Cats like heights, climbing furniture, curtains and even climbing walls. But why do they do it? Should we avoid it? If so, how to prevent a cat from climbing places it 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. The fact of climbing or jumping is part of this behavior and then you will solve many of your doubts.
Discover in this article on our site how to prevent your cat from climbing without harming its well-being or hindering its nature.
Why do cats like to climb?
To understand how to prevent a cat from climbing places he shouldn't, for example, furniture, curtains, walls and trees, we first need to know why he does it. It is normal for us to think that cats carry it in their blood, that they feel the need to climb to any high place and then sit there looking at us. Well, the truth is that we are not on the wrong track because yes they climb by instinct
The ancestors of cats already climbed because their body was designed for it They have retractable claws to grab onto, a long tail that keeps them in balance and an agile and ste althy body to hunt at heights that would seem dangerous to us.
Also, their clavicles are different from ours and those of other animals. They are free-floating clavicles, that is, they are not attached to the shoulder joints, which allows them to move their front legs with great freedom in almost all the directions. This is the reason why, almost always, they fall on their four legs. As we can see, the cat climbs and jumps by instinct and it is a natural behavior in this species.
Is it good to prevent a cat from climbing?
It's very natural for a cat to climb and it doesn't do it because it wants to bother us, but because for him it's the most normal in the world. House cats need to feel the adrenaline of heights just like those who live outside. To fulfill his desire to climb and satisfy the ancestral instinct, his behavior can be directed into a vertical space built for him. If the cat can climb whenever he wants in permitted places, he will be able to burn energy and we will also avoid the possibility of him climbing the walls or curtains.
Do not forget that cats also get bored when they lack movement and this can lead them to develop depression, overweight or destructive behaviors, such as scratching furniture or pulling their own hair. For all these reasons, it is not good to prevent a cat from climbing, what we must do is provide suitable spaces for this activity.
General advice to prevent the cat from climbing where it shouldn't
Now that we know that cats need to climb, jump and perch on high places, how can we prevent a cat from climbing places it shouldn't? As we have commented, offering an adequate environmental enrichment to redirect this behavior towards permitted spaces. So keep these tips in mind:
Scratcher with various heights
As you know, cats love to be in heights. They prefer to observe their surroundings from a high point of view, so they feel that everything is under control. In addition, they like to sleep up high, because 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, such as a scratching post. The higher the cat scratcher, the better!
This structure represents an important part of the cat's habitat. The scratching posts are wrapped with ropes so that cats can scratch and file their nails, so they are not only good for climbing and resting on top. These scratchers allow the animal to release energy and carry out another behavior typical of the species: marking. So, if you've noticed your cat scratching your furniture, put scratchers on it!
Of course, the scratching post must be interesting for him, fun, safe and offer him the possibility of jumping, climbing, scratching and lying on the top.
Obstacles in prohibited places
As much as cats love to climb, there are also some things they don't. For example, they don't like getting something stuck to their paws or unpleasant textures. For this reason, in addition to enriching their environment, to prevent cats from climbing we have to ensure that this behavior becomes uninteresting for them in those places that we consider prohibited. Of course, always without harming the animal. Therefore, an effective and harmless solution is to put double-sided tape in the places where it should not climb. If you step on it, you will realize that it is a place where you cannot climb because the texture will be unpleasant and, therefore, you will lose interest.
Another option is to put a object that moves when the cat goes up. It will teach him that it is not worth moving forward. If your cat climbs on the counter, the sofa or the table, try not to pet it but directly lower it. If not, he will take advantage of the attention you are giving him.
How to prevent a cat from climbing up the curtains?
Some cats climb curtains and others hide behind them, but why do they like them so much? They are fascinating to them because they move ste althily and sometimes even have an intriguing rope hanging down. All these factors are an invitation to play for these animals. To prevent them from climbing up the curtains it is necessary to make them uninteresting for cats. So, place them in such a way that they don't reach the floor or the windowsill so that the hem ends at least 10 centimeters above it. You can also tie them, especially if your cat is home alone, and prevent her from moving around.
On the other hand, don't forget to make sure there are plenty of alternative play options for your cat to entertain themselves. Discover 10 games to entertain your cat in this other article.
How to prevent the cat from climbing up our legs?
Has your kitten ever climbed up your legs? The first time it can be fun to see how the cat grabs the jeans with its sharp nails, but if it becomes a habitual behavior, we must find out why it does it and how to avoid it because it could harm us. That a cat climbs up our legs has to do with the search for food From a very young age, cats learn to climb trees to be safe while their mother goes hunting In addition, it could also be that he sees your legs as a way to climb to the height he wants, just like he would a tree.
For the above reasons, it is common for the cat to climb our legs when we prepare its food. Therefore, it is a good idea for the cat to wait in another room while we do it. However, it is not that simple either because first it is necessary to create a calm environment to prevent the cat from becoming stressed or suffering from anxiety because they feel that we "forbid" them from entering the kitchen. With positive reinforcement, perseverance and, above all, consistency, we will make the animal understand that when we prepare its food it does not have to climb.
When we say that it is necessary to be consistent, we mean that we should not allow it to climb up our legs under any circumstances, since the animal will not understand why it can do so at times and not at others. Thus, if, for example, we are on the sofa and the cat climbs up our legs to get up, it is necessary to offer a suitable alternative, such as a scratching post with various heights, a ramp or stairs. Under no circumstances will we scold the cat, we will simply offer him the alternative and reward him when he uses it
How to prevent a cat from climbing trees?
If you want to prevent your cat from climbing trees because you're afraid that he won't be able to come back down, you can rest assured, it's normal for him to stay in the tree for a while waiting before going down. Climbing trees is a natural behavior to hunt and observe its surroundings, but sometimes a cat may find it difficult to climb back down because the inclined position is rare for him. It worries him, but once he has learned it, it will no longer be a problem to get down from the tree.
Now if you're worried about your cat escaping from the garden and therefore you don't want him to climb trees, you can put up a fenceon the tree that blocks access or at the height you want your cat to stop climbing. Likewise, you can cover the trunk with aluminum foil to prevent it from climbing, you can go back to using double-sided tape or plastic wrap because we already know that they don't like those textures.
If you already have a fence and you can't stop your cat from jumping over it, don't miss this other article: "How to stop my cat from jumping over the fence?"
