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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Cat climbing on christmas tree

98 replies

Acrosstheuniverse123 · 03/12/2017 09:56

We have a four month old kitten and have just got the christmas tree out. As I should have know, and expected, she is obsessed with the tree, climbing it, nibbling on the decorations , etc. There isn't anywhere else to put it other than to place it in a room where we won't see the tree. Or shut her out of the room all the time. Any tips? Do I say goodbye to the tree or pack it away?!! Help.

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IHeartKingThistle · 03/12/2017 09:59

I'm going to follow this with interest as we have 2 4 month old kittens and 2 trees going up today! It's not going to go well, is it?

dementedpixie · 03/12/2017 10:00

this is why I am waiting a couple more weeks befire getting mine out as this will be the first Christmas with my 2 cats (got them in January)

Cheguevarahamster · 03/12/2017 10:01

Forget about the tree this year, unless you have a Trump style Mexican wall surrounding it.

When they get bigger they lose interest. (a bit...)

MumGoneMild · 03/12/2017 10:03

Our four month old on the Christmas display with stolen tinsel.
Tree went up yesterday, shes all over it. Our four year old cat is just as bad, she likes to sit up the top with the star

Cat climbing on christmas tree
Lillagroda · 03/12/2017 10:06

When they were young enough and nimble enough for that kind of mischief, we did really small trees that they couldn’t climb up. Like a couple of feet tall and set up on a side table. And only shatterproof baubles, with a couple of sacrificial ones, usually the type that is polystyrene covered in glitter. Bead strings instead of tinsel, too, it’s safer for them and mine weren’t as drawn to them.

But yea, the destruction is swift and thorough, otherwise.

Cat climbing on christmas tree
IHeartKingThistle · 03/12/2017 10:06

We normally have a fake one and a real one. I've bought another fake one because I don't want to hoover up needles every time the kittens jump on it.

Cheguevarahamster · 03/12/2017 10:06

My cat doing his star impression

Cat climbing on christmas tree
IHeartKingThistle · 03/12/2017 10:07

It's not going to help, is it?

KnockMeDown · 03/12/2017 10:10

Just sayin

Grin
Cat climbing on christmas tree
hazeyjane · 03/12/2017 10:12

Avoid any bell like decorations, our 2 kept the whole house awake playing bauble football at 2 am last night.

The dds put a 2 foot tree on the chest in their bedroom last night......it was killed overnight.

JingleBellTime · 03/12/2017 10:17

Ours is going up later, last year our 2 were kittens and spent most of Christmas in the tree, I am hoping that we may find a way to keep them out this year.

Previous cat was in the tree every year so maybe I'm hoping too much.

Both my friends with cats never have this problem

IHeartKingThistle · 03/12/2017 10:20

Will they be fooled if I give them a couple of baubles of their own?

Woke up this morning to find the bunting in my bedroom destroyed. IT WAS ON THE CEILING.

Acrosstheuniverse123 · 03/12/2017 10:37

Laughing at the photos! We have had cats before, and only when they were small kittens did they show an interest. I am hoping next year she won't be bothered, but I am wishing now i had never put the damn thing up. If this happens next year I don't know what i will do.

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ASqueakingInTheShrubbery · 03/12/2017 10:43

We usually have a sacrificial ornament, usually something my mum gave me that I didn't like much in the first place! Little cat is now 7, and for the first time hasn't tried to destroy the tree in the first 12 hours. She can usually be distracted with an angel to chew on.

WinkyisbackontheButterBeer · 03/12/2017 10:48

We must have been lucky. Mine has never climbed it. She does enjoy knocking the baubles off and chasing them around the room though.
No tips I’m afraid. just wanted to join in with showing off cute cats

Cat climbing on christmas tree
RiceButt · 03/12/2017 10:49

Yep, happens every year and they are showing no signs of stopping. First year we had cats one of them pulled it down within 5 minutes after I spent hours decorating it. This year he only has 3 legs so I'm hoping we might have a Christmas tree still intact on the 25th.

Somehow I doubt it, even with 3 legs he will still find a way Xmas Grin

RiceButt · 03/12/2017 10:54

Found the pics, first year of having the cats. All nicely decorated, then 5 mins later all over the floor. Sad

Cat climbing on christmas tree
Cat climbing on christmas tree
Acrosstheuniverse123 · 03/12/2017 11:04

Well, I'VE FOUND THE SOLUTION! Spraying water at her every time she approaches the tree. Worked like a dream. I have given her some tinsel to play with instead. Thanks for that tip!

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Acrosstheuniverse123 · 03/12/2017 13:14

Rice Butt you must have been SO cross. It makes me weep, with laughter and with horror!

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RiceButt · 03/12/2017 13:49

I was, as all my decorating took 6 hours, most of that on the tree as I'm a perfectionist. But they look so damn cute when they are in the tree,so I can't be mad them for long.

Cat climbing on christmas tree
Giraffesarequitetall · 03/12/2017 13:55

This has made me chuckle and be pleased we haven’t put ours up yet. We used to have a cat that left her own little ‘presents’ under the tree (poo not animals)💩 😬🤮

Be grateful yours just climb up rather than wondering where exactly where the smell was coming from 😂

Ours are three this year and I am hoping they will be less interested than last year 🤞

Allergictoironing · 03/12/2017 16:56

I haven't even bothered since getting my pair. I have a solid plastic tree that lights up and has glitter swirling around inside it, that changes colour. My problem is where to put it, as every surface large enough has been cat-claimed.

DrMadelineMaxwell · 03/12/2017 18:14

This is all our cat, Bailey, did with our Christmas tree.

I think the first year, we barricaded it with presents (in those huge gift bags) so they took up all the space under the tree.

The second year, he just slept under it.

Sadly, we lost him earlier this year. We are looking at adopting 2 new kittens from the rescue centre and know we aren't going to be so lucky to get such a well behaved cat.

DrMadelineMaxwell · 03/12/2017 18:15

Photo

Cat climbing on christmas tree
PosiePootlePerkins · 03/12/2017 19:13

Oh dear, this is our first Christmas with our two rescues, we adopted them on New Year's Day. I have a horrible feeling they are going to be extremely interested in the trees- yes we have two in our houseShock