Should I Catify my Stairs?

[CilandKia]

I’m surprised that none of the clarification stuff I’m finding talks about hallways and stairs - it all mostly focuses on rooms. This makes me wonder if I’m on the right track…
Here’s the situation: it has taken almost a year to get to the point where our new cat csn hang out with our older cat (thanks for all the support on this forum for that). During the stressful times, our territorial older cat was doing a lot of marking around our house including on our stair landings. We now have a litter box on each landing. The cats are mostly getting along now. Some of the catification we’ve done really seems to be helping with this as the new cat goes high. The main continued aggression we’re seeing is when the older cat sees the new one go up the stairs. It triggers a chase behaviour. We believe this is because the staircase is a territorial bottleneck. Our theory is that if we create a cat highway in the staircase, it will give the younger one an alternate route. The stairs, however, aren’t exactly a place where we hang out and there’s no vantage to outside. Some spots have a vantage into the living room.
We were planning to put a bunch of shelves up - is this effort (and destruction of my walls) worth it?
Cheers!

 

[FeebysOwner]

You could add shelving to the stairway walls, but what makes you think that will stop the chasing behavior? Why would the chaser be less inclined to follow the 'chasee' just because the latter is using the shelves instead of the actual stairs?

Maybe I am misunderstanding where you want to place these shelves? If so, and you just want to add some to other walls, they would likely be used as most cats pretty much like anything they can climb on. But that is strictly a chance you would have to take that they would be used enough to consider it worth the effort (and destruction).

 

[CilandKia]

You could add shelving to the stairway walls, but what makes you think that will stop the chasing behavior? Why would the chaser be less inclined to follow the 'chasee' just because the latter is using the shelves instead of the actual stairs?

Maybe I am misunderstanding where you want to place these shelves? If so, and you just want to add some to other walls, they would likely be used as most cats pretty much like anything they can climb on. But that is strictly a chance you would have to take that they would be used enough to consider it worth the effort (and destruction).

Thanks for the response! The idea would be that if the cats have multiple options, they wouldn’t compete as much for the stair space. I got the idea from a My Cat from Hell episode where the hallway was highly contested territory by two cats that weren’t getting along. Jackson Galaxy recommended putting up a shelf to help remove the territorial bottleneck. However, I’ve been watching his catification videos and haven’t found anywhere else that this is suggested so far.
I will definitely be putting up the cat shelves, I’m just trying to design where they’re going to go right now.

 

[ArtNJ]

The only thing I've really personally observed is that elevated spaces do make a nervous cat feel more confident. It does sound reasonable to me that there would be some other benefits, but whether that is from creating more territories, new territories, or alternative routes around existing hot spots, I've not seen or read enough to have any sense of what actually works and why, and what is just Jackson carefully selecting which clients to show on tv and talking out of his butt.

 

[danteshuman]

I would try a cat shelf and then a highway of some kind to take cat shelves down on the other side of the stairs. Basically a way around the stairs. So instead of / this you have this

/——___ so the cats can do a loop or upside down U on the stairs and cat shelves.

 

[Alldara]

My thoughts would also go to perhaps making something they can use on the stairs. If you have the space for that, I think it's worth a try.

I've definitely noticed that increasing pathways to/from resources makes for more relaxation in our home.

My friend didn't have problems like yours but did put some shelves and then a floor to ceiling pole on her stairs and said her elderly cats increased their play significantly. So even for enrichment purposes it might work well.

Let us know what you decide!

 

[maggie101]

Never know until you try! I have a very timid cat, she does feel safer higher up. Then my cat chasing her leaves

 

[Kwik]

Hi there!
As others have mentioned that your wonderful idea of providing alternate pathways & added vertical space is not going to prevent any "chase" instinct- I think Jaxson Galaxy has alot to offer but there's many many things I personally disagree with on his opinions- for example" a territorial bottleneck" - lol,it doesn't even make any sense

The " chase" behavior is simply a hunters instinct- something runs,the hunter chases it- we needn't overthink it becausd there is no other reason and it has very little to do with territory - here's how you'll know,your landings might be a " place" one claims as his own( your resident older cat marked it,yes?) So if the newer,younger cat decided to lie down on the landing what does the other do?I'm guessing nothing- it's the " movement upwards"that gets the other guys interest and not the fact he's in his territory..... now if there was standoffs & fur flying on the landings thst would be an issue.... a big issue

Can I ask what's the problem with the chase?Is the younger cat being terrified and stressed by being chased? Does he then hide? Where does he go & does he return the chase at times? I'm just trying to get a better picture of both personalities- if thats okay

In any event it will greatly benefit both cats to provide more vertical space imo- alternate routes can be lots of fun and turn an aggressive chase into a playful chase and although it will probably do little to suppress any instinctual behavior it will surely be a healthy distraction and cat highways are great too

I never consider " cat construction" to be destruction of our homes- I think they are wonderful " additions" that enrich the lives of our feline companions....

