Jump or Climb?

**Howlinbob** · 4th August 2010, 03:38 PM

I've noticed that Larry is very much a climbing cat: he was always the one to climb up our legs and climb up the scratch post (hasn't tried the curtains, thankfully). A couple of weeks ago I was rummaging around in the attic (at 2am) for the spare bedding and before long he was up there with me - yes he had shinned up the loft ladders in no time at all! and refused to come down again - had to ask my guest to throw me a towel so that I could wrap him and bring him down - no mean feat at that hour of the night in party mood!

Anyway, my point is that he isn't a very confident jumper. He will jump onto the kitchen chairs or the low windowsill, but I notice he is quite hesitant and sometimes misjudges it, and falls down again. Sometimes he 'asks' if he can get on my lap, and when I say 'come on then', he just reaches up and puts his paws on my knee, but won't jump, I have to haul him up. This is exactly what I have to do with my old pensioner Barney. Monty on the other hand, long, lithe, leggy thing, can jump onto the kitchen worktops in the blink of an eye, with inches to spare (not a great habit, I know, training is in progress!)

Larry reminds me of our old Persian, Bob (RIP) who towards the end of his life lost all the spring in his back legs, and I had to watch his clamberings all the time in case he ended up dangling and falling. It's ironic really, as we got Larry to fill Bob's shoes, and there are lots of similarities between them, such as big character, intelligence, both solid black, like to be held 'inverted' like a baby. But I didn't expect Larry to have geriatric legs as well! Why can't he jump? Do you think he just needs practice?

**Louie-Louie** · 4th August 2010, 07:47 PM

Louie was a climber & I used to think there was something wrong when he did'nt seem interested in jumping on things like the kitchen worktops but I had nothing to worry about he's jumping on everything now, bit of a pain when you cant see the tv though

**jckkerrison** · 4th August 2010, 09:33 PM

One of my boys has never been a big jumper,we reckon its because he is such a big wuss,he will now hop onto the window sill but where as all the others fly from basket to basket on the cat tree,not him,he makes the middle bed by going from settee to the window sill & then steps into the bed & looks very pleased with himself for making it.If you are still having a crawly quiet life when booster time comes round just ask the vet to have a quick check of his hips but if he can make it into the attic I wouldn't think there is too much wrong with him,I have only ever had one make it up into ours....

**harrymc** · 4th August 2010, 10:39 PM

Harry is definately a climber, always has been, he will get anywhere but in stages until eventually he gets to where he wants to go. Although in saying that he is in the garden chasing flies (again - favourite past time at the moment lol) and you would think he was on a trampoline, superb somersaults !!! ;)

**oscar cat** · 4th August 2010, 10:56 PM

So far at 15 weeks old, Oscar seems to be a climber, he has a multi level scratching post, and he shimneys up it pretty quickly!! Not so confident at jumping yet, but maybe that wil change with age!

**mcguy** · 4th August 2010, 11:43 PM

MC males are not great jumpers in general, but I will note that hip dysplasia can be an issue for MCs, which is why all responsible breeders should be testing for it in their breeding cats. I would suggest you make certain this isn't the cause of his behavior. It can be evaluated with xrays.

Here are some links I know of:
MCBFA Health Issues
Hip Dysplasia in Cats: Winn Feline Foundation
PennHIP Home

**Scrapdragon** · 5th August 2010, 03:55 AM

Gryfn usually climbs, but if he can't then he happily will jump.

**Howlinbob** · 10th August 2010, 04:13 PM

Thanks everyone for your helpful comments. Larry's jumping has improved, he seems to be able to judge it a bit better and now he jumps fairly cleanly onto the kitchen chairs/my lap. Monty though, is something else! He's so big, long and strong, jumping onto the counters is nothing at all to him and he can do it in a split second. I wonder, if he were to jump to his limit, how high it would be! (Don't really want to test him on that, though!) I think Larry has been watching his brother and thinking, hmm, I want to do that too...

They are nearly 6 months old now and the boisterousness has gone up a gear. We have a grand piano and a stack of guitar amps, and they've started to jump from the top of the amps onto the piano lid - eeek!!!! Who needs a kitten tree, eh?

**jckkerrison** · 10th August 2010, 05:22 PM

The cats bedroom "was" known as the music room & like you Howlinbob it is pretty full of speakers,amps & on the wall a couple of acoustic guitars that we occasionly hear a non melodic twang from but the best time is when the drum kit gets put up & boy do they have fun then,everything from cymbals to bass drum is fair game & that does become a cats climbing frame.....

**FreyjaRoMaine** · 10th August 2010, 09:50 PM

Originally Posted by Howlinbob

Thanks everyone for your helpful comments. Larry's jumping has improved, he seems to be able to judge it a bit better and now he jumps fairly cleanly onto the kitchen chairs/my lap.

Good to hear Leaping Larry's in town now. Maybe it's a confidence thing - Freyja's a couple of weeks younger than your babes and in the first month she was with us she seemed to get to have to psych herself up for a jump and then completely misjudge it and fall off/ not make it. I started to get a bit worried and decided I'd mention it to the vet if it was still a problem when she went back for her next weigh in, but she's got much more confident and her judgement is now pretty good. A bit like Larry, she also used to ask if she could get up on my lap or the sofa and I'd have to give her the nod first - now she just hops up without giving a second thought and barges whatever I'm doing out of the way!