Cozy Christmas Selfie

We put up our Christmas tree and decked the halls the day after Thanksgiving, just as we do every year. It's always a struggle to hold out that long, but it only seems fair to give Thanksgiving its time to shine. The day after, though, it's Christmas!

Being that today is the much anticipated Sunday Selfie blog hop, hosted by the fantastic Kitties Blue over at The Cat on My Head, Evan was eager to snap a cozy selfie to give you all a sneak peak of our Christmas tree, as well as the kitties' early Christmas gift.

This selfie was taken before the tree's final touches had been added, and before the Christmas Tree Terrorist Eddy had realized that her victim the tree was being built. Although I have yet to acquire photographic evidence, Eddy has already climbed to the top of the tree, knocked a number of its branches out of place, and littered the floor with ornaments. Many, many times. I don't know whether to consider her a Christmas enthusiast, or to just call her the Grinch.

Have any of our furiends initiated their Christmas trees yet?

Happy Sunday!

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Our Tip of the Day:

How about some more tips on cats and Christmas trees?

First, weigh out your options of an artificial versus a real tree. While artificial trees of course are not meant to be gnawed on by a kitty, a real tree could potentially cause intestinal upset if chewed, not to mention that the needles can be sharp and painful, and the water to keep it alive a potential danger. Also consider tree size, keeping in mind that the larger the tree, the more damaging and potentially dangerous it could be should it tip over with the help of a kitty.

After you've selected your tree, choose a safe place in the house to place it. You might want to select a place that is safe and snug but that also has plenty of free space around it, without many shelves or knickknacks to fall and hurt any nearby furbabies should a calamity occur. Ensure that the base is sturdily weighted, or even anchored down (thanks, Melissa, for the suggestion of anchoring the tree to the baseboard!). You can even try something to ward your kitty away from trying to climb the base of the tree, such as wrapping the base in aluminum foil, or even placing safe yet sturdy decorations or other items beneath it to block kitty's access.

And, of course, be cautious of what all goes on the tree. Avoid potentially dangerous or breakable ornaments if need be, and tinsel or any other potential choking hazards or dangerous items. Do your best to avoid leaving dangling or enticing cords or strands of decoration. If need be, keep the easily accessible bottom of the tree low on or free of those dangling and tempting ornaments and other decorations, especially those that are breakable or that could be potentially dangerous. Be sure to unplug all strands of lights or other cords should you be unable to supervise your kitty and the tree, especially if your cat is a known Christmas tree terrorist.

Also consider placing an enticing cat tree or other fun kitty zone near the Christmas tree, to perhaps prompt the kitty to use it instead of the Christmas tree. Cats love new things, which is why the Christmas tree going up can be so exciting for them. But, you can also use this concept to help save the tree. Consider getting your cat new toys at the same time as the Christmas tree, to give them something else to which to turn their attention.

If all else fails, you can put the tree in a secluded area where your furbabies are not allowed. There is also the option of putting it within the confines a barrier that they cannot pass. With some careful planning and trial and error, kitties and Christmas trees can coexist!