As you have probably read by now, the Christmas tree is up at our house. It is an artificial tree, so there’s no need to protest deforestation for the sake of Christmas.
The tree always becomes a favorite cat toy during the time it is up. One year, I found Maddy lying deep inside the lower section of the tree! I am sure it is the same at your house. I wanted to offer a few tips and tricks I use when trimming the tree:
• Leave the icicles outside. I am not sure if these are a big thing where you live, but they are quite common here in the South. They are little bits of silver mystery material that basically have intestinal distress written all over them. Kiki encountered them on my mother’s tree once and LOVED them. They certainly made for an interesting litter box cleaning that week.
• Sacrifice a few ornaments for the “kids.” I place a few non-breakable ornaments on the lower limbs. Let the furry kids play with them and place the nicer stuff higher on the tree.
• Fishing line can be your friend. One year, I decorated the tree with beautiful glass ornaments. I used fishing line to tie the ornaments to the tree. Yes, it took longer to decorate the tree and much longer to disassemble it later. Not a single ornament was broken, though.
• Speaking of fishing line, watch out for hooks. I found plastic ornament hooks and use them, instead of the old-fashioned metal kind. I figure plastic would do less damage to paws than metal would. I also wrap the hook several times around the limb. I do not want the cats (or dog) to eat any hook, plastic or metal.
• Hold your tree hostage. If you fear your buddies are going to pull down the tree, place a small hook in the wall. Tie the fishing line to the tree and through the hook. Sure, you will have a small hole in the wall to patch later. What’s worse? A little hole in the wall or a sound of the tree, crashing to the floor at 2:00 a.m.? And, yes, it would be at 2:00 a.m.; it always is!
With the holidays fast approaching, I welcome any suggestions you have for holiday safety.
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