It is rare for cats to be afraid of heights, but it is by no means impossible. In the same way that there are humans who enjoy climbing or other similar sports, there are some who prefer to have our feet on the ground ... literally.
Although it is very true that cats are known to be very agile animals and magnificent tightrope walkers, the fear of heights in cats can sometimes be present at least we expect it. How to know if our colleagues have it?
Why can they be afraid of heights?
Cats, in general, need to be in the heights (high furniture, on the scratching post, ...) because that is where they feel really safe and where they can also control their environment without problems. But this is not always the case. For example, if they have had a bad experience, their brain will associate those areas with something negative, which will make them feel afraid and no longer go there.
Another reason is that are very young and, therefore, are unfamiliar with their surroundings. It is very, very normal for kittens to be insecure when they try or go to a site for the first time, because they still do not know if they are able or not to go there with confidence. But beware, the elderly can also be afraid of heights, although in this case it is more due to the weakness they experience in their legs as they age.
Lastly, it could be that these furry ones suffer from ataxia, which is a disease that can cause uncoordinated limbs.
What to do to help them?
Overcoming the fear of heights is not easy. This is something that you can check yourself if you have vertigo and you intend to overcome it. But there are things that we can do so that, little by little, they will overcome it. Those things are:
- Start doing something in that area where they had that bad experience: for example, if they had a bad fall on the scratching post, what we will do is play with some toys in front of them. It may seem silly, but in time we will see that they are curious about that place again. Little by little, they will get closer.
Of course, important: during the entire time that we are playing, we have to call them with a cheerful tone of voice and teach them cat treats so that they will come back. - Not thinking about what happened: When we think about events that were traumatic for our cats, we tend to overprotect them, which is not good for them or for us, since we again have some stress and / or anxiety that we transmit to them. This makes them feel, again, on alert; so you have to try not to think about it and be happy 🙂.
- Lead a quiet life: stress does not help anyone. If we want cats to overcome their fear of heights we have to be serene, give them a lot of affection - without overwhelming them - and take care of them with respect and patience.
In the event that we see that it is difficult for them to overcome it, that the months pass and there is no improvement, we will consult with a feline ethologist who works positively.