# 8 week kitten and stairs?



## Wonderland (Oct 20, 2014)

Hello, 

I have an 8 week old kitten and was told by a friend that it is not healthy to allow her to climb the stairs for another 4 weeks because "her bones are too soft and it will lead to possible deformity". Is this correct? 

I really don't want her to get hurt so have kept her away from the stairs but it is getting harder to stop her, as she is able to get past all the blockades we use e.g. cardboard box wedged across a step. 

Thanks for any advice you can give


----------



## lostbear (May 29, 2013)

TBH I think it does kittens good to be able to try out and practise their kittens skills. I have always assumed that, like babies, they will try things when they are ready for them and that this should be allowed in a safe environment. Stairs are comparatively small and comparatively soft (if carpeted) and a tumble down a few steps occasionally is not going to to your little 'un any harm - in fact it will help her to develop her co-ordination etc.

I have always let mine just go for it (unless I didn't want them upstairs for some reason). If she gets stuck she will yell for you. I would be careful though, that if she gets upstairs when you aren't there to supervise that there is nothing that she can hurt herself on - e.g. electrical leads for clock radios, cd players etc, and that the upstairs doors are shut so she can't get into rooms and get herself stuck under a bookshelf or something.

Personally I think she'll be fine (i haven't lost any of our 5 cats and 2 visiting kittens yet), but I will be interested to hear other opinions.

PS - If she can get over a box that is higher than the step, she is climbing confidently anyway - stairs won't do her any harm


----------



## huckybuck (Jan 17, 2014)

I've always allowed mine access to the stairs (especially as they sleep in the bedroom) BUT we have post and rail banisters so I ALWAYS board them from about halfway up and around the landing so theres no chance of a jump or fall through the gaps.

With Gracie we kept it like this until she was about 4 1/2 months.


----------



## Wiz201 (Jun 13, 2012)

No kittens are fine to climb stairs. They know their own limitations and we never had to block the bannisters or anything.


----------



## huckybuck (Jan 17, 2014)

Wiz201 said:


> No kittens are fine to climb stairs. They know their own limitations and we never had to block the bannisters or anything.


I probably wouldn't if we had normal stairs and carpet hall, but we have a slightly longer flight than normal and our hall is tiled as well. The thought of an accidental slip was too much of a risk.


----------



## Polski (Mar 16, 2014)

I could see the logic...if they were going to be spending a lot of time on the stairs in one position but thats not going to happen so let kittie go for it....be prepared for elephants on up and down your stairs though!

I think it stems from young animal spending a lot of time on exercise wheels, if the wheel is not large enough for their spine and they spend a lot of time on it then there is potential to do harm but its not the case with stairs (or a large enough wheel)


----------



## jill3 (Feb 18, 2009)

Stairs should be fine but I would always watch her while she is on them.
I did block off the Banister on the landing to stop out kitten from walking along the edge. I think it is always better to be safe than sorry. This is just my opinion and I am a born worrier
Within a few weeks she will be fine and yes we do have a herd of Elephants running up and down the stairs now:yesnod:
Same as large cat trees and kittens. There has been a few accidents with these where the kitten has fell out of the top part and fell on hard flooring.

With any Baby Human or Animal they just need a careful eye on them


----------



## lostbear (May 29, 2013)

Polski said:


> I could see the logic...if they were going to be spending a lot of time on the stairs in one position but thats not going to happen so let kittie go for it...*.be prepared for elephants on up and down your stairs though!*
> 
> I think it stems from young animal spending a lot of time on exercise wheels, if the wheel is not large enough for their spine and they spend a lot of time on it then there is potential to do harm but its not the case with stairs (or a large enough wheel)


Hahaha - I'd forgotten about this!

I sweartogod that at 10.00 at night, cats grow 4 extra legs and use them to gallop up and down and back and forth and up walls and across ceilings.

They get about fifteen stones heavier, too, and make a heck of a racket as they jump off things and crash to the flor as though the will go through the ceiling downstairs.


----------



## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

When I have a litter of kittens the stairs are blocked in a similar way to yours OP until they are able to get over the barrier - usually around 6 or 7 weeks. From then on they have free range. I don't block off the open banisters on the landing but my husband always puts a large pile of cushions on the hall table where they would land if they fell (none have as yet - better touch wood quickly )


----------



## Polski (Mar 16, 2014)

lostbear said:


> Hahaha - I'd forgotten about this!
> 
> I sweartogod that at 10.00 at night, cats grow 4 extra legs and use them to gallop up and down and back and forth and up walls and across ceilings.
> 
> They get about fifteen stones heavier, too, and make a heck of a racket as they jump off things and crash to the flor as though the will go through the ceiling downstairs.


When Jasper and Fliss were kittens my neighbour came round and asked if I had kittens and could she see them, we weren't particularly close so I hadn't told her...she knew because she recognised the elephant sounds!


----------



## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

Polski said:


> When Jasper and Fliss were kittens my neighbour came round and asked if I had kittens and could she see them, we weren't particularly close so I hadn't told her...she knew because she recognised the elephant sounds!


Try it with 6 of them :yikes:  - I have to shut kittens in the kitchen at night time


----------



## wind1 (Oct 24, 2010)

Whisper was a nightmare on our stairs. As soon as she could jump over the cardboard gate at the bottom, she was up on the bannister balancing. My stairs are open plan. I was so worried she would fall I set up air beds and cushions underneath. It was a good job I did as she fell twice! I posted photos on here at the time. My hallway looked like a squat.


----------



## lor42x (Jul 26, 2013)

This thread has just reassured me over concerns I've had about kittens & stairs. We collect our kitties next Friday and I've been wondering how to keep them away from the stairs - we live in a 3 storey house so have 2 sets to contend with!! They will only have access to them when we're in so I will just keep an eye on them to start with and see how they get on - they're experts in climbing after all so hopefully will be just fine :yesnod:


----------

