How to Keep a Cat From Climbing a Tree

Cat’s are known for its ability to climb and moves fast when in danger. As compared to squirrels, they will not fall head first. These qualities are seen mostly on outdoor cats, but indoor cats with less experience in climbing might find themselves in trouble if they attempt to climb a tree. There are ways on how you can keep your cat from climbing a tree.

Reasons Why Cat Loves to Climb a Tree

Have you ever wondered why cats love to climb a tree? Below are some of the reasons why your feline pets climb a tree:

To Keep Themselves Safe

Cats are usually hunted by coyotes, dogs, and bigger cat species. The only place they know to keep them safe in high places. Many domestic cats choose to sleep or hang out in higher places – they feel safer and comfortable there. Suppose your cat sees an unfamiliar dog coming. It will run fast and jump to the nearest wall or tree.

To Scan the Neighborhood

Cats always stay on walls and trees to check the neighborhood if there are dangers or food around. Some cats love to climb a tree to catch small birds. Also, they are doing this for fun and to get attention.

Thanks to their extendable claws, cats are great climbers that let them hold firmly in a tree trunk. Their back legs are used to push themselves up. They use their bodies to hold with their weight close to the tree so they will not fall backward.

The good thing about cats is that they come down backward compared to other animals with head first. But there is one kind of cat that stays most of the time in the trees. It is called the margay from South America.

Tips on How to Keep A Cat from Climbing a Tree

There are things that you can do to keep your cat from climbing. Most of them are easy, but it still depends on the ability of your cat. Some cats can still manage to climb trees even after doing these precautionary methods.

Tip #1 Wrapping the Trunk

You need the following materials for this:

• Aluminum foil or plastic wrap
• Sheet metal tree guard

Wrap the trunk with a material that your cat’s claws cannot grip. The best material to wrap the tree trunk is aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Wrap the tree trunk around your preferred material, start a few inches off the ground and continue to the first group of branches. Your feline pet will have difficulties gripping the trunk with foil or plastic around it. Also, cats hate the texture of aluminum or plastic. Ensure that you have wrap enough of the material on the trunk. If not, they can still leap and grip on spaces you have missed to wrap.

You need to replace the foil frequently as it will tear easily. Using a sheet metal tree guard is also a good option, but you need to remove it after the nesting season so it will not damage the tree trunk.

Tip #2 Put Tree Baffles

What you need:

• Cones of wire or metal
• Chicken wire

Baffles are made of cones of wires or metal that is fitted around the tree trunks or poles. The baffle has a large end that is directed downward to prevent the cat from climbing. The commercial versions are usually designed for squirrel, but you can create your baffle using chicken wire. To make a baffle with chicken wire, cut a circle from the chicken wire as big as the tree trunk adding 30 inches on it, and then cut through one side to the center and make a hole big enough to wrap around the trunk.

Start wrapping the baffle around the trunk four to five feet off the ground so your cat can’t jump or climb on it. Secure the baffle in position using a strong wire. Place the chicken wire in the ground around the tree to keep the cats away since they hate the material.

Tip #3 Set-up Motion-Activated Sprinklers

What you need:

• Motion-activated sprinklers

To scare your cats away from the tree, set-up motion activated sprinklers around the tree. The sprinklers are very useful because cats do not want to get wet. Position the sprinklers, where it can spray the lower part of the trunk or area around the tree as the cat gets near. However, make sure that it will not reach the bird’s nest. We do not suggest using sound and movement devices as the cats may get accustomed to them easily, and it could not be very pleasant for nesting birds.

Tip #4 – Keep Your Cats Inside the House

What you need:

• Climbing tree
• Window perch

If you do not want your cats to climb the trees or walls in your area, you can keep them inside the house. By doing this, you can keep your pets away from predators, cars, and diseases.

The question is, how you can keep your cats inside the house. There are lots of things that you can do to keep them indoors. One is to provide safe climbing indoor activities for your pets like a carpeted climbing tree or a window perch. You can purchase a climbing tree in any pet store in your area. Having a climbing tree inside can help ease your cat’s urge to climb trees or walls.

Conclusion

It is best to determine first the reasons why your cat always climbs the trees or walls. Once you know the reasons, the next thing you need to do is choose which is the best method to apply. If your cats are running away because your neighborhood dogs are terrorizing them, you should keep them indoors. Some cats are doing it as a hobby, or they just want to reach the little birds on it, then you can start setting up a baffle around the tree.

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How can I stop my cat climbing trees