Letting your cats climb the Chrishmas tree.

[bluekat]

Last year was our very first Christmas with Blueberry. We bought a brand new tree with all these ornaments, most of them glass or breakable. But Blueberry didn't climb it, he never tried He only batted around one of the glass ornaments at the bottom, but it never broke

[Logan]

I voted "Never" because I would "never" let them climb the tree, but what they do when I'm not looking is a totally different matter!!!

Actually, Mimi tipped the tree over one time that I can remember, several years back. Our biggest concern with Buttercup in his first two Christmas with us was his tearing open the packages, a concern that was not unfounded! He LOVES paper and doesn't try to eat it, just rips it. Just last week, he chewed up a recipe for a cake I was getting ready to make!! Tore it to shreds!!!!!

Oh, I hope he will never try to climb the tree!!!!!

[kuhio98]

I'm not sure how to vote. No, I've never told my kitties that they are allowed to climb the Christmas tree and I've never told them that they are not allowed. Would it really matter if I forbid them? They're going to do it anyway.

Seriously, Cudsey climbed the tree almost every one of her 16 years. Kuhio never climbed the tree in her 17 years but loved to hang out underneath the branches and grab your toes when you went by.

This Christmas, will be Halo and Cammie's first one with us -- should be interesting.

The tree has never been knocked over, though. We put a eyescrew into the wall where the tree goes and wrap fishing line around the tree to lock it into place. If if they climb it, it doesn't fall over completely and break the ornaments.

[catmandu]

My dear Mother , may the Lord bless her memory had Hand crafted Oraments , that were handed down to her by her Grandmother. But the original Smokey the Cat did some exploring and Crash! I am sure that my Mother would curse the Cat as those Ornaments were Hand Made and irreplaceable!But she made sure Smokey was All Right and got the dustpan out. Then she said , throug a few tears , that Smokey is a living Creature and takes priority over a few baubles!That Gods Creations are always more important than things! and I have remembered this , even after JJJ3 86ed my VCR!

[RICHARD]

ALWAYS.

It's like a spin the bottle game.

I bet on whatever direction the tree lands in, and
it makes Christmas a little more dangerous.

[catlover4ever]

While my cats have never climbed the tree, I always anchor it to the walls. I think Tobias would have climbed it if I had him at the time the Christmas tree was up....he was a little devil.

My mom on the other hand has many pictures of her furkids in the tree. I will never forget the year that my grandmother died and I helped mom put up the tree. It looked so beautiful. My grandmother always collected beautiful bulbs and we put each and every one of them on the tree. I received a call 2 days later at around 1 am. My mom works second shift so when she got home she called me......It seems that when she walked into the basement of the house the tree was down there. I could barely understand what she was saying but when I went over the next day I could see what she was saying. The artificial tree was in fact in the basement, in pieces. Seems that the 8 furkids had one heck of a party while she was working and they took the tree apart limb by limb, then took the ornaments and lights off of it and those were all through the house.

Since then, the tree is anchored to the floor, windows, and walls. No more tree in the basement for that group.

[catland]

I wonder how much of this tree-climbing is a function of indoor-only cats? To them, the tree must seem like the best cat toy ever! My kitties, who go outside, don't seem to have a fascination with the tree - after all, there are much better ones that they can climb outside.

Well, there is Joxer who does seem to like ornaments so that I make sure that the bottom ones are unbreakable He's just so gosh darn cute because he taps them oh-so gently.

I don't know what the solution is. Maybe set the tree up early so that they can inspect it and it will lose its fascination? Maybe get them their own tree that they are allowed to play with?

[2kitties]

I had really good luck last year. First, don't hang anything near the bottom- espcially the good stuff. Also, make sure you anchor the tree to the wall in the event of a raid. Then spray the perimeter with the repellant.
My boys really didn't bother the tree too much last year. I hope to have the same situation this year.

[Alexander]

Good thing that my cats Oreo and Inkspot don't climb the Christmas tree because they act like real adults and my cat Oliver and Catfish acts like kids.

[carole]

As far as I know Lexie has never seen a xmas tree, so it will be a new experience for her, should I decide to put it up, the place just won't be the same , have that xmas feeling without it.

She is used to climbing outdoor trees, but I am certain she will be more interested in the bits and pieces that dangle from it.

[Alexander]

Originally posted by Karen
Yup! Don't hang the glass ornaments on the tree! Hang them from a garland stretched over a mantle, windowframe or doorway, or stack them in a pretty glass bowl as a centerpiece (in a cabinet if your cats patrol the table when you're out) ...

No matter how far up on the tree you place them, if they tip the whole tree over, some WILL break!

I had a idea too. Put things like pillows around the tree and the glass ornaments won't break when it land on them. Good thing that my cats don't make the Christmas tree tip.

[iloverat]

We have to use an artificial Christmas tree because of allergy problems. Our cat, Briggs, has never climbed in it but she likes to eat the fake pine needles. I'll walk through the room and spy her sitting next to the tree, munching on a limb. Naturally, later on I'll have the task of cleaning up kitty barf. This also goes for other faux greenery placed anywhere in the house. I have some adorable miniature trees that I gave up on completely. In fact, dear Briggs climbed up into the top of a closet just last night and caused the box containing the mini-trees to come tumbling down, spilling open and displaying tiny trees and ornaments all over the place. When I discovered this, I was relieved that all the trees seemed intact and bore no signs of having been gnawed. We put up a tabletop metal tree last year and only hung fabric or other unbreakable ornaments on it. She had no mishaps with that and actually seemed rather disinterested. Makes sense, right? Where's the fun in something that can't be destroyed

[Sara luvs her Tinky]

I COULDN'T KEEP TINKY OUT OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE LAST YEAR!!!!....

Even when we were putting it up she was all over it... SILLY GIRL! When I would grab her to get her out she would growl... so I really didn't have a choice if she was going to climb it or not.

Jupiter never got in the tree... thank goodness... I think he is too big... and would probably have knocked it over.

[Ally Cat's Mommy]

Great stories everyone! ANd I LOVE the pic of Cubby in the tree - that would make a great Christmes card!

Ally has never even seen a Christmas tree, but knowing her, if it is forbidden, it will become her favourite toy!!