Baby Gate Issue

Pucks104

My boys!
Thread starter
Alpha Cat
Joined
Mar 11, 2018
Messages
359
Purraise
532
Location
North Carolina
George and Louie are growing up and are getting to the point the going through the vertical posts of the baby gates is tight and won’t be possible before long without them getting stuck. We use baby gates throughout the house to manage dog movements. The gates all have little doors for cats to pass through which works great when your dogs are big and can’t get through the little door. However our Havanese are no bigger than the cats so if we don’t close the little door in the gate then they can go through and get in the cat litter box or bother the cats when they eat. Any previous cat we have had had naturally jumped over or at least up on and then over the gates. George and Louie haven’t even attempted to jump over the gates. How can I teach them to jump over the gates or up on the gate and down to the floor on the other side?
 

Columbine

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Feb 27, 2015
Messages
12,921
Purraise
6,224
Location
The kitty playground
I would start by placing boxes or small stools on either side of the gates, and guide them up and over with a toy - maybe a feather stick or a laser pointer. Once they've got the idea, you can try removing or lowering the steps and continue working with them with the stick/laser until they're comfortable. You could try clicker training too, using extra yummy treats as motivation.
Clicker Training For Cats
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3

Pucks104

My boys!
Thread starter
Alpha Cat
Joined
Mar 11, 2018
Messages
359
Purraise
532
Location
North Carolina
Ok I will give that a try. They will jump up on the cat tree and the dining table so I don’t think there is any issue with their ability to jump I just think it hasn’t occurred to them that they can jump over the baby gates.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4

Pucks104

My boys!
Thread starter
Alpha Cat
Joined
Mar 11, 2018
Messages
359
Purraise
532
Location
North Carolina
So I posted this Friday and guess who jumped over the baby gate of his own accord Friday evening- Louie! I expect the George will jump over soon now the Louie has figured it out. George isn’t quite as wide in the hips so he still fits through the bars on the baby gate. Which is funny because he weighs a little more than Louie. Anyway I am glad this has sorted itself out.
 
Top