Advice on Cats Climbing (and Falling Off!) Please

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I would have thought that vacuming would be easy............stand on something and use the hose.

[Fire Fox]

 

I don't want carpet for several reasons - firstly how will I vacuum the platform nearest the ceiling, secondly I have a mild dust allergy, thirdly the tree will be in my open plan kitchen/ living area so don't fancy carpet-beating or brushing hair and dander into the air. I would like to be able to wet wipe the platforms or at least use a microfibre duster.

I agree cork would not give a claw-grip tho I am happy to use unfinished cork not varnished. Sisal and seagrass are quite expensive as I need over two square metres, one and a half for the top platform alone (getting the largest possible size so she is less likely to fall off). Mind you EVERYTHING seems expensive, I may just be getting old. 

As I was typing Lulu woke up and made a beeline for my lap. On her first stretch her back end tipped right over to her left as if the leg would not support her. Not seen that happen before even tho I have been watching. So it looks like claw grip and space to stretch on the high platform is critical!

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I am not sure that cork tiles would be any good cos they tend to be a bit shiney and would think if she digs her claws in they will quickly disintegrate.

How about carpet tiles?

[Feline Costumier]

What about seagrass? Not sure how you would buy it in small enough quantities but it's natural, would be great for scratching and no doubt great for a bit of rubbing and sleeping on too!

[Fire Fox]

Draft plans for a combined scratching post/ climbing tree are slowly shaping up, but I need a suitable surface to attach to steps and a high viewing platform. Any ideas what a cat might like other than standard carpeting (which won't work for me)?

It needs to be non-slip, easy to clean, sensibly priced, comfortable to walk or lie on, thin/ lightweight, neutral colour, preferably give some grip for her front paws if Lulu lost her footing, scratchable if she so chooses. I am considering cork tiles, non slip rug matting, hessian (=bag for life), upholstery webbing, sisal carpeting .... 

[Fire Fox]

  once again.

Gill: But we wouldn't have it any other way! 

Onyx: Wow Chloe and Tallulah sound very similar.  Maybe it's for the best Lulu is an indoor cat, I am feeing guilty as she she squeaks at the pigeons even tho they are several floors down and over the road!

[onyx]

It might be the pelvis - sounds quite similar to chloe!!

my girl is also falling off of things and miscalculating jumps and areas, and I am sure that is due to the RTA she was involved in before I adopted her. I was told she had a fractured pelvis.

When I compare the way she walks to fonzie, it is certainly different, and her limp is a lot less noticable then it used to be.


When she first came home she tried to jump normally, and failed miserably. Would get almost to the top of the couter, grasp on for deal life, and then fall backwards - and a bit embarrassed about the whole thing.  She used her nails and front paws for a lot of grasping and strength to pull her up.


She is better than she was, but to compensate for it, I have plenty of things where she can have minijumps to get to her final destination. (ie, chair out to reach the counter or table, coffee table to reach the TV etc).

She is also clumpsier after naps though! and, she spends most of her time laying on her back, but dont know if that is pelvis related? or, if she is just a strange one!

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Maybe her pelvis is a bit off, causing her to miscalculate her jumping and rolling, a bit like how I always catch a toe walking past certain things.........I do have a balance problem but its also cos I dont look LOL.

Its amazing how these little felines get us changing things so they can get access or be safer, despite how inconvenient it is for us 

[Dawn F]

my tilly often rolls off things when she is asleep! I guess Lulu may be a bit ungainly because of the injury she suffered poor girl

[Fire Fox]

  to everyone.

Lulu was injured in an RTA I *think* a dislocated pelvis judging by the bony lump on her back. I was told she limps but I can't see it and I haven't seen her struggling with balance, tho I will continue to keep my eyes peeled. I clipped her claws last week and she was very well behaved; I was conservative so will have another look.

