# For those with cats or smaller dogs



## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

Have you ever bought steps for them? 
I wanted to get a set for Jake because I've noticed that he's starting to hesitate when jumping up onto higher surfaces. We keep his food dish on the kitchen table, so it's out of the dogs' reach. (We never eat at that table, so I don't mind him or his food being up there - lol.) I've noticed recently that he hesitates, backs up another foot or so, and hesitates again before jumping up there. He can still do it, but it seems like it's getting harder for him. Our best guess is that he's probably about 14 now.
I ordered these, but now I'm not so sure that they'll stay put on the kitchen floor.
http://www.amazon.com/Dog-Steps-3-s...6?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1260476286&sr=8-6 
Has anyone found anything better, but still at a reasonable price?


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## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

If you have chairs around the table, you could just pull one out enough for Jake to jump on it and then the table.

It works for my cats. They don't eat up there, but they sure do like to put their noses into everything.:doh:


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## Olddog (Mar 24, 2009)

At the back end of the hallway where my my guest bath is, computer room and spare bedroom, I have a pet gate. It's a place where Lenny and Squiggy can go to "get away". They have there food and a couple litter pans back there with a few of there toys and beds. It's there little haven away from Riley. The cats have no problem getting over it and Riley never tries.


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## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

I was wondering the same thing about my A.J., he's 13 y.o. and in the winter I keep his food on the clothes dryer (in the summer it's on a window sill ledge in our screened porch) so the dog can't reach it. So far he's still able to jump but was thinking of an alternate plan for later.


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## DNL2448 (Feb 13, 2009)

We have steps for Twister to get up on the bed. They are all foam and have started to get big chunks out of it so it is harder for him to use. He is actually getting new steps for Christmas, I just have to find them. The ones on your link are not tall enough for our bed, I have looked at them before. I'm not sure how high your kitty would need them to get on the table.


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

I bought these for Cody to get on the bed ( he has spinal issues). Since our bedroom floor is hardwood, I put some of the no-slip material made for area rugs underneath. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3307+18712+14470&pcatid=14470


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

My older dog (12) is a 33 pound Whippet who can jump five feet from a stand still and land with the grace that would make any figure skater green with envy. My cat has less agility than he does, but she's no slacker herself.

Her food is on top of a kitty condo, far out of reach from anyone else  It's taller than I am, and I'm 5' 9". Of course it has steps, but the dogs could never navigate it.

I also gate off the living room with a standard sized baby gate. Rigby (Whippet) and the cat fly over the gate when they want a break from four big, idiotic dogs and a human baby explorer


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## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

coppers-mom said:


> If you have chairs around the table, you could just pull one out enough for Jake to jump on it and then the table.


That's what we're doing now, but it's not working out because of Gunner (aka The Informant.) He's used to Jake jumping up onto the table and he knows that's okay. But when Jake jumps onto the chair, it's different and Gunner thinks the kitty is doing something he shouldn't be doing so he stands there and barks at him. :doh:
If Jake really wants up there, he'll go ahead and do it, but half the time he stops and goes slinking off somewhere. Poor cat. lol.
We're making progress. This morning Gunner just whined at him, but I'm thinking it might be better to bring in something new, just for the cat, so he'll know that it's really okay. 

I like the idea about that non-skid backing for rugs. That would probably do the trick and keep the steps from moving around.


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## Stircrazy (Nov 30, 2009)

My kitty is 15 and still can do the 6 foot leap into a window we have.. I think if you had some carpet or something by the table it would be better as the cat would have more traction fo the take off. I know mine is a little finicky taking off from laminate.

Steve


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## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

Stircrazy said:


> My kitty is 15 and still can do the 6 foot leap into a window we have.. I think if you had some carpet or something by the table it would be better as the cat would have more traction fo the take off. I know mine is a little finicky taking off from laminate.
> 
> Steve


I noticed him doing that last week. The table is pretty close to our back door and he's started backing up so that he can jump from the rug that's in front of the door. He's still hesitant to jump, even starting out from a carpeted surface. 
Now that you bring that up, though, I wonder if he's actually having a hard time with the jump itself, or if he might have slipped once on the tile and now he's just nervous about it. He doesn't jump up on anything else that's that high, so it's hard to say.


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## Taz Monkey (Feb 25, 2007)

The cats food is on the counter in the laundry room here, and theres a kitty condo beside it on the floor, for the old cats and for any foster kittens I have. I also have a water fountain in the cat room upstairs that I keep the dogs out of because they make it a slobbery mess. I just put a wooden baby gate up, raised about 6 inches off the ground.


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## Lisa_and_Willow. (Dec 18, 2007)

LifeOfRiley said:


> That's what we're doing now, but it's not working out because of Gunner (aka The Informant.) He's used to Jake jumping up onto the table and he knows that's okay. But when Jake jumps onto the chair, it's different and Gunner thinks the kitty is doing something he shouldn't be doing so he stands there and barks at him. :doh:


Diesel is the same when my cat Jinks jumps from the bed onto the wardrobe or tries to scratch the sofa. I swear they see themselves as police dogs while on 'bad kitty' duty!

I bought some cheap wooden steps and covered them in carpet for my terrier when she started having trouble getting on the bed but she refused to use them and I just started lifting her up. Good luck finding something to help Jake.


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## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

Lisa_and_Willow. said:


> I swear they see themselves as police dogs while on 'bad kitty' duty!


I swear they do, too. I joke about Gunner being my 'second in command' around here, but he really is! I even have to be careful about scolding Riley in front of him. He thinks it's his job to back me up, so if Riley doesn't listen immediately, Gunner will get a little snarky and try to correct him. I should be used to it by now, but it still amazes me.


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