real christmas trees and kitties....

[aprilynn]

My husband is convinced that he wants a real Christmas tree - we have a new kitten and a cat. Neither of which have been around a Christmas Tree. I think it would be MUCh better to have a fake tree because of he needles and the sap - i would think the cats would eat it??

Please tell me more reasons not to have a real tree so I can convince my husband. Thanks..

[Grace]

We've had real trees and for the past 6 years, we've had a gorgeous fake tree. All the years of our marriage we've had cats - not a one of them did anything more than sleep under the Christmas tree or occasionally bat at one of the balls.

That all changed 3 years ago when Reese was a kitten. We put up the tree and no sooner were we done, then Reese was climbing it. No matter what we did, she climbed the tree. She even took naps in it. She was about 6 months old, but small for her age.

We didn't decorate that year. Then the next year (2002), we tried again. We had another new kitten, Abby. Reese, now 18 months, and 8 pounds, went straight up that tree - didn't even wait for us to get done attaching everything. And Abby went with her!! Down came the tree.

Last year things did improve. Reese was 2 1/2; Abby was one year. And we used a squirt bottle without mercy. We did decorate the top half - no lights though.

Not sure what will happen this year. But we will try again.

Remember - this was the first cat I have ever had who climbed a tree. So don't worry about it - until it happens. Keep the squirt ready. And if you have a playpen, put the tree in it -

[Jods]

LOL... My cat climbed our tree in the middle of the night and it smashed our T.V.... I guess fake ones would be lighter... Dunno I'll still choose real over fake though, I love the smell!!

[RedHedd]

Search this site to see what happens with cats and Xmas trees. There are many pictures of the destruction and fluffy "ornaments." No tree in my house.

The first year I put one up with my RB Goldie, she destroyed 21 antique ornaments and the tree came down numerous times before I gave up and just trashed the whole idea of a tree. Now I compensate with decorations everywhere, no tinsel though, that can KILL a cat.

Please be careful and post pictures of your experiments. We'll laugh with you and feel your pain and celebrate Christmas together!

[GraciesMommy]

And don't forget poinsettias are also poisonous to pets!

[sirrahbed]

Christmas 2003 - tree is moving....

yup...it's a kitty...Eliot to be exact

Emily tried it a few days later...

We use artificial now and we secure it to the wall with cup hooks and fishing line
THIS year we have two babies - 12 weeks old Lizzie and Robbie, so you better believe that tree will be secured!! We also use only non-breakable ornament and NO tinsel. (not fun to pull out of the butt plus very dangerous)

[RedHedd]

Originally posted by GraciesMommy
And don't forget poinsettias are also poisonous to pets!

and mistletoe berries too.

[prechrswife]

We had a real tree the Christmas after we got married. We only had one cat, Saphirah, at the time. Our trouble was not with tree climbing and destruction, but with the water in the tree stand. Saphirah thought that we had brought her a new water dish. She would drink from the tree stand and track water all over the gifts. After that, we got an artificial tree. Chloe is a tree climber, but the artificial tree has been very stable.

[Laura's Babies]

I use to tie my tree to the wall years ago when I had my blackie Penny. I haven't put one up here and now I would not DARE to with Giz around..

My daughter used the squirt bottle on her cat and it worked out so great. She is about 4 or 5 years old now and never even thinks about the tree...Now it is the packages she wants. We all understand when we get chewed packages for Christmas with NO bows....

[Uabassoon]

I've never bothered to put up a tree since I know Tibby and Corkscrew will just end up destroying it. I wish I could have a tree, but I don't feel too bad about it since I usually go to visit my parents on Christmas. I just decorate my apartment with lots of decoration and lights.

[NoahsMommy]

We've had a live tree every year we've had cats. They climb it, hide in the presents and tear down the ornaments. We just decorate half the tree and only plug the lights in when we're home and can watch the cats.

Noel always sleeps in the tree, Noah always under it. The water for the tree quickly becomes the newest water bowl for the cats so we don't add anything to it and refill it daily.

We also wait until we are leaving with the gifts to add bows and ribbon.

[lizzielou742]

This is my first Christmas with cats, but I know they'd both love to climb right up one. I can just tell. I used to have a fake tree in the hallway of my last apartment, and Tito went nuts climbing it all the time. I finally had to get rid of it.

I'm thinking of doing an "alternative" Christmas tree this year. I'm sort of stealing my aunt's ideas. One year, she got a very small tree and nailed it into a wooden base, and then nailed the base to the ceiling. Upside down Christmas tree! It was neat to see all the ornaments hanging off it! Also, another year she got a big "bough", I guess you could call it, or limb of a pine tree, and hung it on a wall, and decorated it. Presents can go under both these alterna-trees, they're far away from kitties' reach, and they are still pretty!!

[catcrazylady]

If it's at all possible I'm not putting up my tree this year. I couldn't put a single ornament on it last year because I had two to three cats in it at a time. Now with the kittens this year would be even worse! I loved the fun of watching them climb the tree and the pictures were great but when I went to take it down I had to vacuum the stupid thing and still couldn't get all the hair out!! I'm decorating other things this year and I'm skipping the tree!

Lizzielou- Those are some cool ideas! I don't think I could handle the upside down tree though. Too funny! You must have a real cool Aunt.

[catnapper]

We've never had a real tree. Last year was its ast gasp and we tossed it out. This year we will be trying a real tree... a real tree with two kittens am I nuts?

[Laura's Babies]

I had a friend that use to get large large, live trees and hang them upside down like that and everyone who saw it had a fit over how beautiful it was. I was out of town over the holidays and never got to see them but everyone loved them She was a real creative person and could do a lot with little and was better at it than Martha Stewart.