help my tree! cats being bad!Say they don't care that Santa's watching!

[Lorraine]

I just don't know what to do. Iinitially I set my artificial tree up about 5 days ago, and like last year, tied a rope around it, around the center, then anchored the tree to the wall with hooks.
So far, this has worked, as the tree is still standing. Not straight at all of course, but it indeed not laying on the floor either.
I have yet to decorate it yet because Sammy and Romeo have been going positively goofy with the tree. My father called me at work the other day, to tell me that Romeo had climbed up to the very top, and was sitting up their like he was the star, that belonged there.(too bad he didn't have a camera!) needless to say, when I came home,the top of the tree was flat.
This is Romeo's first Christmas, so he had never seen the tree before. He was just curiously, and innocently sniffing at the branches, when here comes Sammy to show him how to have some real fun. Sammy shot himself right into the tree about half way up, and proceded to meow to Romeo to come join him. Romeo couldn't resist, so they have been terrorizing my poor tree ever since. the branches are going all different directions, the plastic needles are all over the floor, and the tree is crooked.
I have been squirting them with the water bottle when I catch them doing it, I think they would love the bells that I could hang on the bottom. do you think that Feliway plug in might work?
My kids are having a fit, they want to decorate the tree!
Thanks for your help!!:D

[Randi]

LOL! Sorry, but I can't help laughing. :D I think you may as well forget about decorating the tree, or at least not with breakable, sharp or precious items.

They'll have a ball whatever you put on! :D Hope you find a solution! :)

[momoffuzzyfaces]

Keeping a cat out of a Christmas tree is like trying to put tooth paste back in the tube. Just use unbreakable decorations and go with the flow. :D

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

I suggest decorating with toy micies and other kitty toys.

Hey, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em! :D

[RP Cathouse]

Boy I like the decorating idea with the play mice and cat toys. I have never had a cat climb the tree. Where is the wood to knock on???LOL This year may be different. But we have always done a cut tree. And the cats play under it and with the decorations at the bottom but no cat has tried to climb it. But with the gang of youngsters I have this year I don't know what will happen.

Stella
Smokey Jo and Jaxon.

[joker98]

I just bought an artificial tree from Michaels.. got it home and read on the box.. it has lead in it! I couldn't believe it.. there was no notice on the display in the store and the writing on the boxfor the California Prop 65 warning is so small . There is no way I am going to even take a chance with my Dallas... Guess who is going back out looking for a new tree this afternoon..

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Wow, I'm surprised they put lead in something like this because I'm sure cats are not the only creatures known to eat pieces of artificial trees. ;) I'm glad you noticed the warning and are taking it back. Maybe if more people did that the manufacturer would re-think the lead thing. :)

[RP Cathouse]

I would have never thought that a tree would have lead in it, with this holiday for kids you would think that it would not have anything in it that would harm kids, cats or any living creature. Shame on the manufactures.

Stella

[joker98]

It actually appears to be quite prevalent these days. I told my friends/coworkers about it and it seems as though I'm not the only one who encountered trees with lead in them. A few people are going to go back and look at their tree because they never even thought to look for something like that. The warning is printed so small and inconspicuously. Approx 60% of the people I have talked to had to return trees or didn't buy them because of lead. :(

[iloverat]

We know it's officially the holiday season now as Briggs has barfed up fake greenery. :D We opted not to put up a tree as she does love to chew on the branches. Instead, I used lighted garlands to decorate our fireplace mantel and used favorite ornaments interspersed for color and for fun. Before I could even get the garland in place on the mantel, Briggs had chomped off a piece of greenery and was getting rid of it in the living room floor midst all the boxes of ornaments, etc. Guess this is her way of helping mommy decorate!? I hesitate to say that she's never bothered the decorations we put on the mantel. Sure as I do she'll read this and rethink her position on the subject.

[Cheshirekatt]

My kitties are so thankful to me for putting up such a huge cat toy! LOLOLOLOL

I do the same things, (artificial tree, tie it to the ceiling, etc) and yet I still get to re-decorate the tree every morning!

I use only non-breakable ornaments and by the time Christmas rolls around they're all on the top half of the tree.

:)

[NoahsMommy]

I'm seriously thinking of just decorationg with lights only this year...maybe the topper, but that's it. ;)

[Lorraine]

Thanks for the advice! I have purchased all plastic ornaments this year, so I will just have to keep re-decorating the tree, as the ornaments come down. Hmm, I never even considered that there could be lead in the trees. Something I will have to check out for sure! I am going to buy some Christmas cat toys, to hang on the branches, around the bottom, hopefully this will keep them busy, and they will leave the rest of the tree alone! granted the tree situation has me a bit annoyed, but I am really looking forward to the cats jumping around in the wrapping paper, and boxes after the presents have been opened! last year, it was so funny when Sammy did this, now this year, Romeo will too! :D

[smokey the elder]

I'm able to close off the room. It has French doors with windows so we can see the tree. My adults are very good; when I don't have foster kittens I can keep the doors open when we're there. With Boots and Tenzing the doors will have to stay closed!:D

[iloverat]

Originally posted by smokey the elder
With Boots and Tenzing the doors will have to stay closed!:D

Tenzing?? As in the Nepalese sherpa? If that's the case, I guess it's no wonder he might climb up the tree!!!! :D

[jaqi]

i'm amazed my (wild) Checkers doesn't attack Christmas trees... he happily shreds anything else:D First year we got him he was pretty interested in the tree, and we tried the squirt bottle trick but weren't very frequent with it. I think he was just a little in awe of it, he was still a big kitten and all. Actually I think he's so good about trees because we DIDN'T make a big deal about it, the things that we try really hard to keep him away from are of course his favorite tricks:p So he just got used to the tree. But he always likes to pull a couple ornaments off the bottom branches, usually the plastic icicles. At this point we just keep the glass balls higher up and the plastic icicles, cloth ornaments, etc. on the lower branches, and he does fine. By the way, anyone's cat regularly drink the tree water? He thinks its his special Christmas beverage:D