The simplest way to maintain an erect tree throughout the season is to anchor the tree. A sturdy tree base also helps and that is really what kept Lexie Lee from knocking over the tree last year. If you restrict the cat from the tree room when you are away from home, you will safeguard both the tree and the cat.
Do you have a toppled tree story starring your innocent looking cat?
Our cat likes to climb about halfway up and go to sleep in the branches.
My parents had a very tall vaulted ceiling in the dining room of the house where I grew up. My father liked tall Christmas trees. The tallest we ever got was a little over 15’.
THAT is the tree one of the cats (a stout, black and white, ex-male 18 pounder) chose to climb to the top of, and to subsequently topple.
It was quite a mess. The cat, of course, came through the event unscathed; but there were a LOT of broken ornaments and light bulbs (we still ussed some relatively large-bulbed glass lights at the time).
Last time I had a live tree, it went over without the help of a kitty.
And, I had just filled the stand with water & there were a number of wrapped gifts under the tree.
It wasn’t a pretty sight!
Tie the tree to sturdy wall anchors or hang it from a massive ceiling anchor.
Nope.
On advice from my Father-in-law who always had cats, we had only Blue Spruce Christmas trees.
Cats don't care for them at all.
Bump
When I was about 10 years old, we got a new kitten a few days before Christmas. Some family friends had a litter and “Pumpkin” was the scrawny little runt. We had a decent size, real tree that year. First night Pumpkin was home there was a loud crash in the middle of the night. She must have climbed all the way to the top and then starting swaying big time, because no way did this little kitten weigh more than 10-12 ounces.
I use an artificial tree, and it is always securely anchored to the living room wall of my 4 cat home.
I'm guessing this means "real" tree but I wouldn't call it "live". If it were "live" I'd say it had a root ball. If that were the case, a 10ft tree with a root ball would probably weigh about 500 lbs. or more. Not easy to get that in your house...
We have two Maine Coon cats; the “little” one is still pretty big, but scrawny at 13 pounds and lightning fast; the “big” one is a giant furry rugby ball weighing in at around 29 pounds of solid inertia. I’m not sure I want a Christmas tree this year. It’s not going to end well.
}:-)4
I have owned a lot of cats, but never any like these two! They are a rambunctous mess. And we love them!
But, there is no way I am going to put a Christmas tree up inside the house this year. They run, jump, dart, pounce and attack from every imaginable angle. They have knocked over everything and anything in their path. They pounce down from the top of cabinets, shelves, armoire's, TV, etc, right onto to you... where ever "you" might be.
I put the tree on the enclosed back porch this year. They sit at the door trying their best to get out. If we don't get tackled, tripped or trampled trying to get out, we may actually have a tree this year. If they beat us to the punch at the door... the tree will be history. Guess where my bet is laid?
Any cat named “Lexie Lee” and “Noelle” spells trouble. Cats need descriptive names like “Itchy”, “Scratchy”, “Scrappy”, “Scrubby”, “Memememe”, “Nasty”, “Snotty”, “Snarley”, “Gimme”, “Queenie”, “King”,
“Trouble”, “Snappy”, etc.
Sigh. Mine is named “Stuffy”. . but, what does one do?
Some fun pics.
Always hang the tree from the ceiling with wire. It can’t fall over, even if the cat and dog start fighting in the tree.
It happens, our dog treed the cat and tried to chase after her. They made a mess, broke some ornaments, but the tree remained upright.
Just screw a big hook into a ceiling joist, then tie the tree in place with strong picture-hanging wire.
bump!
My cats (3) know better. Actually, that is the only thing they obey. Everything else is “their oyster”.