dscherer@ihuxe.UUCP (12/06/83)
Well, Christmas times bestows upon us once again. This year I'll be celebrating it a bit differently with a lovely new bride and a hyper- active feline. My question to all wonderful cat owners out there in net land is how does most cats react to real Xmas trees? My wife's family had the artificial type of tree with the handy pine scented aerosol can for the all too realistic effect. Her cats would just mainly attack the shiny ornaments. I am use to having the real type of tree at the house and would like to continue this tradition. I don't know too much about the spray type of repellent; tried the kind in the orange can and thought I was going to gag to death. I hate the thought of coming home to find a tree tipped over with water and such. So, any suggestions would be most welcomed.
dscherer@ihuxe.UUCP (12/06/83)
Sorry left out my name and number... Duwayne Scherer At&t Bell Labs (312) 979-0445 ihuxe!dscherer
zzz@mit-eddie.UUCP (Mike Konopik) (12/06/83)
We've had both real Xmas trees and excitable cats ever since I can remember being alive, and all I can suggest is that you get a very sturdy base for the tree and don't use tinsel (that shiny, stringy stuff that hangs down like a string toy). My experience is that you won't be able to keep cats from chewing on the needles, so don't put strange chemicals into the base or spray them on the tree. And if you keep the hanging ornaments a couple of feet from the floor, you can avoid a lot of trouble with them being knocked off. We never had a cat actually climb the tree, but I wouldn't say that it won't happen... -- -Mike genrad!mit-eddie!zzz (UUCP) ZZZ%MIT-OZ@MIT-MC (ARPA)
ariels@orca.UUCP (Ariel Shattan) (12/07/83)
I've never had an Xmas tree (wrong cultural milieu), but I have heard one thing about them and felines: DON'T USE TINSEL. The little critters will eat the tinsel, and then wander around with a silver strand dragging out one end or the other 'til it gets all the way through. Yukko!
andie@cvl.UUCP (Diane Donaldson) (12/07/83)
I got my first cat a year and a half ago, and had a real tree for Christmas. My cat is an indoor cat, but if she manages to sneak outside, she likes to eat grass. The tree seemed like the next best thing to her, so I would catch her eating the lower branches every once in a while. Unfortunately, that made her throw up; it took her about a week to make the connection (never said she was a particularly *smart* cat!). I have three cats now, and am seriously considering not getting a real tree this time... But she never did try to pull it over, anyway... Diane Donaldson ...seismo!rlgvax!andie