Putting Up a Christmas Tree

One of my cats checking out her first Christmas tree at Bluebird Gardens.

Putting Up a Christmas Tree

If you have pets, you know a Christmas tree is just a big toy to some. Since I grew up with a variety of pets, we had some special things we did to make the holiday safe for everyone.

Christmas trees, for example, were tied up to room posts so that when - it was not an if - cats decided to climb it, the tree would at least be anchored. 

I thought about this as I put up my little artificial tree this year. I used to have several small decorated artificial trees I would scatter around the house but they were stolen earlier this summer so I thought it was time I get a bigger tree.

A quick visit to a local thrift shop and I had a nice 4-foot artificial tree to set up in my living room window. I centered the tree in the window so I could see if from the outside and started to add the garnish.

Didn't take long to realize my placement was less than optimal. I had placed the Christmas tree in the prime bird-watching spot, something my cat Shirley Honey let me know was not acceptable. She tried to settle into her favorite bird-watching spot on a nearby chair. When that didn't make it clear my decor was not working, she moved beside the tree turning back to look at me as if to say this is just not going to work, see why?

After a few minutes, I agreed with her and moved the tree off to the side, next to the fireplace. Now the tree can still be seen from the outside and she can still watch her birds from the comfort of the inside easy chair.

There's absolutely a compromise for any issue, including putting up a Christmas tree with a cat!

Charlotte