The photos of the "dis-assembled" christmas tree brought back many memories, as well as a good belly laugh!!!
As to my own Christmas tree. Fortunately I will be in Alaska, this year over the holiday - so I can use that as an EXCUSE to NOT put one up at my house, this year. B)
BUT -- I've had MULTIPLE cats for YEARS - and I've tried a lot of DIFFERENT things, and SOME work (sort of) and other things are MISERABLE failures. :blink:
MOST important - cats and BREAKABLE glass ornaments are NOT a good combination. I have ALL "unbreakable" decorations, now (well at least things which won't SHATTER into SHARDS) A DETERMINED cat can STILL break plastic ornaments if they wish. :huh:
Some cats REALLY love to "chew" on the lights -- so far, my BIGGEST challenge. The small plastic lights that are wired in such a way that the whole STRING doesn't go off, if ONE is removed, is the most effective... Don't even THINK you won't lose a FEW lights (grin) Even SASQUATCH is a culprit in THAT regard.
As far as keeping the tree UPRIGHT... I've used a medium sized cup hook screwed into the ceiling, then heavy weight fishing line, tied to the TOP of the trunk of the tree, and double looped into the cup hook is EXTREMELY helpful.
Next, the smallest version of multi-purpose plastic ties, (often used for securing wiring) looped through the hook on ornaments, then looped around the BRANCHES of the tree, and pulled tight - are most effective, at keeping the little rascals from un-decorating the tree in your absence work... but are an AWFUL LOT of work both attaching the ornaments to the tree while decorating -- then when YOU want to REMOVE them, just as much work.
If you have a tree which has branches that "stick into the trunk, it is a little easier to just LEAVE the most tightly attached ornaments on the branches, and just pack them back up, with ornaments still attached. (makes for a little LESS work, NEXT year (grin)
I haven't ventured to TRY a REAL tree, for SEVERAL years. So, I don't know what you folks who do a "real" tree would do, about that.
Any way you go... as determined as some Bengals are -- I have NO idea how you will completely prevent ANY ornament removal. (grin)
Just a few ideas. I KNOW that "weighting" the tree hasn't seemed to help, even with my NON-bengals -- I figure if a non-bengal can turn a tree over, by racing up the "trunk" to remove the angel or star from the top -- I can't begin to imagine what the Bengals would do.
I can't WAIT to read all of the posts, in the coming month, of what DOES and what does NOT work - in this regard.
I have not left the house, since I got home from work, Wednesday -- and both ME and all of my cats, are loving the "extra" relaxing time.
I may TRY to wrap some presents which need to be "shipped" this weekend... but I'm BETTING, I'll have help, no matter HOW HARD I TRY, to have a "cat free" room, when I begin.
Good luck - for all those who will, once again ATTEMPT to "cat proof" their holiday decorations!
LaVon