Things that don’t go together

Cats and Christmas Trees (or Hannakuh Bush)

I’ve seen lots of funny videos on Facebook showing cats climbing these trees, knocking them over, generally wreaking havoc and spilling decorations all over the place. I noticed that most of the cats appear fairly young, but that could be deceiving. Even older cats think tinsel and baubles are something to play with. Except us.

We’re pretty lucky. Our cats are not big toy freaks. A friend of mine has a number of cats and got them this spiral thing that the cats can roll around and lay in and push hither and yon. Her cats have a blast with it. 

My cats run away from it.

The sad toy

It’s now laying in a corner of our bedroom, looking like some malnourished snake with a feather in its butt, sad and lonely. Silly me, I bought two of them, so I gave one to a friend who has a kitten. That kitten did exactly what any feline with any gumption would do - he tore into it, rolled it around, batted it from one room to the next (no small feat as it’s fairly lengthy), and had a ball. Then he’d sleep for a few hours and start again. 

I doubt my friend will put up a tree to celebrate the season, as her not-so-tiny-anymore kitten would be climbing to the top and wrestling the star or angel residing there out of the way. A kitten as the topper is a much nicer thing, I’m sure he’d be thinking.

We, on the other hand, have a bunch of slugs for cats, so are feeling that this year we can safely put up a tree and expect it to stay upright and the ornaments where they belong - on the branches. All of our ornaments are unbreakable, which I think is one of the first things to learn when you have cats and trees in close proximity. The other is to never put ornaments on the bottom branches. Even if it’s unbreakable, if it’s dangling at paw level it will end up under the living room couch for sure. You’ll be finding stray ornaments for the next 365 days.

Ry (ree) behaving himself under the tree

I’ve not experienced a dog taking out a tree, but perhaps there are stories and pictures out there - anyone?

Have a safe and merry holiday keeping your pets out of the branches of whatever you are decorating with!