I could try to figure out how we can have a Christmas tree with our three obnoxious fuzzballs and their tendency to create disaster.

This would probably violate your lease, but have you considered boring one of those big metal hooks, the name of which I cannot think of but which I've used to hang a hammock between two trees, into the wall, then anchoring the tree to the wall with bungee cords? Granted, this doesn't mean the cats won't knock the ornaments off individually, but it would keep them from knocking the whole tree over.

(Then you could take pictures and submit them to There, I Fixed It!)