I have two wonderful cats who love to lounge. I also have a banister in my home that goes around a staircase, with a ~15 foot drop from the top. My cats like to jump on top of the half wall, and each of them has fallen from the top once (that I know of). It didn't seem to injure either of them, but I obviously want to prevent them from potentially falling and getting hurt if possible.
I put up a sort of plastic mesh net to try to catch them if they fell off of the rail, but inevitably, now they've decided it's a nice hammock to lay in.
How can I discourage them or prevent them from going anywhere near this ledge? I'll take behavioral advice or any ideas for some kind of structure I can put up to block them.
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Step 1. Do not install the most comfy hammocks ever on the ledge.
Step 2. Make it wider and more comfortable because omg it's adorable!
Ya at this point he just needs to make the hammock safer lol.
My friend made a giant hammock for their hairless cat. Same situation big balcony with a ledge. So she just did what was right and put up a giant hammock for kitty to run across and not plumet to their doom.
Yes, make it like a tunnel, ¾ around with the opening at the ledge.
Yeah they make hammock products just like these. Double down and make it more comfortable and legit material!
Step 2: install the most comfy hammock ever on the inside of the ledge.
But tree dwellers like the view from the top
We bought a place that had a really tall that should loft with a half wall that added even more height. I designed a plexiglass barrier held in place by wooden posts. FYI I had to attach curtain rods so the cats could not walk along the top of the structure. After that, the cats never tried it again. Please keep your baby safe.
https://preview.redd.it/iigr43dfv47g1.jpeg?width=3264&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7508079fa28e3c5c0bbc1bb63f879920c244aea8
The curtain rod part was really smart.
This is the way
Or install the netting vertically as a blocker/wall on the outside edge of the ledge. They are unlikely to try to go over it, with nothing on the other side, but won’t accidentally just fall off.
Could use plexiglass instead which might more aesthetic.
I legit thought that was an intentional cat walkway.
Specifically a comfy hammock, with a commanding view of the main transit hub in the area, allowing them to both sleep and stay aware of all comings and goings.
This. OP should try to put an empty box in there to see if that would discourage them, too.
OP this is friendly and not meant to be mean but I laughed out loud at the title together with the photo. It's objectively hilarious to put up a cat hammock and then try to figure out how to train them not to use it. If my wife put up a hammock over the stairwell I'd be diving in there every night after work.
That said, I totally get the concern. We mitigated it by putting a table beside the ledge, it didn't stop the cats from sitting on the ledge but it made it so they could walk onto it instead of jumping vertically, so less chance of a slip.
Ha, yeah. My initial thought was “Why doesn’t OP want the cats to use the cat hammock s/he installed for them?”
Balam (another influencer kitty) passed because of such a fall. He broke his back when he hit the stairs. It was so heartbreaking. It made me much more aware of such dangers.
I didn’t realize this was how he died. 😔 It’s definitely good to cat-proof as much as possible.
Ohhhhh...I saw the videos of him at the vet. I admit, it's not hard to get me to cry at the suffering of animals, but I was flat out ugly crying at the poor dear's obvious distress...and where the situation was headed. It was awful. I really loved that little guy. I expect to be worthless for days when Gumbus crosses the bridge....
I try not to follow them too closely. Colonel Meow, Refurb, and Thurston all bummed me out for a while when they died.
I try not to...and fail spectacularly every time, even with the inevitable outcome....
I don’t want to think about Gumbus anywhere near that bridge
We had a kitty who died this way. She had jumped up to a window over our stairway much like OP’s, tried to turn around and fell. She hit one of the banisters on the way down. It was horrible. We filled up the windowsill with stuff so no kitty could be tempted to jump there again.
Kitties will do what kitties will do. You can't stop a truly determined cat. They have the immortality mindset of human teenagers. Removing the temptation was really the only option. I tried using foil once and it didn't do a darn thing. I use resin figurines on the windowsills of the windows I want them to stay out of.
