Kitten Loves Christmas Tree TOO Much.. Help?

[FreedbyHim]

Ok everyone I'm DESPERATE!! I have tried everything I thought would work. My little male kitten is almost a year old now, just over 11 months old and neutered. He has a TON of energy - I wish I could bottle it and keep it for days that I have none. Anyways he LOVES the Christmas tree, and the ornaments unfortunately... and even worse he's smashed 4 or 5 glass ornaments on the carpet. Which has left me on my hands and knees picking hundreds of pieces of glass out of the carpet. I try squirting him with water, but he runs and hides on the other side of the tree which gets him another squirt, and another, and another, and on and on and on. He gets really WET! Then I feel horrible and take him into the bedroom and towel dry him off so he doesn't catch a cold and then lock him in the bedroom on time out.

I am getting so fed up with this cute little ball of energy. I spend a lot of time at school which leaves him locked in the bedroom with his toys and litter box and food/water most of the day. So I HATE to put him in the bedroom because he can't leave the tree alone (He's in there right now btw). I've tried putting his harness on him and giving him a long leash and tying him to a piece of furniture but making sure he can't reach the tree. He wraps himself around the furniture until he's choking... so that's a no go. Help help help me please, I'm going bonkers.

[LeapOfFayth]

Maybe put the ornaments higher on the tree so he can't get to them as easily? I really don't know what to say I've never had this problem with any of my cats, they were all afraid of the tree at that age.
Now they just kind of sit beside it and stare at it.

[FreedbyHim]

Originally Posted by LaFin

Maybe put the ornaments higher on the tree so he can't get to them as easily? I really don't know what to say I've never had this problem with any of my cats, they were all afraid of the tree at that age.
Now they just kind of sit beside it and stare at it.

He is a rascal, he climbs it (its a fake tree by the way). He manages to get ornaments off the higher levels because he shakes the tree climbing it. We've placed the only super expensive ornament high up and in deep so it won't fall off. But oh my he is driving me crazy with the breaking.

I am going to my parents for a few weeks and I know they have some more important ones on the tree than my grandparents do but eek, it's worrisome. I'm hoping the dog will tell him off for going near it or the kids will keep him occupied.

[Rosemma]

In my experience, nothing stops a cats curiousity.
My cat was like that as a kitten, he has calmed down a bit now he's older but he still gets up to all sorts of things.

I learnt to deal with it in two ways...
If its safe let him have it (he will soon get fed up and find something else)
And if its not safe just get rid of it.

Im sorry, I wish I knew a better way.

Dont get rid of the christmas tree but dont hang up anything that might break? Maybe if you have some really nice things put them or hang them somewhere else as ornaments?

The water thing never worked with my cat, and I tried clapping making loud noises... all sorts of things people told me to try.

[FreedbyHim]

I think I may have found a temporary fix to the problem, that will work until of course he is bored with it. But.... I clipped his leash onto his safe cat collar - which pops undone if he gets snagged (done a test with him and it does in fact work). Anways for the past 2.5 hours this little cat has been chasing the leash attached to his collar through the rungs of the dining chairs, it's absolutely hilarious. He carries the leash in his mouth and then drops it and runs through the rungs of the dining chairs chasing it.

[razors_and_rosary]

when our littlest cat does something out of order, we tell it off. we literally talk to the cat in an angry voice, and stare at it. cats hate being stared at, and if you keep looking him in the eye he'll understand you're mad. i know this feels mean, but remember it's for the best.
you should definitely keep a close eye on him. if glass ornaments are breaking he could hurt himself.
if this doesn't work, try little screwed up balls of paper as a distraction. it works all the time for our hyper one. we've even taught her to play fetch!
as a quick/momentary fix, go and shake his food bowl (if it's hard food) or tap the tin or make a noise that he associates with food. he should come running
good luck!

[Confused1isin]

I know how you feel, i've been dealing with cats and xmas trees for 8 years. Our current indoor kitties are all about a year and a half old, and have knocked off all the decerations off the bottom of the tree. Catnip is about the only thing that keeps them away, I sprinkle a little on a rug and they go nuts for hours in it. If that doesn't work, try a fan blowing on the tree, i've never had or met a cat that likes the wind.

[no.ordinary.dreamer]

You could take the breakable ornaments off the tree and leave the non breakable ones on and let him have at it until he gets bored with the tree (that may take a few days) then once he is done with the tree put the breakable ornaments back on.

[Broken one]

You won't be able to stop him, the only thing you can try do is distract him, try chucking rolled up pieces of foil for him, or anything shiny should work. You can also get this stuff the repels cats, so if you spray a tiny bit around the tree it should help keep him away from it.

[Melody Pond]

http://www.wikihow.com/Cat-Proof-Your-Christmas-Tree

This has a lot of good tips. I like the one about making it smell like oranges because cats hate citrus smells.

[Broken one]

Originally Posted by Razzmatazz Rach

http://www.wikihow.com/Cat-Proof-Your-Christmas-Tree

This has a lot of good tips. I like the one about making it smell like oranges because cats hate citrus smells.

I wish that would work with mine, my cat loves oranges...and lemons...and limes

[topov]

I heard somewhere that cats and dogs dont like the smell of vinegar... i wouldnt quote me on it, but its worked on our christmas tree, we tried it and everything we put on the tree is still there this year...

all ways worth a try, just dont gas yourself out with it lol