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Post by akansan on Dec 3, 2007 23:28:12 GMT -5
So, does anyone else have a cat that believes the artificial Christmas tree is tasty? Every year, I struggle with this. Every year, I chase Alex away from the tree, knowing full well that while I'm away he'll be munching on the ends of the tree. And yes, knowing that I'll get the joy of cleaning up his presents when the fake pine needles decide they don't like being in his stomach. I've tried the spray on pet away stuff - two types. I think he's a masochist or something. Someone suggested once to get it off the ground - so now it sits 2 feet off the ground...doesn't stop him. I'm about ready to price the vibration mats to see what that would do...but he'd probably like those also. Has anyone else conquered this beast? Right now my cat is hiding and my dog thinks I hate him because I yelled and stomped my foot at the cat.  Yes, my dog is a wuss. Next year, I just might forgo Christmas. *sigh* |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2007 0:02:20 GMT -5
Well, Im not sure if it would work and it would certainly be an eyesore but Ive heard of people putting aluminum foil in areas that their cats go because they dont like the feel of it on their feet........like for cats that jump on kitchen counters. But knowing your cat, he would probably eat the foil too! Maybe you need a foil tree skirt this year.
Shannon
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Post by pho on Dec 4, 2007 8:09:56 GMT -5
Ronda...you might have some luck if you spread some cyenne (sp) pepper around the tree. I know dogs hate it and have heard cats are not fond of it either. What ya got to lose?
Merry Christmas..
Tom
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Post by beefjello on Dec 4, 2007 8:27:47 GMT -5
I suppose you could use barbed wire for garland. I can just see the little ones gathered under the tree Christmas morning, sitting on piles of vibrating tin foil and squinting from the pepper spray. Ack indeed!  |
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Post by ladyt on Dec 4, 2007 9:01:56 GMT -5
My husband said put double faced tape on the floor around the tree. LOL  |
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KG1960
has rocks in the head
Member since August 2008
Posts: 512
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Post by KG1960 on Dec 4, 2007 9:06:22 GMT -5
Sounds exactly like ours (they aren't secretly emailing each other, are they?). Ours even managed to take out one of those miniature lights and was batting it around on the floor. Of course, ornaments disappear regularly and turn up in various places around the house. We haven't yet this year found him in the tree, perhaps he's too big now.
Resistance is futile. Here's another cat story. Another of our cats would jump up on the kitchen counter. We read somewhere to keep cats off of places where you don't want them, just squirt them with a squirt gun when they are there. So here we are eating supper with a couple of squirt guns on the table (not sure who's more weird - the cat or us). So we squirted him several times over a few days and he gets to idea not to be on the counter. But, it was not quite that simple: His idea was not to be on the counter when humans are around. I would come up the stairs from the basement and hear a thump (knowing full well it was the cat jumping off the counter). I get upstairs and there would be the cat on the floor with his cat smile saying, "See, I'm not on the counter."
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Post by akansan on Dec 4, 2007 10:10:24 GMT -5
LOL KG1960! That does sound like my cat. When I moved last month, I was amazed at the Christmas ornaments I found when I moved the furniture. My the other household cat (who stayed in New Mexico) liked to lay inside the tree, but didn't eat the tree. I had forgotten which was which. Now I wish I had the other one!
Lady T - (Whoops! I keep forgetting the name change!) I've thought about it.
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Post by cina on Dec 4, 2007 10:49:00 GMT -5
Ok I may be able to help My lover Tails put all 7.5 feet of our tree over on his head and thinks the stuff on the tree is ther for him to play with so I got a water gun and every time he went over there he got it after about 3 days of this he walks around the tree with 5 feet of room betwen him and it Hope it helps you to! |
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Post by akansan on Dec 4, 2007 10:55:33 GMT -5
Water guns and spray bottles don't work on Alex. He has the strangest coat - water beads up on it...
(He's also rather stubborn. The more you spray him, the more likely he is to do exactly what you do not want him to do!)
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AGATEGRRRL
spending too much on rocks
AGATEGRRRL
Member since October 2007
Posts: 466
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Post by AGATEGRRRL on Dec 4, 2007 11:07:21 GMT -5
Welcome to cat world! I've had cats all my life & we have 4 right now. They aren't like dogs & will just find a way to do what they want, especially climbing on something as intriguing as a Christmas tree. The best thing you can do is to get a small tree & try to put it up & away from him as much as possible & accept that cats will climb trees & mess with stuff. It's their nature. You have to just love them the way they are & keep standing the tree back up, or putting the (get unbreakable) ornaments back on & not take it too seriously & enjoy the show. Just be sure to NOT ever use tinsel! They will eat it & it causes bad problems. I know this from personal experience! We love our kitties & they are like family to us, so we find ways to accept their behavior & work with it. Sorry I couldn't offer a more appealing solution!
Patti
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Post by krazydiamond on Dec 4, 2007 11:19:13 GMT -5
from personal experience i can absolutely agree on the NO TINSEL rule......
but can offer no solution to Alex's obsession with fake trees. sorry.