Such a good Topic btw,cats really are very attracted to a vertical chase- outside a rat can stroll by and it'll get his attention but the moment that rat scoots up a tree that cat will not waste a second to leap onto that tree- they are built for the challenge- look at those hind quarters for leaping,look at those claws,strong shoulders.... instinctual behavior is difficult to alter so getting creative makes everyone happy!

Love your idea for many great reasons

 

[cmshap]

Can I just add that I would personally try this in a non-destructive way first, if possible, especially since I'd be unsure of where to put the shelves. But I'd test it first, also, to make sure this isn't a terrible idea (which it might be).

If I was unsure of if or where I wanted to try shelves, I'd consider using those temporary velcro-strips (Command strips is a popular 3M product line I use a lot).

There are various strengths of them and some can actually hold 20-30 lbs. I have some currently hanging things that have been there for years. I'd first try putting up one shelf, and putting an equivalent weight of my cat onto it to test it. Mind you, I wouldn't expect this to last as a permanent solution, even if it works OK. I'd just want to try it for the purpose of seeing how they'd work, and to reposition the shelves if needed, etc. Then permanently install.

I'd get a whole ton of those strips and use extra beyond what is recommended. Also, I'd select shelves that have a greater amount of surface area that goes against the wall (like L-shaped shelves where one part of the L sits against the wall).

I don't know, this was just a random idea I had while reading this. I also wouldn't want any injured cats. If you are fine with putting holes in your wall, and then filling/repainting later if you decide to move the shelves, then go for the permanent solution first.

 

[CilandKia]

The only thing I've really personally observed is that elevated spaces do make a nervous cat feel more confident. It does sound reasonable to me that there would be some other benefits, but whether that is from creating more territories, new territories, or alternative routes around existing hot spots, I've not seen or read enough to have any sense of what actually works and why, and what is just Jackson carefully selecting which clients to show on tv and talking out of his butt.

I super appreciate this POV. We have noticed an increased 'Mojo' in our new cat since putting up some cat shelves, but the level of 'catification' that Jackson Galaxy recommends would require a serious rethink of our whole house. I do want to try and provide alternative routes that have multiple exits, but it's challenging to work into the existing space!
Also, I agree that sometimes his advice isn't perfect b/c his 'failsafe' methods for cat introduction needed some serious edits for our cats. Site swapping just was not in the cards for the older, territorially insecure cat.

 

[CilandKia]

I would try a cat shelf and then a highway of some kind to take cat shelves down on the other side of the stairs. Basically a way around the stairs. So instead of / this you have this

/——___ so the cats can do a loop or upside down U on the stairs and cat shelves.

Not sure I completely understand, but I think what you're suggesting is what I was planning - a couple shelves as 'steps' up to some lounge spots higher on the wall above the stairs and then a few more sort of level shelves to take them back to ground level on the upper story. Also maybe a couple additional shelves to provide separate 'lanes' for either cat to go back down, so that I'm not just creating an alternate chase pathway.

 

[CilandKia]

Hi there!
As others have mentioned that your wonderful idea of providing alternate pathways & added vertical space is not going to prevent any "chase" instinct- I think Jaxson Galaxy has alot to offer but there's many many things I personally disagree with on his opinions- for example" a territorial bottleneck" - lol,it doesn't even make any sense

The " chase" behavior is simply a hunters instinct- something runs,the hunter chases it- we needn't overthink it becausd there is no other reason and it has very little to do with territory - here's how you'll know,your landings might be a " place" one claims as his own( your resident older cat marked it,yes?) So if the newer,younger cat decided to lie down on the landing what does the other do?I'm guessing nothing- it's the " movement upwards"that gets the other guys interest and not the fact he's in his territory..... now if there was standoffs & fur flying on the landings thst would be an issue.... a big issue

Can I ask what's the problem with the chase?Is the younger cat being terrified and stressed by being chased? Does he then hide? Where does he go & does he return the chase at times? I'm just trying to get a better picture of both personalities- if thats okay

In any event it will greatly benefit both cats to provide more vertical space imo- alternate routes can be lots of fun and turn an aggressive chase into a playful chase and although it will probably do little to suppress any instinctual behavior it will surely be a healthy distraction and cat highways are great too

I never consider " cat construction" to be destruction of our homes- I think they are wonderful " additions" that enrich the lives of our feline companions....

