TikTok users are sharing an unconventional way to discourage cats from climbing Christmas trees this year, but animal experts have warned of this trend.

Many pet owners will see their cat smash decorations or lights when climbing up a tree-or even knock the whole thing down.

Social media trends show that owners preemptively: before decorating the tree, use the tree to chase their cats around the room in an attempt to scare the animals.

Clips showing such chases have been viewed millions of times. User @alexisjj_ wrote in her headline: "If you chase your cat with a Christmas tree, it will be too scared to use it." In a later comment, she confirmed that she did this every year, the next day Her cat did not touch these decorations.

The profile of TikTok user @becs.richards is now "My cat is fine." Within two days of trying this method, he seemed to be inspired and received more than 3.3 million likes. She wrote: "I saw a TikTok saying that if you use your tree to cause trauma to your cat before the tree, they will ignore it."

Responses to the app were mixed, with some viewers vowing to try this technique, while others criticized it. "Why would you do that? It's cruel," a user commented.

Wounded tree❌ Wounded cat✅ #catsoftiktok #christmas #mariahcarey #christmastree

Although some people who have tried this method claim that it was initially successful, animal experts told Newsweek that it will not work in the long run — and it may cause more serious problems.

Daniel Cummings, the conduct officer of the British charity Cats Protection, said: “Intentionally scaring cats with Christmas trees or anything else will only cause them unnecessary stress.” “In this case, big Most cats are stressed, especially because Christmas is already a stressful period for cats. They may struggle with daily, unfamiliar decorations and additional noise.

"Cats that are prone to stress or continue to be in an unnecessary stress environment may continue to suffer from long-term health problems, such as behavioral problems and urinary tract infections."

Cummings added that this approach is unlikely to work. "It doesn't take into account how cats learn," he said.

"When the Christmas tree is placed in the corner of the room instead of being pushed towards them, the perception of the Christmas tree by the cat may be quite different. This is similar to the perception of the cat for the cat carrier-most people will be terrible in the following situations Their master’s reaction is that they put it in front of them, but if they put it in the corner of the room, they might be more confident to explore it."

Anita Kelsey, author of "Let’s Talk About Cats," told Newsweek: “Cats don’t know why you are causing them stress or fear, and it is very likely that scaring cats with a Christmas tree will cause them to be afraid of where the tree is. Room, fear of the tree, urinate at home or on the tree, urinate on anything around the tree—such as gifts. This can also lead to a breakdown of trust between the cat and the person trying to frighten them.”

Instead, she recommends actively strengthening and providing alternative structures for cats to climb nearby. "Cats are born to climb, so instead of trying to scare them by pushing a Christmas tree on their faces, it is better to provide a climbing frame/cat climbing tree nearby as an alternative, and place a small obstacle around the Christmas tree as a kind of Choice. Deterrence," Kelsey said.

"Providing a positive'yes' is the way any cat guardian should work with the trained cat."

Cummings also recommends ensuring that the tree has a strong base so that it is less likely to tip over and hanging the decorations at a higher position so that the cat does not try to beat them and avoid fragile decorations.

If you buy any gifts with catnip for your pets, keep them away from trees.

"Using gifts under the tree to create some obstacles may also prevent your cat from approaching. Tinfoil or citrus peel-both materials can be used to make homemade decorations-can prevent cats from approaching, because many people don't like citrus. The smell or the sensation of the foil under your feet," he explained.

Cummings added: “No cat owner will deliberately put pressure on a cat. Part of raising a cat is accepting their natural behavior.”

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