KD
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stefan
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Dec 4, 2007 11:35:26 GMT -5
WHAT??? you didn't put up the tree for the cat??? Shame on you- I don't even want to think about the tinsel thing (our cat we had when I was a kid had the nickname Ole' Tinsel A$$)
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2007 11:41:59 GMT -5
I had to laugh at the title of this thread. First, you see Cina's "my kitty is a diva" thread and right next to it "Ack! Stupid Cat" LOL
Shannon
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huffstuff
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since August 2007
Posts: 1,222
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Post by huffstuff on Dec 4, 2007 11:57:27 GMT -5
We've had our cat for two Christmases now. We put the tree in the study and close the doors. Sigh. But we'd hate for her to have some sort of intestinal blockage... no tinsel, of course. Have you tried sticky stuff? Someone mentioned 2-sided tape. The stuff they sell to keep cats from clawing furniture -- my cat likes to nibble on it! The same with packing tape on my FRBs -- she likes to nibble on it! But I have a friend who finally put shelf liner, sticky side out, on her guest bedroom door to keep her cats from banging on the door and waking up guests in the mornings. It's worth a try!  Good luck. Amy |
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Post by Tonyterner on Dec 4, 2007 12:04:44 GMT -5
Our older cat has never really been interested in the tree. This year we have a new kitten who is much more active and gets into everything she can. We are kind of dreading putting up the tree this year but what is Christmas without a tree. I've used the cayenne pepper trick on my bird feeders to keep the squirrels out with mixed success. At first they avoid it but by the middle of the winter it doesn't seem to bother them at all.
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Post by takilasunrise on Dec 4, 2007 12:56:47 GMT -5
Tigger, who is now residing with my daughter, has decided to "hide-out" under her Christmas tree and has been caught chewing on the branches a couple of times. She, too, said she doesn't know what he does when she's not around! I've heard of putting Christmas trees in playpens, but I think that only works for dogs and little human babies. The double-sided tape works great! When I lived in my duplex with Tigger, he used to jump up on my window air conditioner and knock if off balance. I finally put the double sided tape across the top......he only jumped up there once and then stopped! It was funny to see him sticking out each of his legs, shaking them because he didn't like the feeling! Unfortunately, it's gonna take a lot of tape to put around the tree. I guess you need to create a tin foil tree skirt with the double sided tape all over it! Wouldn't that be beautiful!
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Post by akansan on Dec 4, 2007 14:05:13 GMT -5
As an added benefit, it'll keep the electricals out, huh.  |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2007 14:14:00 GMT -5
Well, then there is the subject of dogs. Takila........you know all about my insane Jack/Aussie Shepherd mix, Buckshot. He is a little demon. Once he catches sight of the tree, he will steal and hide all of the decorations, not to mention that fact that he runs around like a whirlwind sending ornaments flying across the room from his tail. And he loves STICKS. Any stick within reach, as in, the entire christmas tree is fair game to him. Here's a little funny.......on my oldest daughter's first christmas, we were over at the in laws. We were all standing in the kitchen talking and our daughter had toddled into the family room where the tree was. She was only out of sight for about ten seconds. Next thing we know, we hear a THUNK! and a SCREAM. We all ran in there and here is our daughter on the floor with the entire christmas tree on top of her. The only thing you could see were her flailing arms and legs. Gosh, Im surprised we didnt scar her for life. LOL Shannon |
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Post by docone31 on Dec 4, 2007 15:38:30 GMT -5
You are worried about the cat. Well,
If the water beads up on his fur, and he is not afraid of water, and also licks plastic, it sounds like a Bengal, or Bengal mix.
Servals, and Bengals like water. Bengals have water repellant fur. Ralph will jump into the bath when we are in the water. Both Ralph, and Muffy, both F1 Bengals, love plastic. When we come back from the grocery store, both Ralph and Muffy fight over who gets to lick the outside of the bags.
At first I thought we had cats with either vitamin defficiency, or were possesed by the Electricls. After speaking with other Bengal servants they also said the same things. The Bengal breed identification has to do with hind leg measurements, and tail measurements.
Our Bengals are not people friendly. They do not allow strangers to enter the home. Move anything in the house and they lose their minds. They do not sleep with us and only occasionally do they allow us to touch them. Then it is only for a couple of minutes. They leave shaking their paws. Bengals also will stretch out one hind leg just before they give the quick nuzzle.
Perhpas that explains the behaviour with plastic.
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Post by takilasunrise on Dec 4, 2007 15:48:11 GMT -5
Our Tigger LOVES to chew on plastic grocery bags, too....don't know why, though. I used to have a cat that loved to lick/eat my hair; actually, I think she liked the hairspray. I wouldn't think it would taste all that good! Weird...........
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Yes, my dog is a wuss. Next year, I just might forgo Christmas. *sigh*
Good luck.