Such a good Topic btw,cats really are very attracted to a vertical chase- outside a rat can stroll by and it'll get his attention but the moment that rat scoots up a tree that cat will not waste a second to leap onto that tree- they are built for the challenge- look at those hind quarters for leaping,look at those claws,strong shoulders.... instinctual behavior is difficult to alter so getting creative makes everyone happy!

Love your idea for many great reasons

Thanks for responding! Let me see if I can answer your questions.

So yes, if the younger cat is lounging on the stairs, the older cat generally isn't too concerned. It's when she is going up the stairs, particularly running up the stairs, that a chase sometimes happens. Historically, these chases would lead to a brawl in one of the rooms at the top of the stairs. More recently, it just leads to some batting and then them walking away from each other, which is huge progress, but there is still sometimes fur and it's normally the younger cat's fur. When they chase, it's usually the older cat chasing the younger one, but the younger one will also try to engage the older one in play, so she's not terrified of her, but I wouldn't say she seems confident either.

Honestly, if they'd been interacting like this all along, I'd think that it's mostly play that just gets a bit too serious for one or the other party sometimes, but given the history, I'm nervous about concluding that. I feel that both cats are probably still a little stressed about each other. The territorial peeing in the older cat has mostly stopped (knock on wood) but it was going on for months and we are pretty certain it was territorial stress b/c it started when the new cat arrived, it started with the new cat's stuff and it was otherwise always around the perimeter of the house. They will still often watch each other in a way that seems quite nervous, but they also sometimes relax in each other's presence, so we're getting there (maybe).

The younger cat definitely gets more confident when she can go up high, which is why I bought more shelves. Now I just have to figure out where to put them.

WRT the shelves - I guess destruction is probably the wrong word, but I recently had to stage my house for the move, and I can't help but hear my real estate agent's judgy voice in my head: 'you have to take down all these shelves and patch the holes and repaint - they make the space look too cluttered' and 'why do you have 3 litter boxes? Boy your cats are spoiled. You have to move them all to the basement and btw your cats can't poop right before a showing.' I might have given that agent a piece of my mind a couple times.

 

[ArtNJ]

I super appreciate this POV. We have noticed an increased 'Mojo' in our new cat since putting up some cat shelves, but the level of 'catification' that Jackson Galaxy recommends would require a serious rethink of our whole house.

I'm pretty sure that being a good cat owner doesn't actually require having a carpenter on permanent retainer. I'm sure a lot of things work when you only show successes on TV.

Elevated spaces are clearly beneficial for some nervous cats, but its a real leap from that to "cat super-highways fix all behavioral problems". It became a sort of running joke to us when the wife and I were watching the show. If he limited it to certain types of territorial problems or something it would be more believable to me. But has people build those crazy things in a ton of episodes.

 

[CilandKia]

I'm pretty sure that being a good cat owner doesn't actually require having a carpenter on permanent retainer. I'm sure a lot of things work when you only show successes on TV.

Elevated spaces are clearly beneficial for some nervous cats, but its a real leap from that to "cat super-highways fix all behavioral problems". It became a sort of running joke to us when the wife and I were watching the show. If he limited it to certain types of territorial problems or something it would be more believable to me. But has people build those crazy things in a ton of episodes.

I actually have never watched whole eps of the show b/c animal planet is expensive to get up in Canada so I’ve only seen YouTube clips. His YouTube channel mostly harps on play.

 

[Alldara]

I super appreciate this POV. We have noticed an increased 'Mojo' in our new cat since putting up some cat shelves, but the level of 'catification' that Jackson Galaxy recommends would require a serious rethink of our whole house. I do want to try and provide alternative routes that have multiple exits, but it's challenging to work into the existing space!
Also, I agree that sometimes his advice isn't perfect b/c his 'failsafe' methods for cat introduction needed some serious edits for our cats. Site swapping just was not in the cards for the older, territorially insecure cat.

As with any information being broadcast on the internet, we always have to remember how generalized it is. I have issue with him providing nutrition and health information as a behaviorist without the science to back it up...or even without providing sources. But the rest it's good to remember that it's general advice meant to be tweeked like you said.