Cats and Christmas: Recipe For Disaster
Updated on
Hi, I’m Dr. Maja! Read my introduction to learn more about me and Miki, the kitten who made me a cat person.
Last year we had a mini Christmas tree, well more like a single branch, that we decorated. Miki was very keen to explore it and bat at it, in the beginning. But he eventually left it alone, as it wasn’t that shiny or interesting. And he was already a big boy, being over 6 months old. This year is a totally different story. Two kittens and Miki, and a proper Christmas tree. It’s bound to go wrong!
It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like…
Christmas time! The loveliest time of the year. We’ve had a lot of snow already and a white Christmas after many years. The kittens don’t seem too thrilled about the snow. Nara has now had the chance to experience it since I’m slowly starting to let her go out, but she hasn’t gone further than the front door yet. Minnie ventured a little bit further but stayed close to me, and after a few minutes, realized my shoulder was still the safest and most comfortable place to be. Or at least the driest.
First Encounter with a Tree
A week before Christmas, I got a live tree so I can plant it in the spring. Smelling fresh and rich, it brought a special forest feel inside the house. And with the snow outside, the atmosphere was perfect. Minnie, being Minnie, climbed on the tree within the first 10 minutes. She found that sitting on the soil just below the lowest branches was actually a great place to hide from Nara, who was more reserved and cautious. Nara approached it, but so far (fingers crossed it remains this way), hasn’t shown any intent to jump up on it.
How to Keep a Kitten Away From a Tree
For the first few days, I left the tree in the same place, in the hope that Minnie would lose interest. But she hasn’t. She didn’t get any further than the pot level and the lowest branches, but she really got hooked on it. So I moved the tree to a corner of the room, a little bit out of the way, and raised it further up, using a steel bin. Initially, I was so proud, as it seemed high enough to stop Minnie from jumping up. But soon enough, as I turned around and was looking for her, there she was back at the lowest tree branches, having a great time.
She knows exactly what I mean when I say no, but the only thing that worked so far was me physically moving her away from it, again and again, and distracting her from it. And I have to say, her interest in it has reduced. It may also have to do with the fact that she has a few other good hiding spots from Nara in the vicinity of the tree that are easier to get to.
Safety Precautions
I placed the decorations on Christmas Eve, but not on the lowest two levels of branches to keep it out of their way. The lights are only on in the evenings and while I am home, otherwise they are unplugged, as Minnie can’t be trusted. Luckily, she hasn’t tried to eat any of the pine needles, and she hasn’t even seen the tinsel, as it’s way too high for her. And Nara is more interested in exploring the rest of the house than the tree, as I recently gave them access to the other two floors, hoping to keep them busy. Maybe there is a chance the tree and the kittens will actually survive this festive period.
What Miki Thinks of It All
Miki couldn’t care less about the presence of a tree in our living room. He came over to sniff it once and that was it. He’s grown up so much in the last year and it’s becoming obvious he’s no longer a kitten, now at a year and a half old. It’s hard to imagine that Minnie and Nara will calm down this much a year from now, as they are both full of mischief in their own way, and seem way more adventurous than Miki was at their age.
Miki does at times have his zoomies when he chases one of the kittens and tries to pounce and wrestle them. He seems to be enjoying their company more than he did a few weeks ago. And even Minnie and Nara seem to be getting along just a fraction better. There is less hissing, although there is still a fair amount. Maybe it’s the Christmas spirit of kindness and joy that got into them all.
- Read her previous article: Cat Sleeping Poses & Choice of Beds: Miki, Minnie & Nara Explore
