't work with cats, they climb over them. A bitter apple spray may work to repel the cats, and you can get that at a pet store. Cats hate the smell of citrus, but the problem with things like citrus essential oils is that they are toxic to cats, so you want to avoid that. Try the bitter apple spray, do not allow them around the tree alone, and if you can, move it to a room that you can shut the door so they have no access. I hope this helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The tree itself will not harm him, nor will drinking the water. The only thing that possibly could harm him if he eats ornaments, ornament hooks, pine needles or tinsel. That can cause an stomach or intestinal obstruction. You can use a motion detector noise deterrent near the tree that goes off as he approaches it that scares him away. You can confine him when you are not home and use a water bottle to squirt him when he is out. Overall Christmas trees and cats are commonly an issue. I hope this helps and I wish you and Bandit the best!

Cayenne pepper won't hurt, it's what I use on soil to keep my dogs from getting into my potted plants! Trust me, their sense of smell is very strong and it only takes one time for them to find out that it tastes bad. It's uncomfortable, and cats often foam at the mouth when they taste something bad, but it won't last. Alternatively, you could get a bitter apple spray or similar at a pet store to spray on the cords. These work with variable success. The best option is to cover the cords or put them behind furniture.

Yes vinegar and apply cider vinegar are ok to use. ALso you are trying to deter her from chewing, so if it is effective she won't be licking up most of it anyway. In some cases of large ingestion, some pets can have an upset stomach, but there are no toxicity concerns here. I would recommend using caution when spraying wires with a liquid. You may want to consider purchasing a plastic wire encasing box of some sort as a safer option. Visit your local hardware store to look at your options here. Best of luck to you and take care!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would recommend not allowing the cats to drink from the tree stand; if the tree was sprayed or treated with anything while at the tree farm, it could leak into the water that they are drinking. I would gate off the tree, or cover the top of the stand with aluminum foil. Good luck!

They do make things like bitter apple sprays, lemon juice...etc that most pets don't like but some of them may not be deterred (and they may be sticky). Some cats dislike the smell of citrus, lemon thyme and lavender and you could try apply this to the wires but once again, some cats may not be deterred. The most reliable option is to put the ear buds in a location like a box where the cats cannot reach them. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

I'm not sure you will be able to create a finish where the scent will last enough to discourage chewing without potentially being irritating to the nose and discouraging the cat from using the furniture. You certainly can add lemon essential oil in a small amount, but I'm not sure if will deter chewing. Cats generally dislike a citrus taste, so a natural citrus wood cleaner often works well, but again you don't want the scent to be overpowering since their sense of smell is so much better than ours. I hope that was helpful and gives you some ideas. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.