Asked on Nov 26, 2012

Any suggestions on how to display a Christmas tree with four fur babies who like to climb it and knock things off of it

Donna Wozniak
by Donna Wozniak
  14 answers
  • Carroll A Carroll A on Nov 26, 2012
    I have never tried it, but my mother in law told me they used hang their tree upside down from the ceiling when they had 2 huge Newfoundland dogs. When the dogs bumped it, it just swings. For me with 2 cats I changed all my ornament hooks out for red ribbons, they don't come off as easy as the hooks and all plastic ornaments are put at the bottom of the tree.
  • I'll never forget a Christmas long ago when my dog, Rex, knocked over our tree on Christmas morning! We opened our gifts and packed the ornaments and took the tree down that day! If you have cats, they don't like aluminum foil - maybe spread some of that around the tree to keep them at bay?
  • I have 4 cats and have found a product that works without fail. It's called SSScat and is a harmless spray with a built-in motion detector. The spray is released when they get too close. It's the ssss sound of the spray that they don't like. After a few days, you can even turn it off and save on spray since they learn not to get close. I love my fur babies and this is a harmless way to keep them out of trouble.
  • Tammy@Deja Vue Designs Tammy@Deja Vue Designs on Nov 26, 2012
    Several years back my sister and I started getting each other decorations for Christmas. The first year we started she had a cat and said she wasn't too sure about decorating anymore. So my first decoration for her was a bicycle wheel dolled up with lights and bling to hang her tree upside down from the ceiling....and she's used it ever since. Nothing on the floor below it...and the cat can't reach it!
  • Jeanette S Jeanette S on Nov 27, 2012
    Try this year with a small artificial tree (one without water to spill) sitting in a place not surrounded by breakables, and use only ribbon to decorate! That way, nothing breaks if it falls over. Even a tree anchored in a container...much like an artificial tree you see in houses year round...Use ribbon for garland, tie small bows in different colors for ornaments! So many ribbons come with glitter so you can have a little glitz! If you are going to have animals, you have to compensate...that is all there is to it! If you don't put the presents under the tree, the temptation to unwrap them will be gone.
  • Redheadcandecorate.com Redheadcandecorate.com on Nov 27, 2012
    I had 2 kitty's...they loved to climb the tree-I tried 2 methods...tinfoil around the bottom helps-cats hate the noise it makes when they step on it. Or sprinkle some red pepper around the bottom- I was scared at first thinking it might burn them, but they just stayed away.
  • KMS Woodworks KMS Woodworks on Nov 27, 2012
    My ex was the cat lover...when I got rid of her the cat went with her...I won on a lot more fronts than just the tree and smelly cat box....LOL
  • Tammy@Deja Vue Designs Tammy@Deja Vue Designs on Nov 27, 2012
    spouse or no....if you have a cat...a cat door is a must.....then the smelly box isn't an issue. You teach them to go out! I'll never have a litter box again! EVER. I wouldn't even have a cat...but my daughter moved home....and she wagged one along! lol She promptly got taught about doggy doors and no box!
  • KMS Woodworks KMS Woodworks on Nov 28, 2012
    @Tammy@Deja Vue Designs The problem with cat doors in my neighborhood is they need to open into a fully enclosed "safety zone". We have cougars, foxes, and coyotes by the score...any mid to small sized pet is a Hors d'oeuvre for these predators. .We see folks move into the neighborhood and see a cat in their yard...months later we ask where is "fluffy"...they reply...I don't know he disappeared a few weeks ago. I also have concerns with the destructive hunting behaviors of cats...granted a good "mouser" is handy to have on the farm or in the barn but the fish and wildlife service estimates over 40 million song birds are killed by cats each year.
