What is it with cats and trees?
At this time of year, I see post after post on FaceBook showing cats in various positions in, around and under the Christmas trees. Heck, there is even a cute little cartoon with a cat and the tree (you gotta see it if you haven’t already.) So all this got me thinking. Just what is it with cats and trees?
Well, our domestic cats are really far from domestic. Anyone who lives with cats knows this all too well. If you told someone that you lived with a loved one who had been known to knock things off the shelves, urinate in the houseplants, rip up the furniture, lays around for hours sleeping in the sun, occasionally scratches and sometimes bites you, they’d look at you like you are nuts. “You put up with that?” they’d ask. Not to mention that these “family members” also can leave dead bodies and body parts on our front porch. But our cats are also full of play, find joy in the simplest things (a paper bag or empty box) and are nice warm sleeping partners in the winter. Not sure about you, but my cats love to play with a crumpled piece of paper or the ring from the milk jug – all with absolute fascination! My one cat, Lars, enjoys knocking things off the counter so the dogs will pick it up and get in trouble. He almost giggles when he hears me say to the dogs “hey, how did you get that ink pen?” When we both look at him, he shrugs it off – “I have no idea how the dog got that.” My cats are full of michievious behavior – sitting in the sink, laying across (or walking across) my laptop and shoving my book out of the way so they can lay on my chest about 2 inches from my face. All things my cute kitties get into.
My kitties will also tell me when it is time for them to be fed. Me, The Provider, must put food in their tummy, right now in fact. But when we lived in an older home a few years ago, our first indoor kitty, Maybelle, rid our home of all the mice. I had never had an indoor cat (I grew up on a farm) so was unfamiliar with their hunting methods. Maybelle would sit politely in front of the cabinet doors below the kitchen sink. She’d look up at us with her big wide eyes, “Yes, there is an intruder in there” she would say. When we went to bed that night, we’d leave the doors open and in the morning, mousey was gone. Awesome!
When we moved to our hobby farm, we didn’t have a mouse problem until we started storing food for the ducks and sheep in our barn. We then contemplated what type of rodent control we’d like to employ. The best option – barn cat. Since keeping a cat in the barn – no mice, not even one has been seen.So all of this is painting a picture and I bet you are wondering – what does all this have to do with cats and trees? Trees emit wonderful energy and represent a very grounding sense of power. When we invite our cats to live a domestic life by staying indoors, we take away their ability to stay connected to nature. They crave this connection and need it to survive and have a healthy, happy life. Cats love to connect with the tree spirits in many ways. They need their surface to scratch and sharpen their claws. Ever notice that most cat scratching posts are made of wood or cardboard. Both sourced from the tree! Cats need tree branches to climb and strengthen their bones and muscles – they must catch their dinner after all. They use the height of trees to observe danger approaching and to escape predators. Perching on tree branches also allow cats to stalk their prey – their food. This video is full of beautiful lions in the trees of Uganda. The producer states they sometimes perch in these trees to escape the biting flies that live in the grasses and to catch a passing breeze in the hot climate. Either way, so lovely to see them enjoying the safety of the trees.Cats love to be high and commune with nature from a very safe spot. Trees provide this safety but we’ve all seen the numerous references in TV shows, movies and cartoons depicting a little kitten that has gotten to the tippy top of a tree and cannot get back down. They have a “spot on” sense of humor!Cats love to connect with trees and the wood element.
When we invite this energy into our homes by putting up a Christmas tree, we awaken this yearning in our domestic cats. They want and need to connect to Mother Earth in their most favorite way – trees! So if you are thinking of getting your kitty friend a gift, consider getting them their very own tree or at least something made of wood 🙂 Especially important for cats with their claws (gee, I hope they all have them!) since cats use the scratching with their claws to stretch their muscles and adjust their spine.So trees and kitties go hand in hand. Next time your cat topples the Christmas tree or lands in your ficus tree, realize they are seeking Earth energy and help them find better options.
