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A tortoiseshell cat stands on a table and bats a red ornament on a small potted evergreen tree 2 / 22

Her Paw Was Inches from the Ornament. The Tree Had No Idea.

AI imagetortoiseshell catchristmas ornamenttabletop tree

Nobody told the little tree that it was about to be tested. A tortoiseshell cat has planted herself on the table beside a potted evergreen, one front paw stretched out, fingertips just touching a shiny red ornament on the lowest branch. Her mottled coat of black, brown, and amber looks like autumn leaves, and her ears are tipped forward in total concentration. Behind her a cozy couch is draped with a gray blanket, and the room looks pleasantly messy in the way holiday rooms do.

Ornaments are irresistible to cats because they swing, shine, and respond to every tap, which taps right into a cat's hunting instincts. The trouble is that glass baubles can shatter and hooks can be swallowed. A common-sense approach is to keep fragile and edible decorations high up, hang soft or shatterproof ones on the bottom third of the tree, and anchor the tree so it cannot tip. Some owners also give their cat a few special toys nearby so there is a better target than the tree. If a cat swallows something it should not have, call your vet right away.

This one looks like she has already decided the red ball is hers. The only open question is how long the branch can hold out. Her tail flicks once, a sign that the plan is already forming and the tree is only a spectator.

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