Christmas Tree.....HELP>>>

[madgeOwens]

How can I keep 6 month old kitten out of the darn tree?

[Ghilly]

Things to keep the kitties away from the Christmas tree are a good idea, but why not try something to entertain the kitties and take their minds off the tree?  Like a tree of their own, perhaps?  That's what I do, and I have never had a problem with them going after my Christmas tree because they're too busy playing with their own.

You will need the following (all readily available from the craft department of any store that has a craft department):

Either a tabletop sized Christmas tree, the top from an old artificial tree, OR the top piece cut from a live Christmas tree or a small live tree
Felt squares
cotton balls
loose catnip
needle and thread
yarn

Take a ziploc baggie and put the loose catnip in it.  Toss a handful of the cotton balls into the baggie with the catnip, seal up the zipper and toss them around so the catnip sticks to the cotton balls.  Let the balls sit in the baggie until you're ready to use them.  Next, cut some shapes out of the felt.  Cut them in pairs because you're going to sew them together.  Before you sew up the whole thing, stuff it with as many cotton balls as you will need to puff it out and make it hold its shape (whatever shape it's supposed to be).  Sew up the hole where you stuffed it.  Make a loop out of yarn and sew it to the "ornament".  Once you have made a bunch of these "ornaments", set up the kitty tree and decorate it with them.  Your kitties will now be so enamored of their very own tree that they will totally forget about YOUR non-catnip-enhanced tree.  Plan on picking it up several times a day, because they will jump in it, rub on it, etc., so it will frequently be knocked over, but hey, that's the whole idea.  It's THEIR tree, so if they want to ruin it, that's up to them.  It's there to take the heat off your own nicely decorated tree.

Also, if you are handy with a crochet hook, you can crochet some ornaments for the tree as well.  In addition to the catnip ornaments, you can also tie yarn around some soft-moist dog treats and hang them from the tree as well so that the kitties can have a snack while they're playing.  I have done this every year for 30 years now and my tree is always left alone because it's so boring to them.  :)

Ghilly

[PrettyKitty1]

Or you can try bitter apple. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

God, my cat is so spacey he walks passed the tree ignoring it's even there. It's only bringing down my self esteem. Am I not decorating it pretty?
Perhaps he is way into more serious manners, like trying to annoy the heck out of me every morning.

[zodiacqueen]

You can also try getting either a jar or coffee can and fill it with coins and shake it.  That will distract your cat and hopefully scare him away from the tree.  Another trick that I use is a spray bottle filled with water.  You know how much cats love water!!!  LOL  Both of these work!

[dominosarah]

Someone on the forum told me to sprinkle cinnamon around the tree as cats dont like that smell.........i did that and so far so good.