# do cats hate wood floors?



## OsnobunnieO (Jun 28, 2004)

My kitty is still pretty new in my house (about 3 months) and is pretty wary anywhere outside of my bedroom. I've gotten him fairly comfortable following me out into the living room, but he tends to go straight for the rugs and never stays on the wood floors. I'm not sure if he feels more protected because there is furniture around and he can "blend" better, or if he doesn't like walking on it or what. 

He'll wander around the kitchen (tile) now and then but prefers to sit in the hall (carpet) and stare into it.

Is my cat just afraid or do most cats prefer carpet to wood and tile?


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## ci (Apr 12, 2004)

My guess is that the rugs are cosier, and softer. I have wood floors and my cats are fine with it, and they lay on the tiled areas too. But I live in warm climate and it's probably why they need to cool off. Whereas I'm guessing it's cold where you're from and they need to cosy up to keep warm.


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## ospunkyo (Sep 3, 2003)

I've observed that my cats have a really hard time moving quickly on the non-carpet areas of my house. They can't sink their claws into anything, and often slide-crash into pieces of furniture and walls when they are playing - completely out of control and no traction to escape quickly (how embarrasing!)

The carpets are also quieter, since they absorb sound. 

I have a carpeted hallway that ends where it meets the tiled kitchen, and both cats will often sit right at the edge of the carpet and watch the world from there rather than step foot on the tile.


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## Dusty&Lou (Jun 16, 2004)

It is too funny that I found this thread today. I was just sitting with my Dusty last night playing with him on the wood floor and he was sliding all over the place! My laughing wasn't making him real happy and he finally stormed off, ears back. Of course, all was forgiven by the time we went to bed. 8) 

We recently moved into a house that is 100% hardwood or tile. We came from an apartment that was 100% carpet (except the kitchen and bath). I thought he would have a much harder time adjusting, but he doesn't seem to mind. He even rolls around the floor, like he enjoys it being so smooth. However, I have noticed on cold mornings, he runs very quickly across the super-cold floor to hop on a warm piece of furniture! :roll:


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## CyberPet (May 12, 2004)

I sure hope they don't mind wooden floors, cuz we have them in almost every room. They seem to love to slide around on them when they chase each other and no scuff marks yet


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## Artful Badger (Jun 10, 2004)

I had a kitten that was the opposite. My Megan when she was little was terrified of carpets. She'd hug the baseboard if she had to navigate a room with carpet. One time she I found her huddled on top of the vacuum cleaner that we'd left out, marooned! :lol: You know a cat is desperate if they climb onto the evil vacuum cleaner for safety!

I guess it is just what they are used to. I know my cats all find different surfaces (newspaper, cloth, tile, cardboard) extremely interesting.

Megan is now very brave. I'm sure your little one will get used to the scary hardwood floors.  

~Heather


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## kitkat (Sep 22, 2003)

One of my cats Twinkie likes cold hard tiled floors, Sugar likes cozy carpets. :lol:


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## violina23 (Jun 28, 2004)

I think the wood floor is often cooler... I notice Kiera sometimes plopps herself down on the small wood-floor part by the entrance to my apartment, even when all the "action" is in the carpetted part (the rest). Also, sometimes when I take a shower, I open the curtain to see Kiera plopped down on the tiles, just staring at me with a look like 'You VOLUNTARILY get yourself that wet?"

But more often than not, she's running wild on the carpetting.. better traction for the curvy laps she runs consistently around my 1-bedroom apartment.

-Heather


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## sentimentalgirl (Jan 29, 2004)

We have hardwood and tiles everywhere in our apartment. They seem to be fine with it. The funny thing is that as soon as we open our main door (which leads to the building hallway) they go out and enjoy being on the carpet (the hallway had carpet). It's so funny! They always look so excited about it.


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## Alison (May 11, 2004)

Of our two,Orion doesn't care but Travis definitely benefits from wooden floors.Because he's blind, he can only play with particular toys and only those that he can hear as they bounce or are dragged across the floor.He loves it  It also allows him to follow us as he can hear us as we move around.xx


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## sentimentalgirl (Jan 29, 2004)

I just remember when our super intendent of the building told us not to use any ball toys which make noice because of the people living under us. We do have all kind of toys and some of them are very noisy! Fortunatelly, none complained..


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## stormy (Dec 7, 2003)

Maybe I have weird cats but last summer we switched from carpeting in the living room to hardwood flooring. And the cats just went nuts!!! They were racing and running and sliding back and forth over and over again and having a good ole time on it!!! :lol:


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## catobsessed4 (Mar 23, 2004)

My cats seem to like wood and tile better. They love to skid around the corners, chasing each other. They like to curl up on the carpet when they're napping, though


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