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How Do I Stop My Cat From Jumping on My Banister?

If your cat is constantly jumping on your banister (Click here for the best solution, on Amazon #Ad) you may be looking for Solutions of how you can stop this from happening.

How do I stop my cat from jumping on my banister?

The best solution to stop your cat from jumping on the banister is a banister guard. In addition to that, offer a cat tree to keep your cat’s mind off the banister. Failing that, if you are on a real budget, use double-sided tape, your cat will hate the texture, but it’s harder work and quite tricky to implement.

What you need to keep your cat off the banister

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01. Banister Guard (Best Option) Click here for the price on Amazon #Ad
02. Large Cat Tree Click here for the price on Amazon #Ad
03. Double-Sided Tape Click here for the price on Amazon #Ad

So, now you know how you can stop your cat from jumping on the banister. But, why do they jump on it in the first place? Can cat toys help you? How can you calm down a hyperactive cat? Keep reading for these answers, and so much more.

Why do cats jump on banisters?

If you are having problems with your cat jumping on your banister you may be stepping back and wondering why is she doing this, right?

Cats jump on banisters because they like to jump and climb in general. If your cat has no other toys or activities to satisfy this desire, such as a good cat tree (Click here to see the price on Amazon #Ad) then they will get creative and use objects, like your banister as an opportunity.

To help them stop this you need to divert their attention from the banister. So, now you know why your cat is jumping on your banisters and what strategy you can use to divert them from this.

Other ways to keep your cat off your banister:

As well to some common ways, discussed earlier, here are a few other ways to help you…

Remove all toys and treats near it

Another thing to do is to remove all the things that could be attracting your cat to your balcony, and its railings consequently. Toy and treats that are near it will draw their attention, which will then be moved to where you do not want them, your balcony banister.

Remember, curiosity and excitement can be the reasons for your cat to climb the balcony railing, and both toys and treats cause these two things in your cat. So, all their toys should be kept far away from the balcony. For simple reason to draw their attention away from it, and to some more desirable area.

Cat repellent spray

The cat can be interested in the balcony as such. And removing other things that may interest it will not work. In such a situation, a cat repellent spray would be your option. This is a straightforward way to make your cat disinterested. Repellent sprays contain fragrances that are less than appreciated by cats and will avert them from wandering to the balcony.

There are many different formulations of these sprays, some are more efficient some are less, depending on the preferences of your cat. Most commonly they contain dried mustard leaves extract and rosemary essential oils. And can have a very pleasant or neutral smell to you.

Use a cat harness

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Sometimes the only way to keep your cat from the balcony is to physically restrain it. And for this, you will need to use a cat harness. Their use will require that you keep your cat under supervision, and hold the other end of the leash. While for many people this can look odd, it is a safe way to spend time on the balcony with your cat.

You should keep in mind that it will require some getting used to harness from your cat. And that process can look funny because your cat will feel embraced and attempt to lean into the hug. Hence the abundance of videos of cats falling sideways when placed into a harness.

Wrap the banister in aluminum foil

While it is not a pretty sight, this can be an efficient teaching tool. You can wrap the banister in aluminum foil. Cats just hate it. It reflects light and when touched emits a high-pitched crinkling sound that is very near the ultrasound range. Most of the sound that is created is well outside of the human hearing range, but not for cats.

Once your cat learns that getting on the banister is very unpleasant, you will be able to remove the tin foil. But, you must be careful about this solution as it has a drawback. Cats, when they jump on a tin foil-covered surface tend to jump. So, they can jump off the balcony by accident.

Can cat toys help to keep her off the banister?

If you are still looking for more options to keep your cat off your banister you may want to keep reading this for another potential solution.

Cat toys (Click here to Amazon #Ad, to see why I rate this) can keep your cat off the banister. This is more of an indirect solution but using cat toys can help to entertain her and divert her attention away from the banister.

But, you will need to invest 10 to 20 minutes a day to play with her to make this work. So, now you know that cats can benefit from having toys to keep them away from your banister and what you need to do to make it work

How do you calm down an active cat?

If your cat is very active or in other words “hyperactive” you may be looking at solutions to calm her down (Click here to see why I love this) to make her more manageable.

To calm down an active cat you should play with her more often. This may seem counterproductive but what you need to do is play with her to wear her down then immediately offer her some food. This will usually be followed by some sleep.

To gain the best benefit from this you should time this activity around the same time that you go to sleep so that she does not interfere or cause issues while you were sleeping., are you with me?

Does ignoring a cat work?

If you are having problems with your cat’s behavior (Click here for my best solution) for example jumping on your banister (could it do a handstand there? click here), acting anti-social, aggressive, etc. Then, keep reading.

Ignoring a cat does not usually work. If anything it confuses the cat and causes you more headaches in the long run. This usually ends up with the cat persisting for your attention and you will not benefit from it.

Instead, you should increase your attention to the cat. And, if she still causing issues, then you can choose when to switch off and when to give her the attention because she has had ample already.

Do cats understand Heights?