The ironic thing is https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-rise_syndrome
If the fall is less than 20 feet, they often can be alright (in control enough to land and not so far to build excessive speed), or over 60 feet falls also can end up fine.
But between that they don't have enough time to maneuver themselves and spread out to lower the terminal velocity
Obviously, avoid falls of any distance in the first place for best results
That's actually not true and is an example of survivor bias. The conclusion was based on a 1987 study that measured the injury severity among cats who were brought to the vet after their fall. This excluded both cats who fell from lower floors and suffered no injuries and cats that fell from higher floors and didn't survive the fall, thus skewing the results. The study had bad methodology, wasn't replicated, and the reason it's often cited is because it was quoted on TV many times during the 90, embedding itself in the popular consciousness.
Cats are springy and can rotate in the air, but they can't influence their airbourne velocity and falls kill them.
My old cat jumped out of my third story bathroom window unexpectedly. I was terrified, but he seemed totally fine and lived for years after. Obviously, that’s not ideal. He never did it again, which I understood to mean it had possibly been painful/scary for him. I’m very careful with our current cat. He likes to sleep pushed up against the screen on the windows when it’s sunny, and is terrifies me that he’ll fall and be disoriented and get injured
I came here to see where I can find this hammock for my cats to hang on the wall. 😂😂
I too would like this same hammock
If not hammock, why hammock shaped? Lol
Cat here. Where do you live? Do you have food and biscuits?? 😽
thirding this!
I've been trying to build my own cat playground attached to the upper walls and ceiling joists in my apartment but I can't figure out how to get it done, this guy does something similar by accident ;-;
“If not for hanging out, then why hang-out shaped?”
Came here to say this.
I see now how comical it is that I hoped they wouldn’t love their new hammock 😂😂😂
I would have installed the netting at an upward angle to block falls, instead of just extending the ledge with a comfy hammock
Exactly what I was going to say, make it a fence not hammock
Hang the cat hammock on the inside of the ledge. They are going to go up there no matter what you do, the most you can do is make the safest part as comfortable and appealing as possible.
This is the answer
I think the hammock was a safety net in case they went over the edge
Yep, I see what OP was trying to do... but the cat has embraced the systems design principle of "the purpose of a system is what it does" as opposed to what the designer intended it to do...
I think it's safer to remove that mesh as it doesn't look stable and let them be on a ledge.
Half agree. A mesh is great because the cat can a lot more easily grab onto it in the events they start to fall off (unlike the bare wall). That being said… a plastic mesh tho? Yeah I wouldn’t trust that. Get something higher quality
Good point about them needing a spot to grab onto. If they INSIST on being up there, maybe installing a little strip of carpet along the top would be a good bet, they would have much more stability than the slippery paint.
I think this is the best idea. Another alternative could be some grippy or textured tape: provides better grip but the texture is not as inviting as carpet.
Grippy or textured tape will still mean their claws will likely slip if they suddenly needed them to grip, since they won't be able to dig into it. I'd have thought it'd be better to use some sort of slightly soft surface (like some of that flat office type carpet) that would allow their claws to sink into slightly and gain purchase if they ever needed it.
A friend of mine has a large upholstery hanging from the ledge and running along the wall. It’s secured on the top and the bottom. Something like that might help if kitty falls? Idk this is a tough one.
Actually, I thought the cat would sleep on a mesh as we know cats don't care much about the comfort of a bed.. The mesh could tear apart at the pin, potentially falling during sleeping. From the photo, the mesh looks totally unstable.
I have fluffy blankets on my bed, and my kitties make biscuits before they nap 10 hours, lol.
I'm thinking they should have installed it vertically like guard rails...
Came here to say this but specifically right on the outer edge, so kitty can still enjoy the ledge.
Either that or find a way to angle the mesh up at a 60 degree angle or so to keep the cats from actually sitting on it.
I also think it is safer this way. We have a little "hammock" on the wall for ours, and sometimes when shes crazy, she almost falls off. But she can save herself using her claws to hold on to the fabrik.
