Anyone know any accepted wisdom or tricks on how to hold on to a spanking new kitten absent from the Christmas tree?
It's the kitten's first Christmas and our kitten loves to chase or jump at anything that sparkles shines or moves so, needless to say, I am going to hold to kitty-proof my Christmas tree this year.
The cat is allowed free roam around the house and would easily be able to get to the Christmas tree. I'm not asking for noticeable or stupid answers such as: "put the kitten in a different room for all of December," I simply want to know if there is anything I can do to make the cat keep hold of away from the tree.
Also, the cat is almost oblivious to a spray bottle, I'm not going to use a electric collar on him, he is not afraid of tinfoil or orange skins, he isn't weak enough to defend himself outside, and is too inquisitive to be left unwatched in our garage. Those answers have be previously suggested by friends of mine.
We're netting the tree to the ceiling so the kitten can't tip it over, but as to keeping him away from the lights and ornaments, I'm out of ideas. Anyone know something I've forgotten, or something you did in a similar situation? ANY oblige would be VERY much appreciated.
I would definitely NOT use the vinegar as it can sting and irritate the kitten's eyes - not a good opinion.
Yeah, the kitty thinks that when you're spraying him, that you're playing a game with him. Kitties are close to that - just trusting, trusting, loving, and never-ending playing.
This will be a hard one as I've never be able to keep a kitty out of the tree. In fact, since I've have cats (for years) I stopped putting up a tree (although I still have pictures somewhere of my kitten from so many years back IN a tree - lol.
Good luck on this one. Be measured about tinsel and anything that might harm the kitty (chords from the lights - they will chew right through those. If it's plugged in, you know what that finances! Not a good situation). Chords are a serious hazard, so maybe cartridge those with duct tape or something, although the kitten will be in the tree chewing on the lights, bobbles, and everything else anyways! lol (I solely laugh because I'm remembering my kitten having so much fun in the tree, and also when I realize I couldn't have a tree again, unless I had a separate room to put the tree in (which I don't).
Again, luck, luck, luck - and painstaking about using vinegar, not a good idea!
p.s. Be measured not to spray the kitty while in the tree with the lights plugged in!! :-O
I would also agree next to a spray bottle. As long as it knows it will get wet when it go near the tree it should try and stay away from it. It would also be less enticing for the kitty if there was no ornaments on the bottom branches for it to play next to.
good luck with this one. I own an 8ft tree and put it up and I have FOUR kittens and they would pretty much stay away during the day but at hours of darkness they would pull the lights and stuff off, so i just go and bought a 4 or maybe its 5ft tree so if they want to climb in it, it will tip over and perchance scare them into not climbing it again don't know well see tonight. they don't seem as interested within it as they did the big one, they have sniffed it but haven't tried playing with anything yet.
put a hook in the ceiling and in safe hands the tree too it.. that's what my mom had to do when her cats were kittens.. one would sleep in the tree and the other one knock it down before..
securing the tree worked :)
a spraybottle with water would probably be a good plan.
i'm going to enjoy that issue again this year, i just got two babies who like to play a great deal.
just to be safe, you probably shouldn't put up any breakable ornaments.
nooo vinegar! it might hurt them ... i only just put my christmas tree last night and of course resembling everyone my kitten went crazy and loved it. all what i did was play near him in the tree, with the ornament showing him that it is sooo ok to play, for some unusual reason cats and kids are the same way they of late test everything and the place or the thing that gets your attention the most they keep hold of on doing over and over and over again, my kitty is not really with the ornaments or the tree anymore she is back to her toys and us. give him attention when he plays near his toys and TRY to ignore him when he is doing something you dont want him to do. dont forget they will do anything for attention.
I have that same problem, we stopped putting ornaments on the bottom branches, but my cat drinks marine out of anywhere, the sink, off the floor, anywhere. And since I have real christmas trees, the hose down is bad for cats to drink because of the sap, he can't drink the water. Some people prefer not to hit a cat, but sometimes i.e. the only way to get the point across to the cat. Just when he plays next to an ornament pick him up and put his head by the ornament and smack him delicately on the head and then set him down. After 15-20 minutes go and pick him up and pet him so he know that you still love him.
Imagine man a kitten and having a big, sparkly thing with dangling objects limp off it in your house. Could you stay off? Unless you put the tree within a closed off room, expect the kitten to climb it, bat the ornaments, or both. It's just not fair to expect him to resist invitation. While a spray bottle may work while you're in the room, pretty soon you'll have to go out and the kitten will receive in the tree. After years of stressing both myself and the cats over the tree, I just started getting a cheap tree, putting on safe ornaments, and enjoy their antics. It makes for a much more enjoyable holiday for everyone involved. It really kind of angers me when ancestors start having a fit about this. Like they had no hypothesis a cat would mess with a Christmas tree. It's the cat's nature. The tree will only be up a few weeks while the cat will be within for a long time. I really don't see the good in stressing the cat with yell and spraying it over an inanimate object that will be gone and forgotten very soon.
Answers: spray bottle with water,
but add a tiny bit of vinager to it.
Maybe the smell will fashion him learn
we did that for my cat beucae he would run and just and turn around
in the upper air and land back first in the christmas tree..
yeah...Hes a crazy cat.
and my OTHER cat loves the bows SOO pointless to say
Your cat may smell like vinager for awhile, but may it will teach 'em
