Cat doesn’t want to go down the stairs, why and how to fix it
We wait for Miao to come from upstairs, but she doesn’t show up. Let’s go check, and see that the cat doesn’t want to go down the stairs: is locked. This is a more frequent scene than you think, but it is possible that our four-legged friend will overcome his fears.
The reasons why our little ball of fur proves to have this block can be varied and can often also depend on the type of ladder in front of it. But can we do anything to help her? Certainly!
The first step is to identify the cause, perhaps with the help of an ethologist expert in feline behavior. After that there are strategies to be implemented to instill courage in the one we consider a member of the family in all respects.
My Cat Doesn’T Want To Go Down The Stairs Anymore, Because
The cat that does not want to go down the stairs is likely to be afraid or that don’t know how to do it. Depending on age, the odds change. A puppy may not yet have acquired the necessary skills and see the differences in height as too high to deal with, an adult feline on the other hand is more likely to have suffered a trauma related to the stairs.
Also, it’s worth noting that it can develop a kind of rejection towards a specific activity, in this case going up and down one or more ramps. It could depend on the environment in which you are located, which is why, among other things, it becomes important to make the house suitable for four-legged friends.
Let’s not forget how important it is that our beloved Miao feels comfortable and has a safe place where to seek shelter in moments of anxiety, stress and nervousness. In this sense, it is worth investigating two topics that can be very useful. How to get the cat used to the carrier, so that it does not see it as an enemy that contributes to the transfer to the vet, and know how to manage the cat’s anxiety and any panic attacks in the cat, which unfortunately can also affect quadrupeds.
Cats Are Afraid Of Stairs, The Main Causes
If our little ball of fur persists in not facing the stairs at home, the first thing to do is contact your own trusted vet – one who also knows any breed characteristics and clinical history that can affect – and rule out organic problems. Joint pains, more or less recent traumas, in fact, could put her in difficulty and make her opt for prudence. Or, much more simply, she is physically unable to make the necessary movements.
The most frequent reason, is usually related to a bad experience tied right to the stairs. What may seem trivial to our eyes, such as slipping on a wet surface, for Miao could be a difficult event to overcome and cause anxiety. It’s not easy for him to forget and the associative memory of cats certainly doesn’t help. In this regard, it may be useful to learn more about how to deal with the adoption of a traumatized cat
Also, if the trauma in question occurs at a young age, especially when the feline passes from infancy to puberty and sexual maturity, the memory is even more difficult to remove. Unfortunately, however, it is the most delicate phase, and in a certain sense also the riskiest, because it is the one in which he experiences the most, gets to know the world around him and its dangers.
Negative experiences can have some even long-term effects. In fact, it is not said that the cat that does not want to go down the stairs has suffered a recent trauma. He may even experience the backlash after several days. From a psychological point of view, after all, bipeds and quadrupeds are not so different. This helps us to understand them more easily, once we learn to interpret body language.
Cat Behaviorist, How To Overcome Fear
Also feline anatomy could adversely affect the approach to the home ramps. In fact, a cat is very good at climbing trees, but clumsy at going down. In fact, it is not uncommon to surprise a four-legged friend meowing and asking for help on the street. His difficulties can be traced back to his paws. They are made for climbing and climbing, but not for doing the route backwards. The fact remains, however, that the stairs are certainly not as steep as the trunk of a shrub and that, in any case, we can help Micio overcome his fears. Speaking of which, here’s how to get a cat out of a tree.
If these are limited to a specific place, and not generalized, we can try to improve the situation by teaching him to perform the “down” command. The training of felines is very complex compared to that of dogs, but it is still possible.
The principle of sessions lasting no more than 15 or 20 minutes remains valid, as does the fact that they are addressed full of relaxation and fun. Luring Miao with succulent little morsels along the stairs could be a winning strategy. In this way, in fact, we would create a positive association that could replace the negative one. Couple the word “get off” with the movement, with a reassuring tone of voice, could help in the enterprise.
Many People Have Also Asked Us
If the cat doesn’t want to go down the stairs, despite all our efforts, we could also try with a more inviting bait, perhaps preparing it at home with our four-legged friend’s favorite ingredient. At the bottom of the stairs and along the path we want Miao to finish, we can put some cheese snacks specially designed for her demanding palate. Let’s not forget that the cat’s taste buds are not like ours and that, for example, sweetness is not a taste he can appreciate. Speaking of which, here are the flavors Miao smells.
Regardless of the dish chosen, let’s not forget that overcoming a trauma is not easy and that it is necessary a lot of patience. We don’t expect to get everything right away, we try to put ourselves in the shoes of our little scared ball of fur. Day after day, we repeat the procedure, we will notice small steps forward. Let’s increase the distance for Miao to travel more and more and let’s not be discouraged if hitches should occur, they are physiological in the mind of any living being (or almost). It’s just a matter of time.
How Can I Help The Cat Down The Stairs?
If we are at the first experience, ask an expert ethologist or the trusted vet to give us some advice. The latter, in fact, is the only one who can get a complete picture. It can also identify any previous clinical history and breed characteristics that may have a negative impact. But what if it’s a matter of age and mobility?
How Can You Help An Elderly Cat?
If we have adopted a furry already adult, and therefore we have not had the opportunity to manage the socialization phase, we will have to make it associate a negative stimulus with something positive. In this way he will understand that he has nothing to fear in reality. It’s an approach that applies to scales, but it also works to overcome any other fears you might have. A real training. It must be done step by step, in the name of play and fun.