How to prevent cats from climbing on things?

Author: John Stephens
Date Of Creation: 21 January 2021
Update Date: 19 May 2024
Anonim
How to STOP a CAT CLIMBING Places They SHOULDN’T 🌳🐈
Video: How to STOP a CAT CLIMBING Places They SHOULDN’T 🌳🐈

Content

Cats like heights, climbing furniture, curtains and even climbing walls. But why do they do it? Should we avoid this? In affirmative case, how to prevent cats from climbing in places they shouldn't? Feline behavior intrigues us and it is very important to learn to understand it in order to offer our kittens what they really need. Climbing or jumping is part of this behavior and then you will resolve many of your questions.

Find out in this article by PeritoAnimal how to prevent cats from climbing on things without harming their well-being or dulling their nature.

Why do cats like to climb on things?

To understand how to prevent cats from climbing on things, for example furniture, curtains, walls and trees, we need to know first why it does this. It's normal to think that cats have this in their blood, that they feel the need to climb anywhere high, and then sit and stare at us. Well the truth is we're not on the wrong track because they climb by instinct.


The ancestors of cats already climbed because your body was designed for this. They have retractable claws for grabbing, a long tail that keeps them balanced, and a nimble, stealthy body for hunting at heights that seem dangerous to us.

Also, their collarbones are different from ours and those of other animals. Are free-floating collarbones, that is, they are not joined to the shoulder joints, which allows them to move the front legs with great freedom in almost all directions. This is why they almost always land on all fours. As we can see, the cat climbs and jumps by instinct and is a natural behavior in this species.

Perhaps you might be interested in this other article with the 10 animals that jump the highest.

Should cats be prevented from climbing on things?

For a cat, climbing on things is very natural and he doesn't do it because he wants to bother, but because for him it's the most normal thing of the world. Domestic cats need to feel the adrenaline of heights like any wild cat and cats that live on the streets. To satisfy his desire to climb and satisfy the ancestral instinct, his behavior can be directed towards a vertical space built for him. If the cat climbs whenever it wants to allowed places, it can burn energy and we will also avoid the possibility of it climbing the walls or curtains.


Don't forget that cats also get bored due to lack of movement, and this can lead to them developing depression, overweight, or destructive behaviors such as scratching furniture or pulling their own fur. So it's not good to prevent a cat from climbing, what we should do is provide adequate spaces for this activity.

General tips to prevent the cat from climbing where it shouldn't

Now that we know cats need to climb, jump and get the adrenaline pumping in high places, how do you keep cats from climbing in places they shouldn't? As we commented, offering an adequate environmental enrichment to redirect this behavior to the allowed spaces. So keep these tips in mind:

Multi-height scratcher

As you know, cats love to be high. They prefer to look at their environment from an elevated point of view, so they feel that everything is under control. Also, they like to sleep on top because the height gives them security. Therefore, it is essential to offer them a space with different heights to rest and prevent them from wanting to climb walls or furniture, like a scraper. The taller the cat scratcher, the better!


This structure represents an important part of the cat's habitat. Scratchers are wrapped with rope so that cats may scratch and file your nails, so that they are not just for climbing and resting on top. These scrapers allow the animal to release energy and perform one more of the species' typical behavior: marking territory. So, if you've noticed that your cat spiders the furniture, put on scratchers!

But even so, the scraper should be interesting for him, fun, safe and offer the possibility to jump, climb, scratch and lie on top.

Obstacles in prohibited places

As much as cats like to climb, there are also some things they don't like. For example, they don't like something sticking to their paws or unpleasant textures. So, in addition to enriching their environment, to prevent cats from climbing on furniture and other places, we have to make this behavior less interesting for them in places we consider prohibited. Of course, always without harming the animal.

Therefore, an effective and harmless solution is to put double-sided adhesive tape in places where it should not climb. If he steps on, he'll find it's a place he can't climb because the texture will be unpleasant and therefore he will lose interest.

Another option is to put a moving object when the cat climbs. This will teach you that it's not worth continuing. If your cat climbs up on the bench, couch, or table, try not to pet him, but directly down. Otherwise, he will take advantage of the attention you are giving.

How to prevent a cat from climbing the curtains?

Some cats climb the curtains and others hide behind them, but why do they like it so much? They are fascinating to them because they move stealthily and sometimes even have an intriguing rope dangling from them. All these factors are an invitation to play for these animals.

To prevent cats from climbing on curtains it is necessary to make them uninteresting to cats. So put them in such a way that don't reach the ground or window sill, so that the sheath ends at least 4 inches above it. You can also tie them up, especially if your cat is alone in the house and prevent her from moving.

On the other hand, don't forget to check if there are plenty of other alternative toy options for your cat to be entertained. Discover 10 toys to entertain your cat in this other article.

How to prevent the cat from climbing our legs?

Has your kitten climbed your legs yet? The first time it might be fun to see how the cat clings with its sharp nails to the jeans, but if that becomes a habitual behavior, we must find out why he does this and how to avoid it as it can hurt us.

The fact that a cat climbs our legs it has to do with the search for food. From an early age, cats learn to climb trees to be safe while their mother goes hunting. In addition, it may also be that he sees his legs as a way to reach the height he wants, just as he would a tree.

For the above reasons, it is common for the cat to climb our legs when we prepare its food. So it's a good idea for the cat to wait in another room while we prepare the food. However, it's also not that simple because it's necessary to create a peaceful environment to prevent the cat from getting stressed or suffering from anxiety because it feels "forbidden" to enter the kitchen. With positive reinforcement, constancy and, above all, coherence, we will make the animal understand that when we prepare its ration it is not necessary for it to go up.

When we say that it is necessary to be consistent, we mean that we must not allow it to climb our legs under any circumstances, because the animal will not understand why sometimes it can and sometimes not. So, if, for example, we are on the sofa and the cat climbs up our legs to climb, it is necessary to offer him a suitable alternative, such as a scraper with various heights, a ramp or a ladder. Under no circumstances reprimand the cat, simply offer the alternative and reward him when using it.

How to prevent a cat from climbing trees?

If you want to prevent your cat from climbing trees because you're afraid he won't be able to climb down again, you can rest assured, it's normal for him to stay in the tree for a while before he descends. Climb trees it's a natural behavior to hunt and observe the surroundings, but sometimes it can be difficult for a cat to get back down because the leaning position is rare for him. This makes him uneasy, but once he's learned, getting down from the tree won't be a problem anymore.

Now, if you're worried that your cat might escape the garden and therefore don't want him to climb trees, you can put a fence in the tree that prevents your access or at the height you want your cat to stop climbing. Also, you can cover the trunk with aluminum foil to keep it from climbing, you can use double-sided tape or film because we already know they don't like those textures.

Now that you know how to prevent cats from climbing on things, you might be interested in this video where we explain why cats sleep at your feet: