Cats and Christmas trees [Archive]

Betty

11-14-2011, 09:10 AM

Being unemployed, I have more time this year to decorate for Christmas. I also have 2 cats this year that we didn't have before.

What advice can you give me about the tree?

I've been collecting purple ornaments since I was in high school and nearly all are unique now (as opposed to simple purple balls.) I would like to somehow protect the tree. My last experience with cats and christmas trees was a long long time ago and it resulted in broken ornaments.

I could put up a small fiber optic tree (which my husband would probably prefer) - but since I'm home it would be so nice to enjoy the collection of pretty little tchotchkes.

I know you kitty people have experience with this. What do you do?

Moonliner

11-14-2011, 09:33 AM

Betty

11-14-2011, 09:52 AM

No tinsel. Do they even sell that anymore?

RStar

11-15-2011, 12:04 AM

Yes, they do.

Tip #1- tie all wiring down. Cats can chew on the wires if they hang. Besides the obvious demise seen in Christmas vacation (kitty fireball), there is a lot of lead in these wires.

Tip #2- I have a fake tree because no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get the cats to stop drinking the water with that tree saver powder mixed in it. I'm sure it's not real good for them. The tree is pre-lit so it's less hastle and mess also. And don't let any breakable ornaments hang low on the tree. Use twist ties or crimp the metal hangers tight on the branches so if they bat at them, they stay on.

Tip #3- If you put the tree in the corner, and stack gifts or other items in the back first, you are less likely to have them hang out behind the tree causing mischief where you can't see them.

Tip #4- Do not let the cats in the house at all durring the holidays, and put what ever you like anywhere you want with out a single worry.

Just kidding. :evil:

Tip #5- get the cats thier own little sparkly things to play with to keep them interested with that, rather than your decorations.

Tip #6- have a happy holidays and enjoy it with your precious furry friends!

Not Afraid

11-15-2011, 12:11 AM

Get a tree and don'e decorate it or water it. It makes a great scratching post.

If they eat tinsel, it will come out the other end and most likely have a turd wrapped around it. The tinsel will not come all of the way out of the cat's but, so the cat will run around like a banshee trying to get away from the turd on a string that is chasing him. When you do catch him, you'll get the pleasure of pulling a long strand of tinsel out of his ass.

Decorate a tree outside.

Give up and throw a large NYE party, invite everyone to spread matresses everywhere and skip Christmas all together.

Betty

11-15-2011, 07:12 AM

LOL - I've missed so much. :)

Will they try and climb the fake tree?

Butters is smaller but Oliver is larger then my 2 chihuahuas put together and will kick your ass if he feels like it. He has some serious wrecking potential. I was wondering if you ever try and attach it at the top somehow so it doesn't tip over.

The real tree is out of the question moneywise as is leaving the cats outside. Aside from it getting pretty cold out (below freezing some nights) they are totally indoor kitties cause I'm skerred.

I suppose I can patrol the tree with a trusty squirt bottle to help discourage them.

RStar

11-15-2011, 07:54 AM

Of course I was only kidding about leaving them outside. I fully belive in domestic cats never going outside. It's too dangerous for them. I know from bad experiences with two cats. Only feral cats raised outside can take care of themselves.

The artificial trees are very difficult to climb, too many branches and a smooth truck. They are more likely to pull the tree over than climb it. But in my 35 years of Christmas trees and cats, I've never had that happen. If you are worried about it, put a brick, rock, or something else realy heavy on each of the legs of the tree stand to stabilize it, and cover that with a white sheet or a large tree skirt to cover it. This will look better than tieing it to the wall.

A real tree smells more natural to them, and a fake one doesn't. But even still, if they've never seen one, they will probably be afraid of it enough to stay away, at least for a while.

Just remember, no dangling thingies!

Moonliner

11-15-2011, 08:01 AM

If they eat tinsel, it will come out the other end and most likely have a turd wrapped around it. The tinsel will not come all of the way out of the cat's but, so the cat will run around like a banshee trying to get away from the turd on a string that is chasing him. When you do catch him, you'll get the pleasure of pulling a long strand of tinsel out of his ass.

Yeah. That's what I already said.

Tinsel. For the love of God skip the tinsel.

Kevy Baby

11-15-2011, 08:42 AM

We've got cats and have had live trees many times. We just keep the dangly stuff off the lower limbs and have had minimal problems.

And no tinsel.

Not Afraid

11-15-2011, 09:58 AM

Yeah. That's what I already said.

Yes, but you didn't explain the dangerous results in glowing detail.

Snowflake

11-15-2011, 10:07 AM

Last tree I had, Tango left the bottom ornaments alone, but was interested. I kept her locked up in my bedroom at night, we did not leave her alone with the tree. Then, I came out, went to make the morning tea and in 2 minutes, She climbed the tree, tipped it over, it then fell against a 6 foot tall CD case (filled with CDS) that proceeded to tip forward and dump 1000 CDS all over the living room. Lost many ornaments and jewel cases. The bookcase fell on the side arm of the couch and dinged up the side table pretty badly. Tango shot out of the living room like a cannon had shot her out of it.

Tango was found cowering under the quilt on my bed.

