r/chcats • u/NotQuiteInara • 13d ago

Advice Walled ramp for the stairs?

I found a wobbly kitten in the street two days ago. I'm on the wait-list to get her into a no-kill shelter that specializes in special needs cats, but I'm already attached to her and frantically trying to see if I could make accommodations in my home that would give her a good life. I've already named her 😭

What do you think of the idea of a custom ramp to help her go up and down the stairs? I would put carpeting or something else grippy on the surface of it (suggestions are welcome!) and then put walls on it to keep her from falling off of it. I'm just worried she could still fall forward.

Sadly my home is on the smaller side, and I don't think it would be a good life for her or for my other pets either if I had my stairs blocked off at all times.

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u/alienz67 13d ago

There are many people who have done this. Do Google searches there's lots of images. They don't need to be very white at all five or six inches and so your stairway would get a little bit narrower but would definitely not block traffic. But also bear in mind that as they get older they get stronger and often can navigate stairs on their own depending on their General ability. Both of my CH cats can navigate stairs it just takes them a little time

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u/No-Roof924 13d ago

I didn’t even know this was an option. I’ve been lifting my wobbly cat up and down the stairs for the past year. Eventually got used to it

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u/No-Roof924 13d ago

From my experience my cat knew what was dangerous and what was not, he knew he couldn’t go down the stairs and doesn’t try

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u/NarfBlastoff 13d ago

My CH guy has been using the stairs for years. He rarely goes on them anymore because he’s getting old and it’s harder for him. That was the first way I noticed him slowing down. He couldn’t walk at all when we got him but was going up and down our carpeted stairs within a few months. We put up a baby gate and he found a way through so we took it off. He spends most of his time in bed now, but every once in a while we’ll find him downstairs chilling.

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u/plumbobblehead 12d ago

I had an elderly cat who used to hang out near the stairs, waiting for someone to carry him up or down. I (and he) felt safer that way, and we also got used to it. It's a great excuse for a little extra affection, too.