Q.My cats have ruined my ponytail palm
During the winter, my cats have somehow jumped into the palm and have eaten the leaves or have destroyed the leaves by getting into the palm. It now looks horrid. What can I do to make it look better without killing it or inviting disease?
I would take some good sharp scissors or yard snips and trim the damaged parts of the leaves to help preserve the appearance of the plant. One thing you will not want to do is prune any woody material as that would leave an open trunk with no greenery and make it extremely vulnerable to mold and mildew. Other than that my only recommendation is to keep following the care plant for a ponytail palm (see links below) and to try to keep it away from your feline friends.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/ponytail-palm/ponytail-palm-care.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/ponytail-palm/pruning-ponytail-palms.htm