I don’t know about your cats, but my cats LOVE the stairs. We just moved into a two story house and have stairs for the first time, and they are the new favorite kitty toy. They like to lay on the stairs, they love to wrestle on the stairs, they are thrilled to just run up and down the stairs over and over. Day or night, it doesn’t matter – they are a constant source of entertainment for the cats. I have found it entertaining myself to watch them play on the stairs. Except, of course, when it’s 3 a.m. and their rambunctious stair-playing has woken me up.
There is just one problem with these stairs – they are a safety hazard to Sophie. Because of her unstable and wobbly gait (she has CH), she has a hard time climbing the stairs. She has mastered them and can get up and down them okay, but she has near-tumbles every now and then. Especially when she is really excited and does her bunny hop up the stairs at full speed. My heart has skipped a beat multiple times watching her on the stairs. Regardless of any of this, Sophie is just as entertained by the stairs as the other kitties. Much to Sophie’s chagrin, Bobby and I decided to get a baby gate to put at the bottom or top of the stairs (depending on where we and Sophie are) when we aren’t home or when we are sleeping so that we don’t have to worry about Sophie hurting herself when she’s unsupervised.
Just five days after getting the baby gate, I woke up to this…
What’s the problem with this picture, you might ask? The problem is that Sophie was left downstairs when we went to bed that night because it was a “Sassy night.” Yet, when I woke up, I was greeted by a Sophie… on the stairs. She figured out how to climb the gate!!! There’s no way (at least I don’t think) that she could have jumped over the low wall at the bottom of the stairs because the height of that wall on the other side of the gate is about waist height, and it’s slanted so she couldn’t have gotten a good hold on it. She had to have either climbed or jumped over that gate.
This cat amazes me every day. I underestimated her abilities. I should have known that Sophie figures out a way to overcome any and every obstacle put in her path. It might have taken her five days to do so, but she did it. She is an incredible cat for sure – never lets her disability get in her way.
I’m sure her brothers played a part in all of this too… they were probably taunting and instigating her every step of the way, like big brothers do. Silly kitties!
Susan and the gang from Life with Dogs and Cats says
Everyone in my family likes the stairs. Your post reminds me of one on my site from last week that featured a picture of 2 of my dogs and 2 of my cats on the stairs.
–Purrs (and woofs) from Life with Dogs and Cats.
Kitty Cat Chronicles says
Great picture! I guess stairs are universally cool — who would have thought? haha
Jobi and Fisher says
It does look like kitty heaven! I think Sophie will learn the do’s and don’t’s of the stairs – I hope. Cats have a way just knowing not to hurt themselves.
Kitty Cat Chronicles says
That is true. Sophie does pretty good. I just can’t help but be a worrying mom sometimes 🙂
Caren Gittleman says
she has a look like “don’t underestimate me Mom!”
Kitty Cat Chronicles says
Haha, yes she does! She sure has accomplished a lot since we’ve had her!
The Island Cats says
We love running up and down the stairs too. And we’ve yet met a gate we couldn’t get over. There’s no underestimating what a cat can do…even one like Sophie who has her challenges.
Kitty Cat Chronicles says
That is so very true. Cats are pretty amazing animals. Thanks for stopping by!
Rascal and Rocco says
Of course she got over the gate! Silly humans. We like to run up & down the stairs, but we don’t hang out on them much. Mainly because the kids also run up and down them constantly. Thank you for sharing on the Pet Parade!
Basil says
Such great photo’s and I know for sure that gate wouldn’t work in our house, it would have been dissembled on the first night!!! MOL
Thank’s for sharing the Pet Parade
Bestest purrs
Basil XOX
Kitties Blue says
Sophie has no idea she has anything wrong with her, and you know if she saw the others going over the gate, she was going to work on it until she figured out how to do it. As the stairs are carpeted, you probably don’t have to worry about her even if she takes small tumble. We live in a 101+ year-old house and our stairs are open (with railings, of course) to the foyer. They all like to launch themselves through the breaks between the spindles to the table and room below creating havoc in their wake. Once the novelty of the stairs wears off, they probably won’t find them so seductive. Purrs and paw-pats, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo
Kitty Cat Chronicles says
Wow, it sounds like your cats have a crazy fun time with the stairs!