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Old 12-05-2020, 04:31 PM
 
Location: Removing a snake out of the neighbor's washing machine
3,095 posts, read 2,011,751 times
Reputation: 2304

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One Of My Cats has Terraphobia!

He always wants to be UP somewhere: On the dining table, the back of the sofa, the refrigerator, on top of my TURNTABLE LID! , the fireplace mantle shelf, kitchen counter, my back, etc...

What can I do to get him used to being on the ground or floor? He's five years old.

He rarely shows interest in the two cat condos we have throughout the house.
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Old 12-05-2020, 06:56 PM
 
11,183 posts, read 19,336,877 times
Reputation: 23905
Nothing. This is perfectly normal and common cat behavior. Many, even most, cats prefer to be on elevated surfaces. Why would you want to force him to live on the floor when that isn't where he wants to be? Put shelves on the wall, with runs in between them even, and make inaccessible the things you don't want him perching on like your turntable cover.
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Old 12-05-2020, 10:05 PM
 
Location: Removing a snake out of the neighbor's washing machine
3,095 posts, read 2,011,751 times
Reputation: 2304
Quote:
Originally Posted by catsmom21 View Post
Nothing. This is perfectly normal and common cat behavior. Many,
even most, cats prefer to be on elevated surfaces. Why would you
want to force him to live on the floor when that isn't where he wants
to be? Put shelves on the wall, with runs in between them even, and
make inaccessible the things you don't want him perching on like
your turntable cover.
Explain that to his 12 & 15 year-old elders - rarely ever above sofa cushion or bed height. And yes, they are in fine shape, weight within normal range, etc.
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Old 12-06-2020, 06:57 AM
 
11,183 posts, read 19,336,877 times
Reputation: 23905
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheGrandK-Man View Post
Explain that to his 12 & 15 year-old elders - rarely ever above sofa cushion or bed height. And yes, they are in fine shape, weight within normal range, etc.

Cats are individuals. What one cat does has no bearing on whether another does it or not. Let your cat be himself and protect your belongings by removing or blocking access to things like your turntable you don't want him on. I can't imagine why anyone would object to a cat being on the back of the couch. It's a common resting spot for cats all over the world and there are threads about the "sofa dent", so yes it's a thing.

Same with tops of refrigerators. I have one who, even in our new house, has found a way to get herself on top of the fridge. It's a seemingly death defying leap, but she has figured it out. I worried about how she would get down so rearranged a few things so she could get down easily and safely. She still goes up the scary way though.

In fact my cats can go through most of the house without ever touching the ground, if they wish.

How old is this cat? Perhaps he needs more attention from you. How often do you engage in interactive games with him?
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Old 12-06-2020, 07:38 AM
 
Location: Virginia
10,043 posts, read 6,305,219 times
Reputation: 27493
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheGrandK-Man View Post
One Of My Cats has Terraphobia!

He always wants to be UP somewhere: On the dining table, the back of the sofa, the refrigerator, on top of my TURNTABLE LID! , the fireplace mantle shelf, kitchen counter, my back, etc...

What can I do to get him used to being on the ground or floor? He's five years old.

He rarely shows interest in the two cat condos we have throughout the house.
Several of my cats used to jump onto the kitchen counter, then the refrigerator and up to the top of the kitchen cabinets, where they would either run back and forth or perch in the farthest corner where I couldn't reach them. The big girl has also jumped onto the stove and then the top of the refrigerator in my current house as well (fortunately the gas stove hasn't been hooked up yet, as it has continuous dual pilot lights, lol). She's shown no interest in the cat tree either, although two of the others do (I have four cats.) The only reason mine don't sleep on the backs of sofas is that I have antique furniture with narrow wooden backs. At least one of mine is always in the bed with me as well, and usually two of the more compatible ones.
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Old 12-06-2020, 08:11 AM
 
Location: Removing a snake out of the neighbor's washing machine
3,095 posts, read 2,011,751 times
Reputation: 2304
Quote:
Originally Posted by catsmom21 View Post
Cats are individuals. What one cat does has no bearing on whether
another does it or not. Let your cat be himself and protect your belongings
by removing or blocking access to things like your turntable you don't want
him on. I can't imagine why anyone would object to a cat being on the back
of the couch. It's a common resting spot for cats all over the world and there
are threads about the "sofa dent", so yes it's a thing.

Same with tops of refrigerators. I have one who, even in our new house, has
found a way to get herself on top of the fridge. It's a seemingly death defying
leap, but she has figured it out. I worried about how she would get down so
rearranged a few things so she could get down easily and safely. She still
goes up the scary way though.

In fact my cats can go through most of the house without ever touching
the ground, if they wish.

How old is this cat? Perhaps he needs more attention from you. How often
do you engage in interactive games with him?
Thanks for that explanation. I won't be moving my turntable anytime soon; it's on top of a full rack of - gaaasp - stereo components!

As for his age, it's toward the end of my original post.
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Old 12-06-2020, 08:26 AM
 
Location: Worcester MA
2,954 posts, read 1,393,789 times
Reputation: 5750
Could you have fleas? When a relative had a flea infestation in her house (with carpeting), her cat avoided the ground like the plague. Would run and jump across the carpeting and quickly get onto higher elevations.
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Old 12-06-2020, 12:10 PM
 
Location: Kansas City, MISSOURI
20,702 posts, read 9,296,551 times
Reputation: 15439
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheGrandK-Man View Post
One Of My Cats has Terraphobia!

He always wants to be UP somewhere: On the dining table, the back of the sofa, the refrigerator, on top of my TURNTABLE LID! , the fireplace mantle shelf, kitchen counter, my back, etc...

What can I do to get him used to being on the ground or floor? He's five years old.

He rarely shows interest in the two cat condos we have throughout the house.
Probably he thinks he's King of the House.
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Old 12-06-2020, 01:38 PM
 
11,523 posts, read 14,561,718 times
Reputation: 16820
My eldest cat was always up the highest on surfaces compared to the other ones. That way, she could peer below to see her siblings. Ha. I think it was a dominant thing. Sweet cat though.
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Old 12-07-2020, 05:18 AM
 
4,086 posts, read 2,387,839 times
Reputation: 6413
When I moved into the house I am in now, one cat took a while to adjust to the floors. Its an older house and under the oak floors are just joists; there is no plywood and the floors shake. Try seeing if walking more gently and without shoes in the house helps. Neither of them lay and sleep on the floor or a rug like they did in the other houses. I have to assume it is the vibration.
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