Absolutely necessary. Anything to give her something to grip onto. Try using strong glue to stick down industrial strength velcro to hold the carpet or mats down. That way you can remove them for cleaning but they will still be very stable.
"She can't get down on her own". Yeah, I fell for that one too. My roommate's tiny cat kept getting up on the roof and crying to make me think she was helpless so I kept climbing up to save her. Found out from my roommate that she's been going up and coming down on her own for a while 😂🤦♀️
Lmao mine all do the same thing. When I’m home they’ll meow and meow and meow from the roof so they can watch me struggle to get them. Finally my husband was like, they go up and down that shit all the time babe.
Please carpet the shelves. She won't slip off. The carpet can be just on top. Paint your clouds white on the bottom. My granddaughter suggests. The white looks like clouds my granddaughter says.
As someone who built something similar, wrap those shelves in carpet! If your kitty takes a slip and tries to stabilize herself on that plywood, she will have a hard time gripping with her claws. Too many falls from that will make her loose any confidence that she builds. Wrapping them in carpet will go a long way in increasing your kitty's stability and confidence on those shelves!
Along with putting carpet on the top of each step so she doesn’t slip, I would also angle them ever so slightly diagonally downward towards the next step (the top step you may want to angle slightly up towards the perch she likes to walk on). This will make a “ramp” type stair case that is easier for her to reach by taking up more distance vertically, making each step-to-step distance shorter. I would also perhaps make one more step just for good measure.
You can try to put carpet on the shelf so she doesn't slip and feels more secure to jump on it. Or remove the ladder for a while so she uses the shelfs as well to get up, might help her 😊
Did you say “Fig”?! We had a girl cat called Fig and she was legit THE BEST, sweetest and most attentive and caring cat ever! She was a Persian and literally the only cat I was never allergic to (and I have pretty severe cat fur allergies). I am truly convinced she was magic❤ your little one is so cute!!
I love this sm, I also think sometimes a magic cat just comes into your life when you need it. Was also really allergic to cats but when my special son came into my life I was not allergic at all! When I was looking at which cat I wanted to adopt, he saw me and ran STRaight to me with no hesitation 😭💚 while all the other kitties were just minding their own business and playing with each other. I know there's logical explanations for all of it but magic is just how it feels 😂💚
I think the carpet suggestions are spot on. Also, the shells might be a little small for the size she is. She might feel unsafe trying to climb up something that size.
If you use metal toggle bolt anchors to install the shelves, you can have more flexibility with placement because they are held up by the drywall and don’t need to only drill into a stud :) Each metal anchor can support up to 100lbs 😊
What a good idea to just go with painting them a bold color!😊 I do think it would make it a little bit easier for your cat if it was a bit more spaced out. So one step on the top of your art gallery wall, second one on the very left of the wall you placed them on, and last one more in the middle of that same wall. Hope your cat has gotten used of it already!🐈⬛☺️
My cats love their climbing shelves. Only downside is now they think all the shelves belong to them, even the ones filled with books and knick knacks. 😅
She may not be comfortable with getting down because of the distance between the ledge and the first step. You made the step the same height at the ladder she originally wouldn’t use to get down on. It’s a rather lengthy initial jump from the top ledge down to the top step to start descending.
I agree with the carpet suggestion - and also would suggest you give her time to figure it out for herself. Cats like to do it their way, if you spoon feed it to her she might just sulk!
Awh,! Shes So cute! I also Have a Cat That looks just like her, She's a Half, Maine Coon Cat. Shes Only 6 years old, Her Name is Church. She doesnt Really Like Getting up really high. Shes kinda lazy. and fights a lot of cats. And growls at the kittens. That was when i first got her. I think shes getting used to everyone lol.
I'd put them closer together if they're for climbing down. She could do it easily as is, but if she's nervous, try putting them closer... At least until she's used to it. Perhaps even put some carpet on them for grip. Maybe start with them being only 3-6 inches apart for each step down Then just leave her to do it on her own. If you want to encourage her, then encourage her to climb upward first. Once she's got that sorted, then she'll climb down on her own. FYI, she could absolutely climb down that ladder on her own.. No doubt. I'm not sure why she isn't doing it. Maybe try putting carpet on the top few rungs.
God I love to see people putting this much effort in to making their cats happy 🥰🥰🥰 Both the person in the video and all the people in the comments giving advice, y'all are amazing cat owners!