Remembering all the clean up, have not had the nerve to have a tree since. :D

Betty

11-15-2011, 10:20 AM

This is what I fear!

And yet - I really enjoy my purple tree and with each ornament unwrapped, a little memory. The tree tipping over is what I'm worried about most. Maybe I can lay something over the base and give it more weight.

Morrigoon

11-15-2011, 11:15 AM

Dphile has some sort of motion sensor things that spray air at her cats if they come near the tree... maybe you can find something like that?

Moonliner

11-15-2011, 11:42 AM

Knock on wood, we've never really had an issue. We use an over-sized tree stand that is hard to knock over, make sure all the ornaments at the bottom of the tree are cat friendly (cloth, plastic, etc...) and use plain water (The same stuff trees drink in the wild) to feed it with.

And of course, no tinsel ever.

Ghoulish Delight

11-15-2011, 12:20 PM

(The same stuff trees drink in the wild)Not that I'm an arborist, nor a Christmas expert...but most trees in the wild have not been severed from their roots and have soil from which to draw nutrients - so "it's what they drink in the wild" seems a poor argument against using fortified water.

Moonliner

11-15-2011, 12:33 PM

Not that I'm an arborist, nor a Christmas expert...but most trees in the wild have not been severed from their roots and have soil from which to draw nutrients - so "it's what they drink in the wild" seems a poor argument against using fortified water.

I'm not trying to grow the damn thing. Just keep it green for a couple of weeks. Think of it like a IV. The important thing is that when you get the tree home you lop off an extra inch from the bottom and immediately stick it in water and never let it run dry.

BarTopDancer

11-15-2011, 12:57 PM

Drill a hole in the top and tie it to the ceiling.

Kevy Baby

11-15-2011, 03:27 PM

Drill a hole in the top and tie it to the ceiling.Or hang it upside down from the ceiling

http://www.fugly.com/media/IMAGES/Random/upside-down-christmas-tree.jpg

(Yeah; that's fugly!)

alphabassettgrrl

11-15-2011, 03:32 PM

NA- I laughed until I cried at the picture of the cat chased by the tinsel coming out its hind end. :) :) :) :)

I would definitely prepare for the kitties to climb the tree. I know if we ever get a tree, ours will climb it. My mom had a cat knock one over, so they are sometimes interested in artificial trees.

Cadaverous Pallor

11-15-2011, 03:33 PM

Drill a hole in the top and tie it to the ceiling.Funny, I was just thinking that there must be a way to anchor the top. It might not be pretty but might prevent total cat-astrophe.

However, I've never dealt with a Xmas tree.

Or hang it upside down from the ceiling

http://www.fugly.com/media/IMAGES/Random/upside-down-christmas-tree.jpg

(Yeah; that's fugly!)Dude, you could stage your own version of Poseidon Adventure!

Not Afraid

11-15-2011, 04:19 PM

There's got to be a Christmas after........

Prudence

11-16-2011, 07:36 PM

We never got around to doing ornaments last year, but we were going to use temporary hooks to hang garland along the wall and hang the breakable ornaments from that. We have 4 climbers....

CoasterMatt

11-16-2011, 08:57 PM

My brain went weird.... I read the thread title as "Cats and Chainsaws".

mousepod

11-16-2011, 10:20 PM

My brain went weird.... I read the thread title as "Cats and Chainsaws".

I'm pretty sure you meant "My brain went Matt..."

€uroMeinke

11-16-2011, 10:29 PM

Never let your cat operate a chain saw unsupervised - especially if dogs are present

RStar

11-17-2011, 07:58 AM

My brain went weird.... I read the thread title as "Cats and Chainsaws".

You really don't want Halloween to end, do you??

That sounds like a great show for Halloween, the musical "Cats" but on a killing spree with chainsaws!

NA- thanks, now I have that song stuck in my head with your lyrics in it!

Betty

11-17-2011, 07:59 AM

We never got around to doing ornaments last year, but we were going to use temporary hooks to hang garland along the wall and hang the breakable ornaments from that. We have 4 climbers....

Great idea!

alphabassettgrrl

11-21-2011, 03:04 PM

That sounds like a great show for Halloween, the musical "Cats" but on a killing spree with chainsaws!

Oooh! That could totally be fun!

Snowflake

12-07-2011, 10:38 AM

So, I really, really, really wanted an Xmas tree this year. I picked up one of the little Charlie Brown size (but much fuller than Charlie Brown's tree) for a tabletop by the fireplace. Tango was in hog heaven last night when I brought it home and put it on the floor. She was sniffing like mad and wanted to climb it in the worst way, but it's small enough, she can't get on or in the branches. It was still upright this morning, so no mischief last night. We'll see how it is once it's been lit and decorated.

CoasterMatt

12-09-2011, 12:46 PM

Here's one of our cats-
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7152/6480598355_8571dc6e2c_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/coastermatt/6480598355/)
Jovigirl (http://www.flickr.com/photos/coastermatt/6480598355/) by CoasterMatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/coastermatt/), on Flickr

And one of our trees (artificial, of course)
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7168/6480498491_19a32102f1_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/coastermatt/6480498491/)
Closeup of our main tree (http://www.flickr.com/photos/coastermatt/6480498491/) by CoasterMatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/coastermatt/), on Flickr