Or line it vertically along the ledge like a fence. That being said, they are cats. Their life’s work is to do whatever they want.
Yeah. Why won't they now just fall off the mesh? It provides less stable footing and id say increases the cats chances of falling. Same as putting it up as an obstacle, you're just making the whole area more dangerous
Short term, I'd move that netting from the edge and put it vertical on the banister, then there's not enough room to lounge.
Hmm you gave me an idea. I wonder if they added the hammock to the other/safe side, they would just use it there. Something like this
https://preview.redd.it/ykfqpkqpp07g1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=078de26795abc651e26676031f3d86afa749c329
Also stick some grippy fabric on the top of the balustrade. When cats fall it's usually because they slip and if they can get their claws into whatever they're falling off they can recover easily enough.
Underrated comment. Maybe even some jute on the stairwell side of the wall, so they can grab on and climb back up if they slip. But that is a lot of effort to put up. Grippy fabric on the ledge or cushions firmly attached by Velcro could solve a lot of the problem.
Maybe, but it depends on how well they can see from the other side of the bannister. One of the things that makes this ideal for a cat is it gives so much visibility. Cats love a spot where they can lounge and see everything. I could def see them liking a hammock on the safe side of the ledge, but I imagine they’d still go onto the ledge when they want to look around.
While maybe not pretty, this is the best option. The netting in this orientation is basically inviting cats.
Vertical in the middle of ledge. That way they can't really stand on it in any way. Ugly but it would likely work until they ripped it down.
I was thinking the same thing
You’re asking how to get a cat not to be a cat. Lots of people specifically put up walkways and perch spots up high to make their cats happy. That is a dream site for a cat.
The cats using the safety netting as hammocks is peak cat. They’re clearly trolling OP.
Peak cat is buying pre-shredded curtains because your cat usually ruined it, and somehow your cat manages to un-shred your pre-shredded curtain.
Definitely! I was coming to the comments to say something along those lines! Cats are great trolls!
Why not just get a safety net for the safety net? And then when the cat lays on that, I dunno... Maybe just change houses actually
They just need a whole wall of nets in increasing size, preferably with one of those blue yoga mats at the very bottom.
OP is trolling us. They designed and installed the ultimate cat perch hammock, then came here.
I put a beer fridge and pool table in the basement to try and discourage my husband from hanging out there with his friends.
I agree! They do have a few nice high perches around the house, but those are only about 6 feet high and don’t have big drops. I totally see how behaviorally, they’re always going to want to go up there. I just want to physically stop them from falling accidentally
Then I would remove the net and then make the ledge have grip. So they can dig their claws in if they do lose their balance. Like a strip of carpeting.
Or re-mount that net vertically on the edge of the ledge as a fence
Exactly. Needs a vertical barrier.
Yeah, I was going to say maybe Mount plexiglass along the edge so that there is an actual barrier to falling. Or like others have said put something they can grip into on top of the actual wooden part.
why not both?
Because a physical barrier will make it extremely unlikely that they fall unless the cat is obese. The carpet is a way of letting the live on the edge and not having a barrier.
Right? You’re not only asking a cat not to be a cat, but with the net set up as it is now, you’ve created an extra appealing space for your cats-who-are-gonna-be-cats to hang out! Like, this is the setup I would create if I wanted my cats to spend time there specifically.
I want my dog to stop licking me, but nothing is working. I even covered my hands in peanut butter and she won't stop!
and run 30volts on it and 3d print little high voltage signs so it looks like a homage to Jurassic Park
Ooh, thank you for commenting this. I have a half wall by a staircase that mine love to scramble up onto, and they're both clumsy as hell so it makes me nervous they're going to fall over the other side one of these days lol I know they *probably* won't, but they certainly aren't getting more nimble as they age. Thanks again!
I was thinking just a clear plastic ledge with a side. That way they can get on the ledge and still look down but it’s boxed in so they can’t fall through. Your idea might be more feasible to actually build though
Yes, plexiglass. That's what I was thinking too. It needs to be blocked by something that they can't balance on.