May I suggest two things? First I would like to suggest some kind of rubber material, textured paint like they do in northeastern states on outdoor steps, maybe use some textured tiles the use for patios to prevent slipping. Secondly, how about some rope/flexible wood bridges between platforms. I would also suggest putting one more up on the top so she can align herself to the steps below. It’s hard to judge on the video just how big your cat is compared to those steps. I would also put her up on the bottom shelf pointing towards the next on. Etc so she can get the feel and concept from a lower position. Good luck! Looks really cute. If she likes catnip try that or a favorite toy. Those of us who have cats, know they just can’t help themselves in knocking stuff off of any surface they think don’t belong! 😍😉
I really want to do something like this but I'm kind of afraid to do it. You see my cat is a little s+!t who likes to fly out of nowhere to land on my shoulders causinv me to scream. Thankfully though he doesn't use his claws. Still I'll probably do something like this anyway. Eventually.
Okay but I reaaaally adore the vibes of the apartment!! such lovely colors and everything like everything blends so well together UGHH I NEED to style my future apartment like this😭💗💗
Trick is to make them a little wider. 12" or so. Thinner than that and she can't turn around. Also, maybe add another shelf at the top, so she's already over the edge when aiming for the next highest shelf. I built an entire runway around the top of my living room - got some experience (: You can invent new ways to get up there too. (Thick tree branch or a piece of tree trunk can look very cool. Maybe remove the bark first / let it dry somewhere. Could be some bugs in there at first, and I'm not sure if some types of bark are dangerous for cats) Oh, and if you have bookshelves, you can do multiple ones, and leave the top one empty just for her. Another idea: make a shelf just above or to the side of your favorite spot on the couch. Or one right above the tv if she likes your attention at all times times Oh, and putting a teeny bit of catnip on the shelf can help - she'll smell it from up there. Or leave a trail of treats. Let it fall on the shelf so she knows it's there. Cats are better at tracking / registering movement than inanimate objects
Good call on the brackets because cats won't use a flimsy shelf-- it's why a lot of scratchers are never used. Some folks suggested carpet, or sisal to give a better grip. Burlap is a good idea too, just nothing that'll catch their claws. Lastly, because cats don't see well a few inches from their noses, contrasting, bright-colored, maybe wider, shelves are easier to trust. If you don't like that look, once she's used to the safer-seeming shelves, they could be switched out for the originals. Sometimes, you need the patience of a glacier to train kitties 😸
You could use the other wall too. In a corner she could go back n forth. Also try covering them with cloth or carpet. Hang a hammoxk style rope netting . Anything she can grip.
I have no advice for the actual shelves but i do when using power tools, especially saws. Please use eye protection. And it's not even just because of the saw. My husband's uncle was helping us with some repairs and got sawdust in his eyes. He had to go to urgent care, almost cut his eye.
Hello guys have some bad news or a car just got lost his name is Prince a black and white cat if you live in Guyana please search for Prince we're begging you guys we love him so much the dogs that that dogs were in the yard they they chased off to the cat and then he he I don't run away in our yard or I don't know where he is right now but he's not going to come back unless tomorrow morning when the dogs are put up hopefully he comes back
You know what you could do next? You should make that little area like a comfy room for your cat to slep and relax or play, you should put some blankets her bed, food, water and toys for her to play and relax with! I think she would love it because u said she loved to go up that place, so i kinda came hp with that idea for you, even tho i dont have a cat and its not mine, lol but i hope u like my idea ! 💗
Maybe make each shelf a different color so it's easier for her to gauge which shelf is where. I really hope that makes sense. Because if she's looking down and they're all wood, it's going to look like one big odd shelf instead of three separate ones.
cats piss me off in general, but it pisses me off so badly that apparently it likes to jump up there but can never get down on its own… i’d just leave it up there for awhile until it realizes that going up there is not going to end well.
my husband made pur three fur babies a cat walk along our living room front wall. with ladders. the boys love it. little girl will run on it once in a while.
What if you put a tall cat tree that's a big shorter than the height of her ledge. Or even just getting a cabinet and placing a thick padding of some sort that could double as a bed.
Carpet the steps, plus use more and make them closer together maybe make it easier and safer for her, reassuring her more. Just a thought as an ex-veterinarian assistant.
Try placing first top step on other wall. Make it wider deeper. This way cat will see it then jump or rest on this step. From there, he can see your other steps to jump to
Carpet will help, she can grab a hold with nails and feel safer also maybe add a 4th one and push closer so u can put 4th one up higher to her so she will step down.
You put it to low for her. Maybe put the 1st one higher so it is easier for her to get on. You can also put one between the 2 different areas. When she gets use to using that one she might be more comfortable to use a lower one.
