Cat Stairs

I'm looking for good, sturdy cat stairs for my Swanie. Right now we just have a box to help him get up on the bed, but we just bought a new mattress and box springs that are going to be higher than the one we have now. I would like a set of stairs with extra wide steps (he's a big boy) and three steps. I was going to get this one by Pet Gear, but I've read the reviews and it says the steps are slanted. Would love some recommendations so I can get something before the bed gets here on Oct.13.

Pet Gear Easy Step III Extra Wide

Why not make something? That way you can ensure it’s the right size and height

HK only needs one step to get on the bed, so we bought a couple very sturdy, padded ottomans at ross for $25 each, and one is at the foot of the bed, the other on the side. the ottomans are much stabler than most cat stairs, and wider, too, so there was no learning curve. and as a bonus, the ottomans don't extend so far into the room.

Is old age and/or arthritis the reason you need the steps? That is the case with my Feeby - and she is also almost 18 pounds. So, I know it is important to find steps to accommodate a bigger cat.

I am not convinced that any of the store-bought steps would work for her. After all, the reason she needs them is to be able to manage a little elevation at a time before moving up to the next level, so to me each step would need to be big enough for her to get all 4 paws on it - as opposed to leaping from one step to the next. So, making them, or buying some less expensive boxes as a test might be the way to go.

Right now, I have 12" H footstools that I can move around the house depending on where she is at. I also have a 12" H chest at the end of my bed. But, she really needs a little more than that. So, I just recently bought a really sturdy 5.5" H box ($11) to place in front of the footstool/chest to give her an additional smaller elevation before moving on to the next height. (See pic for example). She uses the smaller box and chest combo now to get into bed every night. She has always slept with us every night, but stopped until I got this box.

I also just started giving her Glyco Flex Plus to hopefully help with her arthritic condition. But, too soon to tell if it is helping or not.

FeebysOwner Swanie is probably around 14 and weighs roughly 24 pounds. He's a big cat (not just overweight). He does have some joint issues as well. He can go up and down our steps, but usually bunny hops. Right now, our bed is not that high. We have a makeshift "step" for him (a paper box filled with something to weigh it down) that works for him.

I ordered this one:


If that doesn't work, I will probably come up with something similar to what you have, or maybe just some kind of boxes one higher than the other one. Thank you for the suggestion!

krystab said:

Why not make something? That way you can ensure it’s the right size and height

Click to expand...

Not very handy with making things
Our current solution is to stuff a paper box with old clothes. Not a very attractive addition to our bedroom, but it works.

basschick said:

HK only needs one step to get on the bed, so we bought a couple very sturdy, padded ottomans at ross for $25 each, and one is at the foot of the bed, the other on the side. the ottomans are much stabler than most cat stairs, and wider, too, so there was no learning curve. and as a bonus, the ottomans don't extend so far into the room.

Click to expand...

Good idea, if I can two ottomans at different heights.

I've been joking about installing an elevator for him.

misty8723 said:

Good idea, if I can two ottomans at different heights.

I've been joking about installing an elevator for him.

Click to expand...

your cat may only need one - my bed is 20 inches high, the ottomans are around 10 or 11 inches tall. HK is almost 20 and he's wobbly, but he only needs one to get on and off the bed.

Well, he can get up them. I can't figure out how to get this to rotate. It's not that way in the original.

I actually have those exact same stairs for out tabby (he's a bad jumper, and doesn't absorb his weight while landing). So far they have been working great for the last 1.5 years.

I have that issue with picture rotation if I post on my phone and then view on the computer. It's weird.

Yay! Forget about the pic rotation. Just nice seeing he is on them!

He used them to get on and off our current bed last night! Yay! Cricket also thought they were pretty cool and made a really good scratching post (but she very rarely gets on the bed, and doesn't need stairs when she does).