I was just thinking about taking the net and turning it 90°. They definitely can't balance and I dont think it would get in their way if it was placed on the edge of the top instead of the wall.
Just place a line of cucumbers on top of the ledge. Problem solved.
Yep - a plexiglass wall bolted into the ledge. Do it on the inside so they can't go on the ledge and potentially use their disproportionate physics to knock it off when jumping on the ledge.
https://preview.redd.it/l9retdbcl07g1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=2342077b257d8cb519679f9451a4004c566c4138
Internet photo, but I have one of these lining the edge of my windowsill where my cats like to rest. Maybe you can find one that's a bit longer on both sides, and that you can flip over to make an improvised clear wall for them to peer through while resting?
OMG. I need this ASAP. My dogs have destroyed my windowsill “attacking” the delivery peeps😂 I’m to reverse image search now 😘☺️
To add to this maybe a couple grippy spots on that actual wall piece too- that way if they do fall it’s not a straight drop and they can climb back up or at least slow it down? 🤔
This sounds like a great idea!
My personal suggestion, build an elaborate system of tubes for them to wander around. Obviously that's crazy ambitious, but it is something I want to do when I get a cat (and a house. Oh boy the joys of living paycheck to paycheck)
Best idea ITT
Yeah, I did floating shelves from Ikea and got a cheap carpet from target to cut up and put on each shelf. As long as the cats are in good health, they should manage just fine.
Maybe you could make them little parachutes.
purrachutes was right there
u/dennyitlo I second the upgrade to purrachutes.
With little parachute backpacks they have to wear all the time because it will be adorable.
Thank you for the laugh I needed that.
Oh my you made me laugh so hard. Needed that. Thanks my friend.
Thank you for this mental image 💕😸
I wish I had the self assurance that the average cat goes around the world with. Their balance is so good and their reaction time is so fast that they just don't expect themselves to make a mistake! Yet the internet is full of cats making goofs of themselves. The duality of cats.
You even installed a hammock for then.
This will never change
Right? If not hammock, why hammock shaped?
All you've done is added a Kitty Hammock Upgrade.
Cats like to be up high and a 15 foot drop is pretty normal. I watched two of my neighbor's cats get into a scuffle on her roof and fall off together. They continued their brawl on the driveway where they landed like they hadn't just dropped 20 feet.
The higher drop is actually safer for them than a 6 ft drop, gives them more time to twist around into the proper landing sequence.
We have a similar ledge. My cat fell once, she’s fine. She is also much more careful now.
I think here, the issue might be that they're falling down onto stairs, and hitting the edge of a stair from that high could be a lot worse compared to a flat surface
My cat fell 6ft and yep, broken leg. He still jumps on the bannister but orange cats gonna orange.
Yep, cats are more likely to survive large falls than small ones
to a point
Superrrrr random tangent, but squirrels can survive a fall from essentially any height, even if they reach terminal velocity on the way down
Yeah, I've seen squirrels fall from the top of an apartment building only to start climbing back up the wall a few seconds later. Equal parts cool and unnerving.
I was walking my dog one time and all of a sudden heard this incredibly loud thump on the ground next to me. At first, I thought it was a heavy piece of a branch that had fallen like a knot or something. Nearly immediately a squirrel unfurled and booked it.
Sitting in my backyard one time, I was watching a squirrel in the canopy of our very tall trees. It tried to jump from one tree to the next and missed. I watched this squirrel fall possibly 60 feet. THWOP! And it just kept got up and sprinted off lol
As someone who works in animal rehab, I can tell you a good chunk of them end up with spinal injuries and paralysis.
Well that's sad. Now I'm sad.
I did find a dead one in the backyard at our new house where we have even taller trees, and I assume that one suffered the same fate and wasn't so lucky. 😔
Terminal velocity for a squirrel is relatively low -- they weigh so little and fall feet first so their belly acts like a parachute.
