Cat + Christmas tree = Trouble

How much do we love our cats, asks Gazette business editor Joanna Bean.

So much, she says, that Sicily will be allowed to keep living in her house - despite the fact that she knocked over the Christmas tree this week.

Joanna writes: "She had that 'Yes, I did it - and it was kinda fun' look on her face when we got home. The casualties included two broken ornaments - and, of course, the tree, boughs were bent at odd angles, splayed out on the carpet. After righting the tree, replacing the ornaments, rehanging the lights and wringing out the tree skirt, we evaluated our options: lock up the kitty or take our chances.

"We opted for the latter - hope springs eternal, right? We're no dummies though - the kids took the fragile ornaments off the tree."

I'll check in with the Bean girls and see how Sicily's behaving.

And I'll try to dig up a photo of our last cat, Sean, perched in the branches of our Christmas tree in California.

Now, with two cats, 2+ years old, we have to sequester our trees. The tall tree sits in a back sitting area off the dining room, behind a closed door. The smaller tree - my Batman/super hero tree - sits on the dresser in my bedroom (behind a closed door). I wouldn't trust Darth Grayder and Black Maul within 10 feet of either tree! (Writer Carol McGraw asks if perhaps we'd given them "calmer" names they wouldn't be such terrors!)