Last year my 2 6 month old kittens totally destroyed my Christmas tree. I bought another after Christmas so this year we have a brand new one. One has mellowed out and is no threat to the tree, but the other still climbs the ficus tree in the living room, the window blinds, whatever. She is going to destroy my new tree again I just know it. I've tried those sprays and they don't work. I scold her but she just looks at me till I get up and then she runs till I sit down again and she goes right back. Any suggestions? She is spayed. I can't do Christmas without a tree. The tree goes up next month, but I've been worried about it forever!
Answers:
LOL!
Sounds like she's the life of the party! But hey, who doesn't love Christmas and all the wonderfully shiny decorations?
There are static electricity devices you can try. Usually they are a blanket looking thing that gives them a jolt when they touch it. It might work, but she seems the type to jump over the darn thing and hit the tree at full velocity.
Maybe a ultra sonic device or something that makes a hateful noise will work. They are on motion sensors, so it will work even when you're away.
You could try "cat proofing" the tree. Bolt it to the floor, and glue on the ornaments, or something. That way she can climb and play, but nothing will be knocked off and broken.
Can the cat be kept out of the room with the tree? This is probably the least do-able. Why have a tree that isn't in the family room, and the cat is family, so can't be isolated away.
A little more extreme is a shock collar. They make "Invisible Fences" that you could set up around the tree. It's a kit that comes with metal wire, a collar and plastic flags. Put the wire under the tree skirt, put the collar on the cat, and the flags out to warn her (temporarily, just until she learns the boundary), and she will learn quick that approaching the forbidden zone will get her shocked. Like I said, extreme, but it might be the only way.
Get a smaller tree, one she can't climb. Maybe she will be less facinated by a smaller one, especially if you leave it out for her inspection for a few days prior to decorating it.
Good Luck
Try to put the tree in a room that the cats don't go in. I know it will suck, but it will work.
I vured my cats of doing that by being real firm when I catch them I grab them bring them over to the tree and spank (lightly) and say No very firmly very abrasively. After a few times of catching them and doing that, they stopped. Unless you can put something around the tree to block the cats from it, you got yourself a huge job keeping them away from that. I did not put anything breakable on the tree for the first couple of years that way I didn't come home from work to see broken bulbs on the floor. Good luck
We haven't had a real tree in over 20 years because of cats, and they still climb the fake ones. Well, actually the two older cats have stopped, but we have a kitten now, so it'll start back up. Sorry, but that's life. The spray stuff reeks, so that's out of the question, but you can try citrus scents, cats don't seem to like citrus.
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