If you have noticed your cat hanging around high banisters in your home or just having no fear of heights in general you may be wondering if they understand the danger in front of them.

Cats do understand heights. But, they do not fear them as we do. In some cases, they completely underestimate the danger. However, a banister in an average domestic home is not usually a concern for a cat. But, if you live in a high-rise building then a drop from this height could be very dangerous.

So, now you know that cats do understand heights and why they persist to put their lives in danger around high surfaces.

What is high-rise syndrome in cats?

You may have heard people talk about “high-rise syndrome” leaving you curious about it. But, what is it? And, what does it mean?

High-rise syndrome in cats is when a cat injures herself from a large height. For example, a high-rise building or maybe misjudging a jump in a garden tree. This happens because many cats have little to no fear of heights.

So, now you know what this high-rise syndrome is and why it can be dangerous for cats.

What height can a cat safely jump from?

If you are concerned about your cat’s lack of fear of heights you may be wondering what is a safe distance for them to fall from, right?

According to Wikipedia 3 feet is the maximum height that a cat can safely jump from. But, it is worth bearing in mind that this can vary from cat to cat and in some cases, it can be a lot less or maybe even a bit more.

So, now you know what height a cat can safely jump from (Click here to see how to stop them from jumping from your ledge). And, that you should factor in some variance from cat to cat.

Do cats have 9 lives?

You may have heard the old saying that “cats have nine lives”, right? But, is there any truth in this, or is it just an old saying?

Cats do not have nine lives. But, they are known for surviving large drops, avoiding car accidents, etc. These narrow survivals of death earn them the belief that they have nine lives. In literal terms, it means that cats are generally lucky more than having multiple lives.

So, now you know cats do not have nine lives but some of them seem to have more luck than others.

Will another cat help you control your cat?

If you are having problems with the behavior of your cat (Click here to see how to help them calm down) you may be wondering if you would benefit from having another cat to play with.

Another cat can help to control your cat. The benefits are being able to share the high energy that one cat is burning. And, it will give you a break from having to entertain her. However, be warned they do not always integrate happily together initially.

To help cats integrate you need to take your time and integrate them on a gradual and slow basis. So, now you know that another cat ay help, and the reasons why it can be problematic.

Could your cat’s behavior be anxiety?

If your cat is behaving out of character you may be wondering if this could be to do with anxiety.

Cats behaving out of character could be a sign of anxiety or stress. If you feel that your cat is suffering from anxiety it is a good idea to seek professional help such as visiting your vet. Once you work out the root cause of this anxiety or stress then you can work on ways to stop it.

So, now you know that cats’ behavioral problems (Click here to see why I like this solution to help them) can be a result of their anxiety. And what you need to do to find the root cause.

Will a cat jump off a second-story balcony?

A cat is not likely to jump off a second-story balcony willingly. They may appear to jump, but that would be to attempt to land on another surface. There is a chance that it could fall off in the process.

Cats have excellent balance and grip so they are quite confident on balconies. This is why you may see them comfortably climbing and walking along your garden fence. As humans, we worry more when the consequence of a fall a greater, for cats it’s not the same.

Will my cat jump off the stairs?

In general, cats do not just jump off stairs for fun. They are likely to jump if they feel that another surface is safer. The problems occur if they misjudge the jump and fall.

There have been cases of cats falling from balconies, or other great heights to their death. But, most of the time they manage to walk along these surfaces without any problems.

Would a cat jump on a very high banister?

Cats will jump on a high banister. Many of them do. There have been reports of them jumping up to 18-foot banisters. The fear that we humans have is not the same for your average cat.

Cats tend to be fearful when it’s too late. For example, they climb up a tall tree and struggle to get back down. When this happens, it’s an afterthought.

Maybe one could argue that it could be a lack of intelligence, or we may just think differently.

What do cats do if they slip off a banister?

If a cat slips off a banister it will attempt to dig its claws in to grip. In some cases, this works. Other times they may have to find another surface to jump on, or just brace themselves for a fall.

If they do fall, cats are quite resilient. Meaning, that they can survive falls from heights and are well known to land on their feet in most cases.

Are cats dumb enough to jump off a balcony?

Cats are not silly and have a good understanding of heights. However, they are quite confident, arguably overconfident. This means they can jump on a high balcony for fun and accidentally slip.

Is it safe for a cat to be on a balcony?

Generally speaking, balconies can be very safe, but also very unsafe for cats. There is always present a danger of falling off it, especially if the cat gets distracted by something, but there are other dangers too. Depending on what you are keeping on your balcony, various things can be very bad for your cat.

For example, many house plants can be more or less poisonous to a cat, but also things can get hot, such as barbecues, and a cat can get burned.

What makes a cat jump from a balcony?

Cat very rarely jumps off a balcony on purpose, the most common reasons are distraction and misjudgment due to a distraction. Cats are natural-born hunters, and when they are on a scent it is very hard for them to concentrate on other things, and can misjudge a jump. Another cause of distraction can be fright when fleeing from something.