New Cat Owner And Christmas

[ampmarini2018]

So I keep getting comments from my friend's like 'wait til your cat get's a load of your tree'.
Now I am getting nervous (and yes I know it's August). Is there a way I can slowly introduce the tree without coming home from work and finding it crashed on the floor? Thanks in advance.

 

[duncanmac]

Well it is August - so you have four months to do a slow introduction to the tree . . . .

We use a fake tree and did not put one up for the past two years. We will this year. The plan is no ornaments this year, just the pre-lit tree, and I may put weights on the base to hopefully prevent it from tipping over (other posts suggest string to tether it to the walls)

 

[ampmarini2018]

I use a fake one as well. I figured I would put up the tree. See how he handles it, then add lights etc. He is very good with all my other hanging stuff, he doesn't really do anything but with my luck. I will definitely try the weights. I like the tether idea but where I put the tree I am not sure I can do that. I may have to become creative.

 

[MeganLLB]

I don't think you need 4 months, but you can do it in stages. Just put the tree up frist by itself. Let them look at it and smell it. Then once they are not interested, add the lights, a few weeks later, add ornaments. Instead of doing it all at once

 

[ampmarini2018]

That was my thought, put it up the day after Turkey day and work from there. Thank you ALL.

 

[Pjg8r]

This might be a year to leave off any breakable, family heirloom ornaments and go with a box of the cheap satin ones.

 

[ampmarini2018]

Good idea thanks

 

[tabbytom]

Here are some articles on Cats and Christmas trees

cats-and-christmas-trees.30158
cats-and-christmas-tips-for-cat-owners.29650
cats-lilies-avoid-the-danger-lurking-in-your-home.33397

Some people choose to do their Christmas tree this way. Just make sure the tree and ornaments are safely secured.

 

[ampmarini2018]

Thank you, unfortunately my house is not that big. I will have to work on it.

 

[PMousse]

Here are some articles on Cats and Christmas trees

cats-and-christmas-trees.30158
cats-and-christmas-tips-for-cat-owners.29650
cats-lilies-avoid-the-danger-lurking-in-your-home.33397

Some people choose to do their Christmas tree this way. Just make sure the tree and ornaments are safely secured.
View attachment 245734

Oh the upside down tree I'm really impressed by their ingenuity.

 

[jinxybean]

I like that Upside Down tree! "Kids, Santa's going to put your presents on the ceiling this year. He feels you're not getting enough exercise with them scattered on the ground like low-hanging fruit. Start training now to improve your vertical leap!"

 

[aliceneko]

I got Toffee and Fudge a week before Christmas, and as they were of a semi-feral background, they were still in their cage at the time (not in the cage at all any more) so they weren't too much of a bother in regards to tree preparations. Our sitting room isn't very big so we didn't get too big a tree (our tree is round the size of/a bit smaller than the tree in the photo above, normally). Toffee was very interested in the tree though, so we let him out of the cage to have an explore. He did end up climbing right in the tree, but no pine needles or decorations were harmed in the process. We had quite an easy first Christmas with the boys - whilst decorating the tree, we introduced the decorations gradually to them and let them have a sniff of them so they could sense what was going on.

 

[Kflowers]

With an early tree we learned the cats were really attracted to the lights and the small wires (cat delight!!!). So future trees were without lights, and with unbreakable ornaments. There are a lot of really nice unbreakable ones. I'd steer clear of those with a lot of beading (sometimes it's fastened on with pins). There are a lot of actual cat toys - mylar balls - that make nice ornaments. (You know the shiny ones cats like, with the dye that comes off in the water bowl.)

You'll probably want to stay away from tinsel, cats love to eat it and it can cut up their insides calling for surgery at best.

We put our tree in a corner and anchored it with cords to the walls.

 

[RajaNMizu]

Thank you for starting a thread about my only fear while having cats...Christmas. This will be our first Christmas with the girls whom we've had since February. I'm sure it will be interesting.

 

[tabbytom]

Oh the upside down tree I'm really impressed by their ingenuity.

I like that Upside Down tree! "Kids, Santa's going to put your presents on the ceiling this year. He feels you're not getting enough exercise with them scattered on the ground like low-hanging fruit. Start training now to improve your vertical leap!"

It's better than a upside down house!

 

[rubysmama]

Friends of mine got a kitten last summer, so he was right in mischievous kitten mode by Christmas. The tree went up the the day before Christmas Eve, and came down the day after Boxing Day. During that period of time, many ornaments were "removed" from the tree. However, the kitten was frequently "in" the middle of the tree.
Here's a few memes to give you a visual.

 

[danteshuman]

I don't think you need to worry. Past 4 months they tend to weigh to much to climb the tree. That said I started a practice that has worked for years.

The bottom 3 feet of tree are all plastic or paper ornaments. The breakables go up high. My boys lost interest in trees after 2-9 years (9 years for my hyper punk!) Now they just smell it and go on with life.

That said please avoid all tinsel because it is VERY dangerous to cats. I also wouldn't flock your tree with that fake snow so your new cat won't eat ... at least this year.

*No matter how much damage a cat does to a tree or house ... it can not compete with little kids

 

[LTS3]

Or try an alternate tree or omit the tree entirely and just decorate with cat-safe ornaments and festive stuff. A cardboard cut out taped to the wall, boxes covered in festive wrapping paper and stacked up to make a "tree", etc.

15 Alternative Christmas Trees
Small Space Christmas Tree Alternatives
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3 Christmas Tree Alternative Ideas from One Creative Holiday Decorator