I, your cat, have noticed you’ve been a little catty lately when I climb on the counters, tables, and sofas. While I guess I get how my climbing up the furniture is driving you up the walls, you need to understand I need to climb. It’s part of my DNA. But we can reach a happy compromise. I’m here to give you insider tips to figure out how to stop a cat from climbing where we shouldn’t climb. Now, I’ve also done some research and found a product that will help: the VistaGato.
While there is no cure-all, this window box allows me to enjoy all the sights, sounds, smells, and sunlight of the outside from the safety of the indoors, which works wonders in reducing stress, providing necessary enrichment, and giving me a private getaway. All of which are common reasons I climb in the first place.
How to Stop a Cat From Climbing Where They Shouldn’t
There are several steps you can take to stop me from climbing where I’m not supposed to. From providing me with a climbing alternative to helping me reduce stress, let’s get into it.
Offer a Climbing Alternative
Listen – I’m not climbing to get on your nerves. It’s in my nature. So the best solution to stop a cat from climbing where they shouldn’t is to provide a climbing safe zone. A cat tree would work wonders, and perches help, too.
We love good vantage points like you love a nice balcony or high-rise view. One reason that the VistaGato is a great option for us both is it gives me a place to climb up to and perch, which is pretty much what I climb for anyway.
Help Me Get Exercise and Enrichment
Maybe you’re OK with leading a sedentary life at home, but I need more than that. One of the reasons I climb on everything is because I’m bored and looking for entertainment.
Playing with me regularly will keep me mentally and physically engaged with toys. In the end, I’ll be so tired and content I won’t even feel like climbing.
A VistaGato is also a great way to help me get daily enrichment by offering me a place to enjoy the sights, sounds, smells, and sunlight of the outdoors from the safety of the inside, which will reduce how much I climb.
Use Deterrents
Now, if you’re fed up – which, I have to admit, it seems like you are – tactile and scent deterrents could be useful, too, though maybe I shouldn’t reveal my Achilles’ Paw.
By this, I mean using tape or aluminum foil where I like to climb or foil at the base because I’m not a fan of those. You could also use scents, like citrus, lavender, or rosemary that I find especially offensive, and I won’t go anywhere near the area.
(As a bonus, it will freshen things up and clear the air, especially with my litter box, which the fine folks at VistaGato have another innovative solution for…the VistaLoo)
Use Reward-Based Training
Now, since you’re trying to figure out how to stop a cat from climbing on everything, remember – greasing our paws never hurts. While we’re not as easily swayed or corrupted as some other pets, it will certainly go a long way.
Giving me a treat and praising me when I climb the cat tree instead of on the furniture, for example, will reinforce the experience and help me learn what is appropriate to climb and what isn’t. Us cats are sensitive. We do not respond well to negative feedback.
Address Stress
Now, if I’m climbing places I shouldn’t be, this could also be a sign of stress, especially if I do this whenever one of our other roommates comes into the room.
Helping me reduce stress could be a great way to stop me from climbing. Ensuring I get plenty of exercise is a great way to reduce stress and anxiety, as is getting plenty of daily enrichment, which I’ve already mentioned the VistaGato provides.
On top of that, the VistaGato is my own private getaway, so I can escape when I need some me-time to decompress and get away from the roommates.
Pre-Order a VistaGato to Help Reduce Climbing!
When trying to figure out how to stop a cat from climbing where it’s not supposed to, there’s no cure-all or overnight solution. But there are several steps you can take to reduce this behavior, like reward-based training and, of course, purchasing a VistaGato, a cat window box that allows cats to enjoy all the sights, sounds, and smells of the outdoors.
Pre-order a VistaGato today to reduce unwanted climbing behaviors in your home!
