Acclimating Your Cat to Your Cat Wall System

Your cat wall shelf system is installed and now comes the million dollar question – how do I get my cat to use it?  Many cats require no coaxing and will immediately begin climbing, exploring and enjoying their new vertical playground.  However, some cats are more tentative and will take some time to explore and accept the system more slowly.  

In this article we will discuss some of the things that you can do to encourage your cat to begin scaling new heights!

Location

Most cats love to be around their humans, so, placing your cat wall shelf system in an area of your home that you occupy frequently will increase the likelihood of your cat’s engagement.  Besides, you won’t want to miss the antics that will ensue as your cat navigates his or her vertical superhighway!

Stability

We cannot stress enough how important it is that your cat wall shelves are installed securely in place, following the installation instructions.  If a cat senses any bounce, “give”, or jiggling when traversing or landing on shelves, they will not be confident and will likely shy away from using them.  

Accessibility

Make sure that your cat has an easy entry point or points to begin the climb onto their cat wall system – a couch, chair, end table, or a started shelf placed closer to the floor all work.   Work with your cat to coax them onto the entry point and onto the initial shelves, so that they gain an understanding of how to navigate the system.  As we said, this may not be necessary with some cats, but others may require gentle encouragement.

Treats, Catnip, Toys, Praise

If your cat does need some guidance to get started, get creative by using treats, catnip, or feather toys to entice them to begin their climb.  Be sure and reward them with praise and petting when they begin to learn the ropes!

Once your cat gets the hang of it, they will quickly learn that their cat wall shelves are “their” space, and they will enjoy overseeing their kingdom from a vertical vantage point!

"I received the items - Thank you!  All the ramps, tubes, condos and cups are up now and my crazy cats are racing around the top of the room.  They are having so much fun with these things and it has really made a difference in the quality of their lives." 
-- Jessica

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