Make a cat box there, just get more netting and enclose the space so they can sit there without the fear of falling, they are happy, you are happy
I'm sorry to say this but you're just going to have to expand this particular wall into a full fledged cat climb. More shelves with more outcroppings. Cover some in coiled rope and cover some in carpet. Take your time and use proper wall anchors.
Wall dogs are pretty good as long as you properly predrill
Just make sure the mesh is strong enough to hold them. And don't worry. Cats have been caught on video falling from much higher places.
Your master knows what's good for them normally.
It's like asking your children not to eat ice cream, in a room filled with it.
Unless he falls and breaks himself - ask me how I know.... Those clumsy furballs.
The following triangular structure worked perfectly after our cat fell ( did not get injured). They cannot see over it and with it being slanted they do not sit or lie on it. It is made of balsam wood. Stuffed animals are between sections.
https://preview.redd.it/rcm9xy1rz07g1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=41efac52549f68f8d0ef72985adc3e18c8d563bb
We need to talk about this chair.
Leave the shart cuck chair alone!!
Doesn't everyone have a menstruation chair?!!?
Also...am i the ONLY one who thinks it odd that a women only biological function starts with 'men'. Fucked up right?
Underrated comment
Oh no someone poopensharten in the cuck chair!
We used this technique on top of a museum interactive to prevent people from leaving drinks on it. Double duty solution, for two different animals!
This is one of the best alternatives if the mesh is an eye sore to put up vertically
https://preview.redd.it/b4fbyurpt07g1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=355af240dfb29fe861cff6646dd85084d470f864
I'm envisioning the current platform as a launching spot to the next perch.
The equation/diagram was a nice touch
The tiny orange boi flying through the air made this truly special.
I’m wondering if u/Century_ForestCat is my late orange boy Alex reincarnated. Alex liked to hog the orange brain cells for the specific purpose of doing mental physics calculations to answer the questions “can I jump on that?” and “how can I get up higher?”
He was not good at those calculations. But damn did he try hard.
My favorite post here lol
This made me so happy
And that's where the cat would sit when they need to go to the vet and don't want to. Lol
You can't. They're cats. They're drawn to high places that are safe from predators while giving them a place to spot prey.
I had two cats that sat on ledges like this, would give me a heart attack. They both fell, they were fine, and I thought "ok, maybe they learned their lesson", nope, they still went on it.
Same here, cat fell out of oak tree, shook himself off, made sure no one saw... Still tries to run outside or get on top of cabinets , etc
Gotta love the quick side-to-side “Did anyone see that?” when a cat botches something. They have reputations to protect!
My older cat was never one to play with toys, unless she thought nobody was watching. So had a few moments when she'd be a nice playful cat, then suddenly realise I was watching her and act all embarrassed and go back to pretending to be a mature, respectful cat.
Yup it's fine. This is not high enough to be worrying about the cats
Make a nice expensive spot for them up there, then theyll not be interested.
So true. Luxurious 3 story cat tree - 4 cat beds - 2 human beds - one blanket - two sofas - and this was an instant hit.
https://preview.redd.it/u9nqdybvj07g1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ad6b2837ae8c57d4992d8dba9b2f1b8ca94e6205
This is the way to do it. You can also buy something absolutely not intended for the cat and they'll use it. One of ours sleeps in what I intended to be a fruit basket. He hangs over the edges. It doesn't hold fruit just a cat.
https://preview.redd.it/8szujm2oo07g1.jpeg?width=4284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e7042f9233f8246eeea87a9e005249743cbd9f43
Doesn't hold fruit? That looks like a ripe catelope to me.
Their favourite thing is a pile of clean folded washing (WHICH ABSOLUTELY MUST BE A DIFFERENT COLOUR FROM THE CAT’S FUR).
Mine are the same way😂
I literally used to put the cat bed on my chair to save my place as I know it was the one thing I own the cat will never sleep in
Why not hammock if hammock shaped?
