kitten and the tree

[Jasmin416]

I just bought a 3 foot table top tree and my kitten who is 9 months now is constantly trying to climb it. I had to put the tree outside until I get home from work because she already knocked it over. I was thinking about putting aluminum foil all over the bottom. Any other ideas? I really want to keep this tree but she's making it impossible. I haven't even put lights or balls on it yet and am thinking I ought to forget about the decorations. Darn fur babies.

 

[JennieR]

I have no suggestions for you, but why the aluminum foil?

 

[cataddict]

No good suggestions for you (oh, and Jennie, cats aren't supposed to like aluminum foil so it's intended to be a deterrent----I can't vouch for this, I've never tried it) other than you might want to reconsider putting anything breakable on the tree. I put the smaller lights and they don't seem to entice as much. All the ornaments I use are wood or some other unbreakable substance. I've got some beautiful (and fragile) ornaments that I've inherited from my grandmother that just can't be put on the tree due to curious climbing kitties. So we open the ornament boxes, say "oh aren't these pretty" and then put them right back in the boxes.

Oh, and I have started not putting ornaments on the bottom portion of the tree where little paws are likely to bat at them and rip them off. Of course on a tabletop size tree that would mean it would be mostly bare.

We now use an artificial tree and they don't seem to be attracted to it so much as they were to the pine scent of the real thing.

Yes, sometimes I think it would be easier to put a giant poster of a Christmas tree and arrange presents under it rather than trying to anticipate what the cats will be attracted to. Sigh. Good thing those cats are super cute. They get away with a lot.

 

[carres1973]

This will be the first year I don't have a Christmas tree for this very reason. It was bad enough that my older kitty ate the artificial tree but my two new kittens would have that tree torn up, knocked over, etc. before I could even finish putting it up! They are still at the stage where they jump and climb all over everything.

Carrie

 

[nightowl81]

putting ornaments and lights up is going to be play time for your cat, so be careful which ones you put up that they can't choke on it or hurt themselves with anything.

that reminds me when my family put up the tall artifical tree the cats used to still climb it, every year... and they'd sleep in it, have one on one side, the other on the other, one sleeping underneath...

 

[kathryn]

Cats + Christmas trees = irresistable fun! (for many cats, especially kittens).

We used to put tinsel on our trees, but stopped doing so after cats liked to chew on it.

After a while, we'd have trees with 'cat' ornaments (non-breakable, playable ornaments just for the cats) on the bottom, and other ornaments higher up.

Something you could try: hang some tea balls with cotton balls soaked in lemon oil. Cats don't like citrus scents. (They also seem to be not to fond of mint, so you could also try spraying the bottom of the tree with mint oil diluted in water).

 

[meowracer]

Our kitten has climbed the tree countless times this year. I have about a million and one ornaments for my tree, and not a one even came out of the attic! I went to Target and bought all new, shatterproof ornaments, and new tree topper b/c he would try to bring the angel and her white electrical cord (the white seemed to really catch his eye) down with him (his prey, I guess!), and last on my list was a water bottle that stays right at the tree. He hasn't climbed it today but of course, that means very little! He has, however, knocked countless balls off and pawed them all over the house, and he has learned that a squirt in the face is not something that he really enjoys but he thinks that he may just be able to tolerate it! Ha ha.

 

[spyrosmom]

My kitty ignores the tree, except to sleep under it. Doggie on the other hand is BIG troubles. He was fine when we were home this weekend and when we went out for a quick dinner one night, but the last 3 days we have been at work, ornaments are getting chewed on. Bitter spray is not working. We need to figure something else out like NOW. He's only 9 months old and a chewing dog.

Maybe put plastic under the tree when your gone, like garbage bags? Most cats don't like plastic under their feet.

Nan

 

[Peaceful Rainbow]

When I had a group of younger cats/kittens I actually used to tie my tree to a hook in the ceiling so they could climb it all they wanted and not tip it over. After I caught one chomping on a small bulb, I ditched the lights for years. Once they all got older they pretty much ignored the stuff and everything was safe to put back on, though I never did go back to using tinsel.

Actually, about the time the cats got older, I had my two boys which meant a few more years of minimally decorated trees, so it's only the last few years that we've gone back to lights and breakable bulbs.

 

[Jasmin416]

Thanks for the replys.

Maybe I'll try the bitter spray. I actually woke up this morning and the tree was still standing but it does not have any lights on it yet. I was surprised and happy to see that although it really means nothing since at any moment she will decide its fun to climb the tree again. I spent about an hour and half yelling at her last night trying to deter her from the tree so I think she started to "get it" after a while. Tried the aluminum foil all over the bottom of the tree and it did not deter her at all....however it did warn me as to when she was near the tree....haha. She's just lucky she is so darn cute.

Tina

 

[fitover40]

We used to put tinsel on our trees, but stopped doing so after cats liked to chew on it.

Don't use icicles tinsel, they like to eat it. One year we found some of the icicles in the litter box, thankfully the cat had no medical issues because of it but I think it's dangerous for them.

I always stack lots of baskets (or presents - but I never had many of them) around the base so they couldn't get to the tree trunk to climb up it. May still be hard with a kitten, but as they get older and bigger it made it difficult for them to get to the base for climbing. Now that my cat is old and bottom heavy (belly hangs) and is 15 yrs old, we have no problem anymore, she can barely jump onto beds now without a low chair nearby.

 

[Pearlstrand]

Citrus

I had the same problem many years ago. Cats dislike citrus smells, so I got little pieces of felt and sprayed them with some orange scented spray. It helped keep my cat from climbing the tree, but she was still tempted to play with the ornaments. I compromised with her and hung the breakable ornaments high and non-breakable (cheap) ones lower. She'd swat them off now and then and I just hung them back up.

If it's any consolation, this behavior will go away as your kitty gets older. Mine was eventually content to curl up under it and nap all day.

Good luck!