Fee, Fie, Foe, Friday: The Cat and The Christmas Tree

Well, this is our first year having a cat in the house at Christmas. I had never considered that Madeleine would think we had kindly erected an indoor tree covered with battable cat toys. Then, my friend Carol pointed out that her new kitten was systematically destroying their decorations. The stuff you learn living with a cat. With a dog, they adapt to your life, with cats, you adapt to theirs. No wonder I've always been a dog person.

We're not sure if Maddy has ever seen a Christmas Tree. Neither Chuck, nor I ever remember seeing one in my sister-in-law's home over the holidays. There's a chance this is her first. We're not as worried about her climbing it. She's a jumper, not a climber, since some cruel soul, before they dumped her at the SPCA, had her front claws removed. Plus, since its a fake tree, its sort of spiny and not so nice to grab onto. Still, we have lots of beautiful, glass ornaments, many older, and they really DO look like shiny kitty toys. Uh oh.

I immediately hit the web for information, then the pet supply stores. There are a few sprays around that supposedly keep cats away from things...sounded good until I looked at the back of the bottle and saw how toxic it was to humans... Even a drop of the stuff on your skin and you have to scrub, scrub, scrum..more than a drop, call the doctor!!??? Um, no.

Luckily, the same people who manufacture Nature's Miracle, make an animal repellant spray with all less toxic oils in it, and so, I bought it. Am glad to say, so far, it's working.  It doesn't smell bad to me, either. Just to be on the safe side though, any breakable decorations are at least 3' up the tree. So for poor Maddy's sake, the tree looks a little odd. As for Hobbes, he doesn't seem to care, he has always stayed away from the Christmas Tree. More proof that dogs are smarter than cats. Merry Christmas.

Half-decorated, and all the breakables have to go on top.
 Damn cat. Sigh.