By Linda from Brighton, MI
Our cats like to sleep on the skirt that surrounds the bottom of the tree. In the past though I did have a couple of cats that caused a little damage, but the little damage was a keepsake ornament from
a much loved Grandmother. I put slightly crumpled aluminum foil around the bottom of the tree and it looked like a beautiful pond that was frozen. The cats hated to step on it because of the noise.
Why keep her out? Isn't Christmas for kids and animals? We had a cat named "Kat" and she loved to sleep in our Christmas tree or reach out and touch you when you walked by. She is no longer with us. Now at Christmas, when I walk by our tree, I have good memories of her enjoying the tree also. I'm glad I took pictures of her.
They always get into the tree, don't they? My first little tuxedo girl was eager to bat at the fragile shiny balls and broke 3 right away. My big old tuxedo tomcat would sleep in the lower branches as a kitten. My old grey tomcat would tug the strings of beads all out of place. I gave up and put a smaller tree atop the big screen tv. Then I put a 5 foot tree in the window of a room they are disallowed from entering full of holiday and craft supplies. Then I tried a half a tree in the hall way. This works the best although it could use more branches on it! My need for a Christmas tree is fulfilled and the cats never can reach it on the door or wall.
Half trees seem like an odd idea, like an upside down tree, but it turns out nice, although I can't seem to get enough ornaments on it. Us humans are satisfied. Another idea is to make the cats their own tree with shiny plastic ornaments that looks like the real thing and no tinsel or icicles, bead strings ok! Also decorate with bright and colorful cat toys.
I will never give up on Christmas and cats will never give up going for the ornaments.
I have 3 cats. Two of them just sniff the tree, chew on the branches a little and end up sleeping under it. The 3rd one, however, is a totally different story. Lizzie is 3 years old and climbs the tree every chance she gets! Sometimes she flattens out a spot about 2/3 of the way up and sleeps there! I have no choice but to anchor the tree to the wall.
My cats like bells. They're fun to knock down. :-) We just have to keep an eye on them, use unbreakable ornaments, and we unplug the lights unless we're right there. Two of our cats are just interested in the ornaments, but the youngest might try to climb it. And we keep a water spray bottle nearby (but don't use it if the lights are plugged in!).
I'm curious to see what advice others might offer.
I'm wondering what other owners of cats do to keep them out of the Christmas trees? I have a 1 year old cat that I got this year. I just know she will end up batting at the ornaments and maybe climb up the trunk. Any suggestions?
Judy from OH
By TracyInNH
Put your tree up as early as you can but with no lights and no ornaments. Keep it up this way for a week or more. Play with your kitty, discourage her when she goes to climb it, reward her when she comes to you and ignores the tree. When she gets more comfortable with the tree, add lights and ornaments. Do not use any precious ornaments or breakable glass ornaments just yet. Keep up the training to make her ignore the tree. Use a spray bottle of water on her, only if needed.
If she is not destructive to the tree, but still wants to climb it, attach an eye hook to the ceiling and anchor your tree top with fishing line. Better than the tree coming down on you and kitty. Do not use tinsel (the type that comes in fine strands like Easter grass). It is too tempting for your cat to eat and can cause anything from intestinal distress to death. After all that you can try pepper sauce on the trunk - although I had a cat who loved it! (11/11/2007)
By thriftyboo
By keeper60
By Donna
By Lynn Beth
By Sue
No experience with Christmas cats but much experience with a big, clumsy dog. In honor of his first holiday season, I bought a fake tree. If we'd put up our usual cut one, he'd have been quite pleased about the new water bowl and the big stick we'd conveniently put up in the living room for him.
I bought a 6 ft tree and used its short stature as an excuse to buy a good one with a high tip count and enough lights to land aircraft by. I elevate it a foot off the floor, giving it enough height with the stand and trunk to slow him down. I use one of those cheap, 2 drawer stacking Formica units from Target for the base. I take the handles off and lay it on the floor, drawer side down. It's a foot deep and big enough to hold the stand with room to spare. I cover it with a cloth, put the tree on that, and then a tree skirt. Leaves me short 2 small drawers in my closet for a while but it works better than anything else we tried. The drawers give it extra stability.
That same December, I found bead garlands covered with bells on an early 1/2 price sale. I bought 4 of them and they go up every year. If Leo (the dog) gets too close when he's leaping around, I hear the bells and yell loud enough to rattle the windows.
We can't put paper wrapped packages under the tree or Leo will open them as soon as we turn our backs. He's got a thing for paper. Every year I buy more cheap holiday fabric for wrapping and use it over and over. I've also made up some bags with fabric glue, I'm sewing challenged, and they seem to be indestructible. No tall cut trees or paper wrap, but one fine black lab/bassett mix. (11/12/2007)
By Miz Lou
By sheilamay
By Jennifer
By CharlieRS
By Gail216
By Mary567
How do I keep my cats away from the Christmas tree? The tree is fake. My kittens climb in the tree, chew the branches and go potty below. Is there something I can spray or a way I can teach them? Thanks in advance.
Heather from Swanton, VT
By Dedeswrkshop
By double d
By Kevin
This year, what I did was put the tree up and lights and left it alone for a full week. The naughty 2 have climbed it, sniffed it and now ignore it. So tomorrow I will put the ornaments on it.
Many years ago, a friend gave me a tip of putting Jean Nate oil, I guess it's bath oil, on cotton balls inside and around the tree. Cats hate the scent and stay away. It did work for me that year. You have to redo it every few days. The orange peel would work too.
If kitties are using the area beneath the tree as a litter box (saw in another post) then spray the area with vinegar and water. It won't hurt them and they don't like the scent. You could pick up in a pet supply store some double sided tape and put under tree as well. It is also great for cats scratching furniture. (12/12/2008)
By Dorina
By Beth
We have always had cats and they have a tendency to want to explore the Christmas tree. We got around that by using an abundance of bells on the lower limbs to serve as an early warning device. When we heard the bells we knew to pay close attention or deflect trouble before it happened.
By Shelly from Spring Hill, KS
Shared on: 12/06/2011
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Bells For Christmas Tree Defense From Cats