Yet Another Problem With Nikita: The Box Spring?!

Okay, now Nikita's found a way into the damned box spring. I covered up the hole, but apparently she's made another hole. This is really, really angering me because I have no way of keeping them out from under the bed, much less getting into the box spring. I have never had this problem with Prince! I'm at a loss here, because I can't afford to buy a new box spring, and I have no idea what to do short of putting the mattress and box spring on the floor or just getting rid of the box spring all together and leaving the mattress on the raised platform.

Any ideas? Because this is one habit I cannot tolerate Nikita having, because I don't like the panic and the risk to her life. Urgently needing some advice

I’ve heard of other cats doing this before. I would put something under your bed that prevents her from going under. Some kind of storage maybe? I think the best solution is to prevent entry into under the bed. Furniture store like Ikea or even Walmart sell under bed storage. Even some large plastic containers would work.

.
Nature9000 - Box springs are wood-framed. Stop at Lowes, Hobby Lobby or Home Depot and pick up a standard sheet of corrugated cardboard (60" x 96"). Flip the box spring over, cut the cardboard to size, and staple (or use ¾" wire nails) the cardboard sheet to the bottom of the box spring frame. Ten minutes later, access is impossible - and since the bed rails and center slats will do most of the work of holding the cardboard in place, you might not even need to secure it.

To make it positively foolproof, use ¼" Masonite cut just a fraction smaller than the box spring size, slide it under, and you're finished in 30 seconds.
.

I appreciate that. Yeah, out of urgency (11:30 at night when everything was closed) I went out to walmart and bought some cardboard boxes. Came home, duct-taped them to the bottom of the box spring and threw on one of those sheet things that stretch over the mattress edges (not the mattress pad, but the thing that goes over it before you put on the sheets and comforter). So we'll see if that holds up.

Of course, the flaps of the boxes are overlapping in the center, creating a slight bulge but seeing as how it's underneath the box spring and not in contact with the mattress, I don't think it should be any problem.

And the mattress is one of those giant, extra-thick mattresses, so again, overlapping cardboard shouldn't be an issue

I did have a kitten do this years ago kind of randomly, but sometimes cats will do it if they feel the need for a safe hidey hole. So perhaps think about a cat tree with a little hidey hole if you don't already have one.

Hope the cardboard works for you...but if you used tape, my guess is that it won't be a perfect solution and your little guy will go to work immediately. You may well still need thin particleboard (or something of that nature) you can nail on (or staple) as suggested above.

All of that said, I always found this a mess and an annoyance, but not a safety concern. Not trying to discourage you, but I was personally never motivated to do the above and gave up after trying the easier things.

They have multiple trees and scratching posts actually, haha, I spoiled Prince when I got him back in November, and Nikita has taken to them. It doesn't seem to matter though; but at least the posts/trees has always directed their need to scratch to the posts

I'm hoping and suspecting the sheet thing (still no idea what it's called) that I put over everything will suffice. As long as it keeps her out of trouble, I don't like the panic of searching for ten minutes around my small apartment only to find her in the box spring; and I'd prefer she didn't teach Prince how to get up there. He's bigger than she is and weighs a bit more (Not by much, but still more), so I wouldn't want him to injure himself going around those springs or risk falling out of there.

We slid a low VOC plywood piece under ours, cut-to-size of the box frame.

Sounds like you came up with a plan to possibly deter Nikita, but I'd be aware that young cats chew on things a lot. When my kitty was your kitty's age, she gravitated towards duct tape. It's not safe, as it usually has little strings running through it.

Over the years I have had a number of cats who have chosen the box spring as their personal hiding spot. They tear a hole in the cloth that covers the bottom and create their own hammock. While this does make the bottom of the box spring raggedy it in no way affects the life or usage of the box spring itself, nor does it hurt the cat if you lay on the mattress above. Like others have said if you really don’t want them in their you can cover it with more cloth, or cardboard but personally I would ignore it unless they are using this space to pee.

I just worry about the safety of the cats, and my own sanity when I can't find them and don't know where they are.

As for the duct tape, it is not visible. It is underneath the sheet thing that I put over it. So the sheet (again, one of those stretchy sheets that you put over the mattress and mattress pad, but not the actual bedsheet itself that you cover up with) covers the box spring, cardboard and duct tape which holds the cardboard in place.

They aren’t going to hurt themselves or get stuck In your box springs and some cats just need to have a hiding space where they can’t easily be found. If it isn’t under the bed it will be somewhere else.

The fabric under a box spring that cats will tear up so they can get in there? We just cut all the fabric off the underside. Now our cat has no desire to climb up in there.
When it had fabric covering it, you couldn't keep him out.

I have also had cats that hide in the box springs. I have never worried about it, just let them do it. Cats need a place to hide and feels safe sometimes, part of their nature. When my young one was spayed i didnt want her to do that, so i took the mattress and box springs off the frame and set them on the floor for a while. Works well, and not hard to do, then when you think its ok you can always put it back together if you want. I did also as basscat said, cut off all the fabric, so it is open. Mine are a bit older now, and i dont think they ever go up there anymore.

Yet, as much as I adore my cats and spoil them constantly, I am not one of those that believes in because a cat is a cat, you should let them do whatever they please, and some who say there's no sense in disciplining a cat because they'll do whatever they want. I feel more at ease knowing where my cats are than their going into box springs or in recliners and sorts. So, I would much prefer to cover up the box spring, I don't know the inner workings of the box spring, and it's very old (I have an old recliner with old wood that just broke inside of it), so yeah, I don't want to take chances

Nature9000 said:

Yet, as much as I adore my cats and spoil them constantly, I am not one of those that believes in because a cat is a cat, you should let them do whatever they please, and some who say there's no sense in disciplining a cat because they'll do whatever they want. I feel more at ease knowing where my cats are than their going into box springs or in recliners and sorts. So, I would much prefer to cover up the box spring, I don't know the inner workings of the box spring, and it's very old (I have an old recliner with old wood that just broke inside of it), so yeah, I don't want to take chances

Click to expand...

Recliners can be dangerous for cats, i agree with that. Most box springs i dont think would, but if you are afraid yours might be then i would try to keep them out. on the floor is easy, that worked for my girl after her surgery.

I a bit more on the let them do as they want side... lol but different homes, different cats, we all do what we think is best for ours in our home

My cat has made his own hammock under the box spring too! I decided I don't care because he doesn't excessively hide in it and is on top of the bed of hanging out with me more than he's under it. So he can have his little hammock as long as it doesn't become a cave