  • Tammy@Deja Vue Designs Tammy@Deja Vue Designs on Nov 28, 2012
    Yeah....like I said, I'm just not nuts about cats. Sara's cat is ALWAYS bringing something into the house....ALIVE and releasing it! ugh.. I gave up on cat husbandry a long time ago....but she's my daughter's baby....but there will be NO more when she's gone! But....I don't have a stinky cat box....lol
  • Ann W Ann W on Dec 03, 2012
    used to have a big german shepherd that would just walk by the tree and it would topple--finally put a decorative hook in the ceiling and used heavy clear fishing line to tie up the tree ---like 80 pound test line
  • Lou Ann Newell Lou Ann Newell on Dec 08, 2012
    I put a couple of bells on it so when they did get into the tree I knew and I would spray them with water! The older ones are pretty good about staying out of the tree but the smallest one still hides in there. Nothing fazes her! Good luck!
  • Susan Susan on Oct 15, 2015
    This is what I've done with every cat I've owned . Now, I am on my 7th cat. I usually have 2 at a time. It is very simple. With my first cat, I went to the fabric store, and no you don't have to know how to sew. Get the pre-printed designs for Christmas, they have some printed like ornaments, about 4" or 5" in diameter in very cute designs! Try JoAnns or Hancocks, or Hobby Lobby. Just ask the Sales Ladies, they will know. I stuffed mine with cotton balls, and I hand stiched the edges together while watching tv at night. Then, I sewed red grosgrain ribbon on at the top of each ornament to hang, and tie on to the tree. (Grosgrain ribbon because it is more difficult for cats to chew through). You only need 3 1/2 " or so of ribbon to tie each ornament on to the tree, then double knot each one, and tuck the ribbon behind the ornaments, where kitties won't be tempted. (Or, you can see how much ribbon you need on the first ornament, before you cut the lengths of all of them.) (Ribbon was about 1/4" wide.) When Christmas came I tied these soft padded ornaments to the bottom branch, skipped the next branch, then hung the rest of the padded ornaments on the 3rd branch up. These were for the cats. (And, I always showed each cat the ornaments.) Fine if that batted them around. They won't break. And everyone knows, cats love to take a nap, under the Christmas tree, so I always leave a large enough space just for that! When company comes, just fill in the empty spot with a present! Easy enough! Praise your kitties! I have learned that Kitties are fascinated with the lights more than anything! Out of seven cats, I have only had one that climbed a tree (and only once), but not the Christmas tree, it was my Hibiscus tree I brought in for the winter. I little distraction and catnip on a toy long forgotten took his attention away from the tree. The other thing I do because every cat is different! For the ones fascinated with lights: I purchased from Walgreens the little Christmas tree in a box, with cute little ornaments, you have to add lights. that is all! (You could also put one of these little trees on a table in the room where the tree your cats climb is.) Let them get close at sit in front of this little tree! Also, Put that little tree, (up on a table)where the family is most, the den, and allow the curious kitties to get close, on the table top, and enjoy the lights, and inspect every ornament. (Just remember, rather than hooks, to tie the ornaments on). And you are training your cats, and praise them when they do well! Praise goes a long way! And you can keep the water bottle handy, but bet you just have to show it too them once, and really don't have to use it. Before you put your Christmas tree up this year. Plan your attack! ha! I have always enjoyed the holidays with my kitties, and so can you! Perhaps if you have room, in the room where you put your Christmas tree, maybe you can purchase one of those carpet covered tall climbing things for cats, that have places for them to lay and hide. Rub catnip on it, or maybe put it in your family room? Or if that is too unsightly... get one of the cat fishing poles with the denim belt loop on the end, and exercise your kitties at night, so they are too tired to climb the tree. Check on line. (Don't leave this fishing pole out, the cats could chew the line and swallow it.) Buy a bunch of cheap stuffed animals, and rotate them (keep in a closet) and rub with new catnip. Another game kitties love: roll up a ball of aluminum foil (shiny side in) about 1 1/2 " diameter, and throw it, and play fetch, they love it. Good luck! You can email me if you like.
  • Elaine753 Elaine753 on Nov 01, 2015
    My tree was always in a corner and I would use tea cup hooks placed in the wall or door molding, then wound green wire wrapped around the tree trunk about 1 1/2 foot from the top of the tree. Then take the the wire and tie it to the hooks you have placed on both sides of the tree. Also I didn't put ornaments on bottom section of tree...this helped with the swatting temptation. Good luck. 😺