Cat getting into Christmas tree

[prettyone]

Hello,

I have a 7 month old male kitten, he is nuetured. We put up the bare christmas and not able to decorate yet because he wants to climb the center of the tree and he is bending branches, we are afraid to decorate because we don't want our ornaments broken. Is there anything we can do to make him stop climbing? Using a spray bottle does nothing he thinks we are playing with him. I would appreciate any help you can give me on this. This is upsetting because we want to decorate the tree and can't right now. Please please tell me there is something to do to make him stop or prevent him from climbing. Thank You

 

[catmom2wires]

We had a climber as well. The first year we had her we just put unbreakable ornaments on the tree. After that, we realized she was so graceful, the tree was safe--and it was. We had her for 3 Christmases before she passed last summer at the age of 3 from cancer and I treasure the memories of Sheba climbing that tree. We just put our tree up today, and it seems so sad not to see her in it.


I'm sure others will come along with more "practical" solutions, but just wanted to let you know...there is a precious side to it as well!

Happy Holidays!

 

[missymotus]

Mine are welcome to climb the tree, I love hearing them rustling about and having so much fun.

I use non-breakable ornaments, so when they are pulled off for playing or the tree falls over no damage is done.

 

[otto]

In my home the tree is for the cats. It has unbreakable non toxic ornaments and they are welcome to play with them all they want, I simply pick them up and put them back on.

If you're worried about the tree tipping over....that's what fishing wire is for! Tie the tree to a nail in the wall or ceiling, fishing line is invisible. (make sure to keep the fishing wire away from kitten of course)

 

[otto]

Originally Posted by CatMom2Wires

We had a climber as well. The first year we had her we just put unbreakable ornaments on the tree. After that, we realized she was so graceful, the tree was safe--and it was. We had her for 3 Christmases before she passed last summer at the age of 3 from cancer and I treasure the memories of Sheba climbing that tree. We just put our tree up today, and it seems so sad not to see her in it.


I'm sure others will come along with more "practical" solutions, but just wanted to let you know...there is a precious side to it as well!

Happy Holidays!

I love that picture! this is my first Christmas without Ootay. She loved the lights, and the tree so much. It's hard not to be sad, but I think she's enjoying my efforts from heaven, anyway.

 

[trillcat]

Originally Posted by otto

In my home the tree is for the cats. It has unbreakable non toxic ornaments and they are welcome to play with them all they want, I simply pick them up and put them back on.

If you're worried about the tree tipping over....that's what fishing wire is for! Tie the tree to a nail in the wall or ceiling, fishing line is invisible. (make sure to keep the fishing wire away from kitten of course)

I am sorry Otto, do not do this!
The wire is invisible to the cats, and they can strangle themselfs without a sound. You can't hike up the tree with the wire without them climbing, bad things, very bad thing happen from this.
Please do not do this anyone

 

[otto]

Originally Posted by Trillcat

I am sorry Otto, do not do this!
The wire is invisible to the cats, and they can strangle themselfs without a sound. You can't hike up the tree with the wire without them climbing, bad things, very bad thing happen from this.
Please do not do this anyone

Holy Cow! I never thought of that, in all the years we did this growing up! I don't do it any more, the cats' tree is only two feet all.

However, I agree with you and I'm glad I mentioned it so you could give your warning. Yikes.

 

[Willowy]

I have always wondered how people can put a TREE in their house and expect their pets to leave it alone

. Call me crazy, but really.

 

[siamesepeaches]

I think it's to much to ask a cat not to climb a giant tree in your house, a loosing battle. I always make the tree cat friendly, felt or paper ornies, no hooks, no tinsel, covered water.........
It's the lights I mainly worry about, I only have it on when I am right there in the room, looking at the tree. I don't worry as much about climbing and knocking it over because I have cat friendly ornaments. My great dilema each year is this, do I want to add the stress of constantly minding the cat and the tree for the entire holiday?? It's a responsibility you have to commit to or just not do it. I'm still undecided this year!

 

[alpine'smom]

This was my first Christmas with a kitty and a Christmas tree, so I was interested to see what would happen. So far, not a whole lot. When we first set the tree up, the cat did climb in the lower branches, but jumped down before I could get a photo. She did get interested in a chipmunk ornament, but after a few stern "NO"s from us, she got over it. I did notice that she liked sitting on the tree skirt under the tree, so I moved one of her cat mats under the skirt. She LOVES laying on her mat under the tree, staring at all the lights. And that's the extent of it. I could see things being a bit more scary with a curious kitten though. Alpine is about 2 years old and I think she's out of her "mayhem stage". The worst she's done since then is slide into the tree skirt and mess it up if she's playing with a toy--a totally adorable and easily fixable bit of mischief.

 

[bunnelina]

Originally Posted by Trillcat

I am sorry Otto, do not do this!
The wire is invisible to the cats, and they can strangle themselfs without a sound. You can't hike up the tree with the wire without them climbing, bad things, very bad thing happen from this.
Please do not do this anyone

No, no, if you have a tall tree, you can tie the tree up very high, higher than they can climb, and it's all right. Use a single strand of fishing line and keep it tight, and no one should get hurt.

That said, I've got two five-month-old kittens and I'm afraid to get a tree. My 14- and 15-year-old cats just eat the pine needles for the first few days and spit them right back up, but I do worry about the kittens getting into worse trouble, even with unbreakable ornaments. And you gotta have lights.....

 

[cococat]

Originally Posted by Willowy

I have always wondered how people can put a TREE in their house and expect their pets to leave it alone

. Call me crazy, but really.

So my thoughts! LOL. The height itself alone beckons to kitties. And add to that fun, bright, shiny things that look even better than toys

We didn't put a tree up for years due to our one cat, three dogs were fine, but the cat not so much. This year we have put up a tree and it has been bothered by our kitty, not near as bad as in the past and not as bad as I thought it would be though. I think it would be bothered a lot more in warmer temperatures, our cat is naked and isn't as active in the winter months.

 

[goldenkitty45]

We thought Jack would really give us a problem (thought that about Charlie too when he was a kitten). But both of the Oci's are smart as whips.

We use the water spray bottle and after getting it 3 times - Jack doesnt' even give a glance to the tree. He loves water, loves playing in it, but the water bottle works for us.

Also the type of tree (if its real) has a lot to do with it. We always get the short spiky needles where if they think they will play with it - the tree "bites" them and they leave it alone.

 

[bunnelina]

Originally Posted by Bunnelina

That said, I've got two five-month-old kittens and I'm afraid to get a tree. My 14- and 15-year-old cats just eat the pine needles for the first few days and spit them right back up, but I do worry about the kittens getting into worse trouble, even with unbreakable ornaments. And you gotta have lights.....

It's not Christmas without a tree, so we caved and got a slender 7-footer, not big enough to be really scary if it comes down, like the bushy 10-footers we've had in the past. The kittens, Possum and Wendy, inspected it briefly but are napping elsewhere as we are putting on the lights. I plan to decorate it minimally with unbreakables, but if they remain this uninterested, I might as well put some glass balls higher up!

I thought they'd already be climbing it since they are feral, but they are not as crazy-active as some kittens. And my older guy, Snalbert, has eaten his pine needles — his own weird holiday tradition — and spit them up five times so far. We wondered if the kittens would try it but I gather they think he's cracked.

We're just five days away from the end of the waiting period for our first set of ringworm cultures, so fingers are crossed that we get negative results so we don't have to continue the endless housecleaning and nasty treatments for our foursome. Then it will be a Merry Day-After-Christmas!