Change the "hammock" to a 45 degree angle so it isn't attractive for lounging but still protects the ledge. (See the outfield fence at Wrigley Field)
I love that wrigley was your example
That's to catch the drunks....
Drunks, cats... Not quite the same thing but close enough!
Or 90 degrees and make it plexiglass. Hockey > baseball.
Yep! I thought it was hilarious that OP wants to discourage cats in this space and then makes the perfect cat hammock. Personally, I’d leave the hammock but add a little bumper on the outer edge so they don’t roll off in their sleep. Cats love a hammock.
I say do the opposite and embrace the space!
Build a ledge to that nice little window so they can sun themselves, perhaps a post that runs from the bottom level so they can climb all the way up. Instead of the hammock line the wall with some carpet they can grab on to. That is a wonderful space for your cats!
Don’t forget, if they were outside they would be up in the trees.
OP, go join r/catswalls and embrace your feline overlords. That, or put a rail along the top to discourage them.
* r/catwalls
Another cat subreddit, this will make a fine addition in my collection.
Did ya see the one with the owner telling her cat it was okay to jump only for them to both regret it seconds later. Classic cats.
r/catwalls
My boy loved the tree the 1st year we had him, then got bored with it and lounges on the ground more. Likes to go to our front gate and get attention from passersby, has a whole fan club of kids who are disappointed he's not out there to greet them with it being so cold. I told one the other day he was inside next to the radiator, she asked her mom what a radiator was!
https://preview.redd.it/o43n6n7gf07g1.png?width=789&format=png&auto=webp&s=032ba411258bf1a29ad0c807c1a09b17db83fb89
I agree with this comment. The cats are going to hang out up there regardless. Try to make it safer for them to do so by making the ledge less slick.
I would’ve put that netting on the vertical instead of horizontal.
https://preview.redd.it/77kx3v9ih27g1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=49862f4bedad2debb9683f522a984d6fa0fe7e3c
2nd cat for cat tax
I would just turn that mesh thing into a sturdy cat structure. The only way to deter a cat from something is to give them something else they rather get into/get on.
Doesnt want cat to cat. Adds comfy bed for cat to cat in.
Raise the mesh so it’s vertical so it works more like a fence and less like a hammock
You can't really, unless you put something across the banister that is uncomfortable to them (some texture that is not nice to lay on). In that case though, they might jump up there and then get startled and accidentally fall off.
Best thing I can think of is just installing a mini banister across the top of ledge.
A few years back I was living in a town house with a small banister right above the entry at the top of stairs. My 1 yr old Main coon kept hanging out there. One day he did fall as I walked through the door. Poor buddy broke his leg! All that to say after he was healed he still got up there, despite my best efforts. I went down to HD bought a nice piece of lumber, painted it and attached it to the front (created a 5-6” lip. Not fool proof, but at least it kept him from accidentally rolling off!
This is the issue most ppl here are not addressing. Yes the cat will get up there and won’t typically fall. However, if it falls it could be very serious. This idea is great. Or Put a larger mesh vertically. I’ve seen my cat jump from a similar ledge about 8-10 ft, but I think that’s his upper limit.
Agreed. Not only was it an expensive vet bill, but having to keep him confined in a room while he was healing was so hard on him. If I were OP. I like the idea of putting a larger mesh hammock. Or OP if she wants to get a bit more detailed and has the tools. Rip her horizontal board edge at a 45 degree angle. Then another at 45 so it creates a V (if that makes sense. The cats wouldn’t be able to jump on top with out sliding backwards.
Basically you’re building up the banister but creating a slope on the interior side. From the entry untill you got up stairs it would just look like your banister. You would only notice the angled piece from the top.
Not sure if that makes sense? But it would be a pretty straight forward project and 99% of people wouldn’t notice it again, unless they were up stairs.
But you made them a bunch of hammocks...
