Thor Looked Up at the Tree and Seemed to Be Planning Something
Chin lifted and golden eyes wide, a fluffy brown tabby cat sits on a chunky knit blanket and stares up at the Christmas tree. Its coat is thick and tufted, with dark stripes along the chest, and its ears have little tufts at the tips. The tree is hung with wooden stars, round woven ornaments, and a golden bell. The room around it is happily messy, with a coat on a chair, books and mugs on the table, and pine sprigs everywhere.
Norwegian Forest Cats are sturdy, long-haired cats with water-resistant coats, and they love to climb. A tree like this one can look like a ladder to the sky for a cat, so it is smart to anchor it firmly and keep fragile ornaments high. Wooden and fabric ornaments are a safer choice than glass for a home with a climber. Keep tinsel and hooks away, since swallowed pieces can be dangerous. A tall cat tree near the real one gives your cat a place to climb that is meant for it.
The climber, whom we will call Thor, studies the branches as if planning a route. He does not move yet, only watches and thinks. It is the calm before the leap, or maybe just the quiet pleasure of looking up. Either way, the tree looks beautiful, and so does the cat gazing up at it.