When she rolls off she has either been asleep or deeply relaxed. She fell off my lap and the bed again this morning so I was watching for how it happens. That seems to be more about how she rights herself, either flicking from laying slightly on one side to the other or drawing her back legs in quickly. Both change her centre of gravity, and if her head is already hanging off and/ or her front legs are overhead this means she falls. She also flicks about rapidly when playing on her back, which has resulted in some near misses by thinking my hand or the laptop cable is fair game! Not sure if I am explaining that very well.

All the times Lulu has ended up hanging from her claws I think she has been in the process of jumping up. I am not clear whether she is misjudging the angle or distance, realising she doesn't have a clear landing surface mid-jump, slipping her front legs on arrival OR choosing bad surfaces for her back legs. For example a direct pillow-headboard bounce-windowsill jump has failed twice, whereas pillow-walk along headboard-windowsill has not AFAIK. I suspect it's no single thing.

I agree the headboard is the biggest risk and I am trying to work out how to rearrange the room. There are only three pieces of furniture but they are huge and VERY heavy plus I have to consider a condensation problem and where the curtain ends go.  The curtains are another slip risk because she still tries to get on the windowsill with them closed, and pushing them aside can mean she steps on them. Thankfully this area is likely to be unattractive in winter as it gets very wet (metal window frames).

Thanks again everyone. 

[Guest]

Archie falls quite a lot, he falls from the top landing between the bannisters a lot. he is very clumsy and i doubt he will be a climber!

[Feline Costumier]

Dave is a great clumsy oaf who has been known to misjudge jumping onto a dining chair after sitting there for a good while preparing himself. I DID NOT roar with laughter as he looked thoroughly mortified when his back legs didn't make it onto the chair seat.

I also don't laugh every time he hauls himself over the fence from my neighbour like he's got another 10 cats holding onto his back legs, nor do I chuckle when he's walking next to an edge, any edge, and one or more feet slip off because he's just got no proper control over his limbs

Dave is fighting fit and very healthy but incredibly clumsy, add his size into the mix and it makes for many an embarrassing moment on his part. Luckily nowhere he goes has awkward gaps or anything for him to fall behind.

Are you able to rearrange your room so that the headboard isn't against the window? That sounds like the most dangerous spot and not one that's easily clumsy cat proofed..........

[Rosella moggy]

I assume you've checked her claws are not overly long to the extent they are catching all the time    Seems a bit odd to be falling off stuff quite so regularly but some cats are more .............. how do I say this?   er....... elegant and some are just elefants 

[tab]

Amber falls off things on a regular basis. If shes walking along the sink she falls off or she rolls off the desk ro the bed..... that said the sink and he desk Im normally around to catch her, the bed sometimes I do others she does the embarrased I meant to do that cat look
love
Tab

[Gillian Harvey]

Hmmmm, must admit it does sound a bit unusual to keep rolling off things like that. Was she in a deep sleep just before she rolled off the window sill and bed?

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I would be a bit worried that this keeps happening cos cats do not normally fall off things and certainly not repeatedly.

Could she have a bit of a balance problem?

[Fire Fox]

Tallulah loves to climb and explore, loves to look out the windows, loves to siesta on her back and have her tummy stroked. 

Yesterday evening Lulu slipped off my bedroom window sill, I turned and saw claws clinging onto my headboard before she fell behind. She cannot turn behind there so I had to move furniture to extract her, but she wasn't hurt just spooked. In the morning I saw her hanging by her claws to my hall wall unit and an hour later hanging from my kitchen bin by her claws. The day before she rolled off the bed AND almost rolled off the window sill!

I know cats climb and I know they can right themselves depending how far they fall. I would like to install a floor-to-ceiling climbing post and possibly steps up to a den on the top of my wardrobe and a bed in the window reveal. I've put non-slip matting on the window sill today, would put a 'safety rail' around the top of the wardrobe and non-slip matting on the steps. I'm still worried about her falling off the window sill and cracking her head or back on my headboard or getting trapped when I am not home. How do others cat-proof their homes please? Any products, tips, tricks ... I am happy to consider out-of-the-box suggestions, tho finances and space are not unlimited. I have zero DIY skills but will need to commission a handyperson to securely install a post and steps so they could make other modifications.