Kittens and Christmas trees. Pls help!

[McBounty]

My Christmas tree has been up for 1 day and my kittens are already driving me crazy with it.

I was aware that they may want to climb it. I cannot take a whole bunch of weeks of this each day. Haha!

They're both almost 5 and a half months old.

Please advise the best way to keep these kitties from ruining my tree.

PS, it is artificial.

It's November. Put the tree away, bring it out on Xmas Eve, problem reduced. [grinch]

I honestly have no idea. When my last pair of kittens were that age, we chose to put our (real) tree outside the house, but this may not be an option for you. This year, I have kittens again, they'll be 7.5 months at Xmas. We'll have a real tree again, but it genuinely won't be going up til Xmas Eve or thereabouts and I'm hoping that real pine needles in their noses will put them off adventuring.

Can you put some cat toys at the base of the tree to distract them?

Mine only likes playing with business cards or bank notes . She's not into catnip or designated cat toys

Oh, a thought. Cats are supposed to not like citrus scents, so maybe have some smelly baubles near the bottom to put them off? Though I fear tinsel twisting in the warm air may prove too much for them.

to be honest there isnt much you can do, even if you take them off during the day, at night time they will be all over it! its very well known that cats + xmas trees = trouble

There is no solution to determined kittens. Just make sure it can't tip & fall on them.

A little hook on the wall & some fishing line to secure the tree.

Obtain the strongest orange essential oil you can find. Douse tree. Keep them out of the room unless under supervision.

Mine are nearly 8 and only now can JUST ABOUT be trusted to steer clear of the annual indoor climbing tree.

This is why mine isn't going up until later in December. This will be our first Christmas with cats too

I have been reminding any client that has turned up since August with a kitten, that a Christmas tree is Kitten Thorpe Park.
You can keep it in a separate room, cage it in with a fire guard or not have one.

Our kitten will be 9 months old at Christmas. Im going to forgo the big Christmas tree this year and just get a small potted one.

Alternatively, my mum brought a pop-up pre-decorated Christmas tree that I don't think a kitten could climb.

When I had kittens I left mine in the attic and it never came out again. I hated decorating it anyway. I no longer have cats as they died prematurely and 6 years later, still stored in the attic, I sold it.

Uh oh... I was looking forward to getting my Christmas tree up but expect the Cat will be all over it!

My cats completely ignore my tree so I'm just jealous 😁

Best Christmas tree ever!

See also

A supersoaker worked for us with our kitten last year. A quick squirt any time she went near it - only took a couple of squirts for her to start avoiding it.

I distinctly remember my first (and only) Christmas with a kitten, I was. My parents couldn't straighten the tree then they realised kitten was up the tree-she loved it up there. Xmas Eve said kitten climbed the wall pulling shreds of wallpaper as she slid back down.

I've decided not to have a tree this year as have 2 five month old kittens. I just don't think it will be worth it - they are both climbers and they also eat anything and everything so am worried they will eat needles which are toxic to them.

I am a bit sad as I love a big real tree but I have too gorgeous kittens to make up for it and will put a few extra other decorations up (high!)

Jaspercat has it right! I wouldn’t bother with a tree as I don’t think you will be able to stop the darling kittens climbing the tree, enjoy watching them grow.

My cat had been OBSESSED with our artificial tree since she was a kitten. It is like cat nip. As soon as she sees the box appearing from the attic she goes insane. She's 11 now and showing no signs or becoming less interested.....sorry! She's far less interested in the real tree.

My cats always climb my tree and they are definitely no longer kittens. The answer is shatterproof baubles.

Lonecat talks sense.
You can't train the cats to leave it alone! You're new to this cat slave malarkey aren't you?!

It's November. Put the tree away, bring it out on Xmas Eve, problem reduced. [grinch]

^^this

Never forget the first time one of my cats launched himself at the Xmas tree! Cole and Marmalde have great lives.

I am debating this. I can't not have a tree as my kids are perfect tree/Christmas age. But my 6m kitten is a super charged climbing demon - regularly find him 15-20' up a tree outside !

We anchored ours to the wall..In fact I think I can still see the tether..I didnt realise it was still there as it was hidden behind some flowers..anyway...it's just a cup hook in the wall and a strap from an old camera case, which was attached to the tree