Christmas stories

With Halloween:witch: finally gone and Christmas on it's way, we have so much to look forward to. I mean so much lovely ribbon and wrapping paper and not to mention the Christmas tree! What fun that is...for the cats! what do you do to keep your loved ones away from destroying a perfect scene? I used a water bottle until they enjoyed it, then I used a can of pennies but that just froze them still. What should I do? The hubby wants a real tree this year! Last year we had a full sized fake tree and the cats didn't do too much damage as long as we kept the balls out of their reach and didn't place any furniture near the tree for them to climb on. What a headache! We would come home from a long night of work to find balls everywhere (I can laugh about it now). ha ha
:blubturq:

I won't have a real tree - the needles can be toxic to cats. Besides - who needs the mess? All of my ornaments are cat-friendly: cloth, platic or heavy ceramic. This is my first Christmas with these cats. I'm sure that we'll have to deal with Rowdy climbing the tree and stealing the ornaments - she steals everything else in the house. We ARE going to buy a tip-proof tree stand. Its broad, with a low center of gravity. As an extra precaution, we're putting a hook in the ceiling and running monofilament, from the top of the tree, to the hook. I'll have to figure out how to keep Rowdy from unwrapping all of the presents, though.

I didn't realize the needles of real trees can be toxic to cats! I have a real tree every year, and luckily Merlin has never been harmed! Thanks for the info!!!

I think it depends on the cats, though...because I love plants, and have many of them all over my house, and one of them is toxic to cats or even people if eaten...(makes your throat swell shut) it is a Deffenbachia ( I am sure I have not spelled this right)...but Merlin never touches any of my plants...so I don't worry about it. I hope noone thinks that is awful of me, but if I thought for one second he would eat the leaves, I would not have it in the house.

I might add that it is a very tall plant...and he would have alot of trouble even reaching the leaves (which are big) let alone eating them.

We always take down our swag lamp (it hangs from a hook in the ceiling) We put the tree underneath it, and run fishing line tied from a sturdy branch at the top and then secure the end of the line to the hook for the lamp. Makes it very tip proof.

We learned early- no glass or breakable ornaments, NO TINSEL that can kill a kitty quickly! We do not hang the musical lights- the kitties are enchanted trying to discover the noise. No ornaments on low hanging branches, and I go out and buy about a two dozen of those really small mylar balloons (christmas themed of course) and tie them to the branches as well. This keeps even the most courageous kitty from attempting to climb a Christmas Tree.

I also found that if we move our cat condo close to the tree- the kitties are content to climb on the condo and watch the tree. To stop them from drinking the water- I add a little bit of lemon juice to it.

Hope my tips help someone...... Also Mistletoe is very poisonous- so be careful! I also don't burn candles as kitties are curious about flames. I had one baby singe her whiskers one year, so that was it for me!

Reading these posts brought back a childhood memory!

When I was little my sister and I slept by the Christmas tree one night. I was sound asleep and all of a sudden I was awoke by my cat meowing. As soon as I sat up, the tree went down. My parents went nuts!!! :laughing:

That was the first and last time that any of the cats in my parents household ever touched the Christmas tree, that I can remember.

I can't wait till Christmas. This will be Kiki's first. I have to get her a stocking and fill it full of mice!!!!!

We have learned over the last 3 years which ornaments need to be up high on the tree. Unlike Mary Anne, we can't have the cat tree and the Christmas tree too close. Trent likes to get up on his tree and bat at all the pretty kitty toys that his humans so thoughtlessly put up too high on the other tree. We have also learned that garland - beads or traditional - only goes halfway down the tree, whether we purposely do it or not. We came home one night to find an entire strand of garland strung across the living room. No damage to it, the tree or the kitties. Apparently they just wanted to drag it around. We have a very funny looking tree.

We celebrate both Christmas and Hannukkah My husband lights candles every year, but, this year we are in out new house and there isn't a "safe" place for the candles. Can anyone suggest a barrier to fit into a window that cats can't figure out? Maybe a compromise instead of candles? This year Hannukka is right after Thanksgiving! The kids are thrilled but we are broke!!
Thanks in advance!

I had no idea that pine needles were dangerous for cats! I was thinking of getting a real tree, but I guess not anymore.

I guess pine needles, like grass burrs can be dangerous. Thankfully none of my kits have ever tried eating it - they've never really showed much interest in the tree - more fascinated by the wrapped presents . . . Hmmm. How many times did we have to change the wrappings?

If I thought my cats' health was being put at risk I would think twice about a real tree. But as they tend to ingore the tree completely, I'm not going to give up my sweet smelling pine this Christmas.

Teresa, I don't know if where you put the candles is important, but could you put them somewhere that the cats don't go? I burn candles on top of the entertainment center and they know better than to go up there. Otherwise, if it is important that they go in the window (and I think it is, if I remember right), you could put some chicken wire or something to that effect in behind the sill. You could even decorate it so it doesn't look so tacky. Good Hannukkah project for the kids.

That is a great idea! I think we will get started on it this week. Hopefully the kids will stay interested in it long enough to finish it! (They have the same attention span as the cats.) We could use aluminum foil to snazz it up some..Hmmm I had better write down a list of things to pick up at the store
Thanks Again!