Full disclosure, I'm not a cat. But... my initial reaction (before reading the post and only seeing the first picture) was why did you install a hammock if you didn't want cats lounging there? 🤣🤣
Found the cat^
The only solution is cargo netting the
https://preview.redd.it/5rh107egr17g1.jpeg?width=1161&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=35f205e3e9239c19a96330a9eb03eff2e9207a61
entire open area
OP I totally get your concern, even if "cat is gonna cat", I'd be worried about it all the time. I'd probably end up doing something very "extra", like adding curtains that can be secured from the ceiling to the ledge, that also anchors (when needed) to the inner side of the bottom wall so they can't just jump through them. Lol. Not suggesting you do that, but yeah
Thanks for the understanding!
You could add a shelved edge so that they can’t roll off it as easily and if they did they could hook their claws onto the edge. Kind of like this photo - excuse my poor engineering design skills.
https://preview.redd.it/1b67z4jsh07g1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=23c329d4ad4a6fd070cad5ccfb2e11870c9fc210
How about build some cat platforms along the wall and let the cats hang out safety on their own terms? They will access the ledge differently going in and out / up and down.
Cat looks please with its new hammock. Doesn’t understand your instructions, if not to hammock - why put up hammock?
Think of something either less comfortable or, as someone mentioned, a gripping material they can claw into if they start to fall.
Hammock loft with small netting!!
https://preview.redd.it/f9q8k9ybu27g1.jpeg?width=422&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9536de87fd6edf967965b6523574ebe799d41382
So you’ve made a hammock for the cat, can you blame it for sitting when it fits?
You I stall the net all wrong. The net suppose to go from the half wall to the ceiling :).
A thick flexi glass panel going up vertically on the edge works also.
Maybe don't put a cat bed up there for starters lol.
In fairness to the cat, you did build a beautiful cat hammock.
Dear OP/Human Who Worries,
Thank you so much for noticing our passion for height, danger and luxury lounging. And thank you for responding by building us the finest suspended hammocks imaginable. Truly inspired. Fifteen feet above the main floor? The views. The breeze. The mild sense of chaos. Five stars.
We understand you were hoping these nets would be safety devices. This is a common misunderstanding between cats and their people. If something exists and can hold our weight, it is, by law a bed.
We would also like to gently clarify your options going forward:
(1) The only way to stop us from hammocking in the hammocks is to remove the hammocks.
(2) The only way to stop us from jumping on the banister is to cut off our legs. *This second option is obviously cruel and unthinkable and we strongly advise against it. Please don’t do that.
In conclusion, thank you again for the elevated relaxation stations. We will be napping in them while maintaining eye contact with you to assert dominance.
With love, gratitude, and zero intention of stopping,
Cats 🐾
this is actully a really tricky one. you have build a literal comfy sky couch, any cat would be all over that i feel like xD. the only thing i can think of is a net that covers most or all of the area they can fall
Why did you build a cat sized hammock if you don't want your cats to use the cat sized hammock?
Don't put a comfy bed right by the drop? Da fuk
I mean, you just made a cozy spot to hang out and I am crying laughing so hard looking at your kitten so happy right there. 😂😭😂😭😂
That high of a ledge is a lovely perching spot that any housecat would be jealous of, and you made it even more appealing with the mesh hammock.
Cats are gonna cat. I would cover that bannister with carpeting so my cats had enough grip up there and trust that plus the netting is enough to save them from a dangerous mistake.
But if you absolutely reject the idea of them perched that high you'd need to make that bannister completely unbearable, and I haven't succeeded in deterring my cats from shelves I don't want them climbing on and I can't picture anything that would succeed other than installing a dense wall of tall spikes along it. And even then... cats are determined little monsters
You could also expand the netting to go wall to wall so they couldn't possibly fall. no need to cover the section of stairs that finally reach the landing.
45 degree inwards facing barrier. Not a giant cat hammock.
Well I’m sure the cat hammock is not helping 😅. Cats will be cats after all. Been in the pet industry for a while and the only things that really keeps cats off don’t always look appealing . Theres always tin foil, sticky pads and little dull spiked pads. But once again. Doesnt look appealing to the eye