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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

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Original poster

Kittens/Cats and Christmas Trees

44 replies

BearSoFair · 11/12/2021 11:28

Anyone else bracing for upcoming destruction? Or maybe it's already started

Our previous two older girls were never really interested in the tree, but we sadly lost both of them this year. Our old boy several years ago always selected a single bauble that he was determined to pull down but once he had it he'd leave the rest alone. New 10 month old cat is VERY much a climber so I'm sure we're in for an interesting few weeks!

Starting this thread so I have somewhere to come and read about other furry wrecking balls when I'm picking up baubles or plucking her from the top of the tree for the 20th time

OP posts:

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herestoyoucolinrobinson · 11/12/2021 13:32

We've been lucky, only low hanging baubles are at risk. Never had one climb a tree and never not had a cat! Probably just jinxed myself...

Hellocatshome · 11/12/2021 13:36

I have 3 cats, only time the tree is in danger is when they chase each other underneath it and accidentally dislodge a decoration. I only put unbreakable ones at the bottom. Now Christmas presents are another matter as one has some sort of sellotape fetish.

MrsPleasant · 11/12/2021 13:40

I've got a 4 month old kitten and I'm not bothering. He climbs me still, he'd trash a tree in no time. I'm feeling distinctly unfestive, so a tree may have helped but seeing as he has figured out how to jump onto the top of the open living room door, a tree would stand no chance.

herestoyoucolinrobinson · 11/12/2021 13:48

I wonder if it's because we get a live tree. They always seem a bit bemused about it. Even the ones that climbed curtains left the tree alone.

InTheLabyrinth · 11/12/2021 13:54

We just let ours climb, and sit in the tree. I dont remove her, and she has only once (this is her 3rd Christmas with us) pulled it over. She has a preference for one type of bauble, so I let the kids decorate it, and then rehang the ones that take her fancy well out of reach after she's pulled them off.

DappyApple · 11/12/2021 14:03

Ours usually take turns to shimmy up the middle and camp out in the branches. I’ve got the photos of one of them in the same tree the last 3 years running, that they all look like they been taken at the same time.

This year they haven’t bothered at all. Maybe because they’re older now One of them bats the baubles but that’s it.

ReginaaPhalange · 11/12/2021 14:29

We used to put a sand bag under the tree skirt but this year we didn't and she isn't bothered. We have some presents under the tree already and gift bags but it's really not like her to not go near it this year lol!

Original poster

BearSoFair · 11/12/2021 14:32

The curtain climber ignoring the tree gives me a shred of hope! We're planning on putting it up tomorrow so we'll see.

OP posts:

CeliaCanth · 11/12/2021 14:32

We have 2 kittens and are expecting destruction. They’re 8 months old, and British Shorthairs, so quite chunky and heavy enough for any attempts at climbing to lead to the tree collapsing…

TrickyD · 11/12/2021 14:37

We have a piece of red fabric draped around the base of the tree, Dcat creeps under it and makes a comfy nest. Better than climbing.

TheNoodlesIncident · 11/12/2021 20:54

I hang ornaments with bells on on the lower branches, so I can hear if there's anything untoward going on... Also, all ornaments within reach are constructed of unbreakable materials like wood, plastic, metal, felt/fabric etc. Some of them - on the lowest branches - are considered expendable, so if they prove too fascinating then it's not a big deal.

The only casualty we've had was the wire of the fairy lights bitten through and that was only once. No idea if it was mum cat or kitten that did it, but although they were interested in the tree, they never tried to climb it. Have only the "kitten" now (she's six) and she will sit on the windowsill next to the tree and examine the baubles next to her, but doesn't bother them.

MintyCedric · 12/12/2021 00:03

My girls are 3.5 and have got progressively less interested but the first couple of years were a bugger.

My tree is in a recess in my living room and it's an artificial one, so the first year I drilled two small holes in the wall and put hooks in, then wired the central 'trunk' to then to prevent it being pulled over.

Lights go on next and I turn back the tips of the branches to hold them in place.

Tinsel...tucked firmly into the tree so it just reflects the lights.

Beads and ornaments...positioned and when I'm happy with them, wired into place with fine fuse wire.

It's about a 4-5 hour job and although they have climbed it and created gaps in the branches, it's impossible for them to do any serious damage.

You could also try hanging orange slices around the bottom as cats tend to be repelled by the scent.

TweenWrangler · 12/12/2021 09:06

Ours climbed the artificial tree and we had a few years of hanging only unbreakable baubles. But then we got a real tree and they've never gone anywhere near it.

HouseIsOnFire · 12/12/2021 09:13

1.5 year old british shorthairs here, so little frenetic tanks! They're having supervised visits to the tree only because one is a string eater! The only time they were interested in it last year was when we put lemon and orange slices in the tree water to deter them - little darlings thought we were making them a special punch

Will be very careful once presents are down as the larger one, at 6kg, has a habit of picking the most fragile things to sit on (after clambering there very ungracefully!!)

SpookyScarySkeletons · 12/12/2021 09:19

I have a well behaved 18 month old kitty who likes to bat the lowest baubles. However her older sister is a NIGHTMARE!!!

NuzzleandScratch · 12/12/2021 09:22

Yep, bracing ourselves for this, as we have a 4 month old kitten and also an 18 month old dog! Only thing that might make it less bad is the kitten is still pretty small, so if she does sit in or climb the tree, she hopefully won't do too much damage. We put the tree and lights up yesterday, and all she's done so far is sit inside the basket round the base, but adding decorations may be another matter!

ShakespearesSisters · 12/12/2021 09:30

Our kittens are 3 months old. I did our tree yesterday. It has a resident. As long as they don't chase each other up it we should be fine as its fairly sturdy tree and they are still very light kittens.
I might pinch the sandbag idea though.

Kotatsu · 12/12/2021 09:42

mine mainly see it as a large festive drinking dish..

Rachel4545 · 12/12/2021 09:44

We have 3 cats and in 8 years we’ve only lost one bauble. Generally their attitude is to ignore anything new till it’s not longer new. By the time it’s getting not-new it’s time for it to go away

SummerSazz · 12/12/2021 09:47

@BearSoFair

The curtain climber ignoring the tree gives me a shred of hope! We're planning on putting it up tomorrow so we'll see.

Our curtain climbing kitten wasn't interested in the tree either.

CasperCatIsEvil · 12/12/2021 09:49

Casper likes the Christmas tree, but will steal and chase the jingle bells, and felt decorations have to go near the top, or HE KILL THEM DEAD!

Mumdiva99 · 12/12/2021 10:13

Our tree is artificial and the cats knock all the lower branches off when they play under it. They like to knock baubles off too....so they are put higher up. (So basically the bottom of the tree is bare).
They also like to climb the cat tree and reach over to knock more things off.....sigh. But they are darlings and get away with it!!

ProcrastinationIsMySuperPower · 12/12/2021 10:40

A bit of citrus essential oil diluted and sprayed around the bottom of our tree mostly deters our cat.

Winglessvulture · 12/12/2021 11:19

We have three cats and honestly couldn't face constantly having to police a tree, so we do garlands on the curtain pole in the living room, and then have a tree up in the dining room which we keep shut.

I can remember one of my parents' cats bringing down the whole Christmas tree one year as a child, it's too tempting for lots of cats and I feel unfair putting temptation in their way

Saying that, our youngest cat has been eyeing up the garlands, so maybe they won't be safe for long if he can work out how to get to them!

Booksandwine80 · 12/12/2021 20:50

Here’s my little git

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