Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I realize that this is a bit early, but it came to mind this morning when I heard on the radio that there's a radio station in Virginia that started playing 24/7 Christmas music yesterday.
So, I have two kittens that were adopted as "semi-ferals" from the shelter about 6 weeks ago. They are doing very well, especially the little boy who now loves playing with my 70-pound ball of crazy hound.
I've never had an issue of having cats in the same house as a Christmas tree- and this year it's going to be two kittens who will be about 6 months old at the time. We have an artificial tree, and I'm having visions of one or both of the kitties deciding that it would be an incredibly fun thing to climb.
I have started with training them to not get on the counters and such. The spray bottle has been very effective. My question regarding the tree is this. Aside from using the spray bottle, do you all have any other tips/tricks that might work to dissuade them from messing with the tree? I have a feeling that it's going to be a "you have to deal with it" sort of thing, but thought I'd ask since I have no experience with it.
We learned something last year when our Ringo was a kitten during Christmas time (about 6 months). Put a cat tree near the tree. He ignored the Christmas tree in favor of "his" tree. Can't guarantee this will work, but it sure did for us!
My partner and I are planning to make them a "kitty condo" within the next month or so, so perhaps we'll make a simpler model at the same time for just this purpose. As my grandmother used to say, "like chicken soup, it couldn't hurt".
ETA: was going to rep you, but am being told I need to spread it around first.
The first time we had a kitten with a Christmas tree, I bought two scat mats and set them up around the front of it. I don't really like stuff like that, but I tested it myself, and it's startling but not really painful. It was very effective, although you have to have a spot where they can't jump from something directly onto the tree. She stepped on it twice (I guess the second time was to test out whether the first time had been a fluke). I think I put them up one more year after that, and then didn't worry as she was less active.
They aren't cheap though, and a few years later when we had another kitten one of them wasn't working any more, and we just dealt with it. Skip any breakable ornaments whatever you do.
No glass or anything at all breakable or subject to damage. Hang nothing where your dog can reach it.
Here's my experience with cats.
Day One: cats run in terror and hide.
Day Two: cats run past the doorway of the room where the tree is.
Day Three: cats look at the tree from the doorway but are ready to run.
Day Four (early); cats carefully approach the tree.
Day Four (later): cats climb tree.
Some cats progress faster but none seem to be slower.
^^^yep^^^.
I heard on a radio show about this subject one time that putting sheets of paper with double sided tape will deter them as well -- they don't like stuff that sticks to their paws. I guess fly paper would work if they still make the stuff.
I had a Christmas tree like that once and every day when I got home from work, I had to put it back together and redecorated. I guess Bear didn't like the way I decorated it in the first place. I guess he thought the limbs looked much better on the floor than on the tree.
I actually hated that tree and got rid of it years ago. Now, we only have real trees and believe it or not, since having a real tree, the cats don't bother it. They would go over and sniff but so far (knock on wood), none of them have tried to climb it. I often wonder if Bear would have climbed it if I had a real tree when he was around.
Maggie's link is too funny! Those kitties were having quite the good time.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My question regarding the tree is this. Aside from using the spray bottle, do you all have any other tips/tricks that might work to dissuade them from messing with the tree? I have a feeling that it's going to be a "you have to deal with it" sort of thing, but thought I'd ask since I have no experience with it.
