# Climbing people like trees



## Smaughunter (Feb 14, 2014)

So my Agnes (fourteen weeks) likes to climb my husband and I like we are trees. At first she started doing this to my husband only while he is working at his desk. She will run up in a play frenzy and scale his pant leg digging in with all claws. I told him to keep some toys by him so that he can toss them for her to chase when she does this and that's been working out pretty well.

Now she has figured out when I am preparing her food and has taken to scaling up my legs and back as soon as I get out the can. One second I am standing at the counter dishing out food and the next I have four sets of tiny claws in my back! I am not sure what do do about that one because I can't see her coming and she is so focused on getting her food she won't be redirected with toys. Any ideas on how to nip it in the bud? It's pretty comical now but I imagine it won't be so appealing on an adult cat!


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## TabbCatt (Mar 26, 2014)

Youch. Kitty claws will definitely be no fun as she grows! Unfortunately, this is typical behavior of most young kittens. I used to say a stern "No!" or "Ow!" And gently push them down back on the floor the minute they climbed my leg. They also learned they don't get food unless they sit down for at least a second or two. My two never climb my legs anymore, but still get somewhat excited (especially Maya), but they will sit if I continue to withhold the food just above their heads until they settle down. Hope you get similar results! ;-)


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

Squeal like a stuck pig! They understand such language. I have one foster kitten, Poppy and although cute as a button, she thinks my legs are things to be climbed. When I'm wearing thin pants or cropped pants it HURTS! She is about 11 weeks old and it's gotten better but I really have to yell to get my message across!


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## Dumine (Jun 30, 2014)

I agree with Marcia. When Femmy was young she once jumped onto my back one day when I was washing my face in the basin. She was just playing, but she hooked me good and proper with her claws. It was so sudden that I couldn't help myself. I yelled out in pain and turned around so suddenly that she became dislodged and went flying! She had never seen such a violent outburts from me before and never since either. Needless to say she obviously got such a fright that she never used her claws on anyone ever again. Not even during play.


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## Smaughunter (Feb 14, 2014)

Ok! I will try it. I'll let you guys know how it goes. I have done that technique with a puppy before but it never occurred to me I could use it on a kitten. Thanks!


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## dt8thd (Jan 7, 2013)

I've had a couple of foster kittens that have been really big on people climbing. Roxie, the tiny dilute tortie fluff-ball, was definitely the worst--she was constantly climbing me like a tree and she was fast at it! One second she was on the floor at my feet, the next she's on my shoulder, and I'm starting to cringe because the pain signals from the cutaneous receptors in my skin have finally reached my brain. :roll: She was such a handful, even at 5 weeks! 









^ Roxie (I, personally, preferred the nickname 'Tiny Hippo'). She looks so innocent and sedate--Lies! All LIES!

I've found that most kittens people-climb less as they get a bit older, probably in part because the more they weigh the more it hurts the climbee, and the more negative the reaction they get from you for doing it. Pepper, the 7 month old tortie foster I had, would also sometimes run up my back, wanting to sit on my shoulders, and that _really_ hurt! She did it far less frequently than Roxie did, thank God, and she got much better about it after the first couple times. I still keep in touch with the family who adopted her (along with one of Roxie's littermates, in fact), and, last I heard, she still enjoys sitting on shoulders. Jane (Pepper's mom) didn't mention people-climbing to get onto shoulders though, and it was a painful enough thing to experience that I think she probably would have if it was still an issue.


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## Smaughunter (Feb 14, 2014)

Oh, she looks so cute and innocent, ha! What an adorable face, but I think I can see her plotting kitten escapades in her eyes. 

Quick update! We have success! This morning as I was mixing her food she tried it again. I hollered "ouch!" and she was so startled she jumped right off like I was an electric fence. If she tries again I will do the same until she gets the picture. 

Thanks!


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## Gabby88 (Jul 23, 2014)

All 3 of my foster kittens climbed me when they were little. They stopped at around 16 weeks.


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## G-PEG123 (Feb 20, 2014)

Oh, she's adorable! I wish I could have new kittens every day.


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## Sabrina767 (Sep 5, 2014)

Charli used to do this...I clipped her little nails and screamed LOUD if she still tried.. That put an end to it after a very short time. But nail clipping is key, or was for me.


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## lausa (Sep 23, 2012)

Yep, my ozzy did it when he was about 8-16 weeks, then naturally stopped. I think they just see anything as a challenge! It is the age where they start to explore everything 
My Ru, who is just turning 10 months, climbed up me when she was 7 months old! Only whenever I had her dinner in my hand though, I just pushed her off and she soon got the message and hasn't done it in over a month!

I think they naturally grow out of it, yes there nails hurt a lot, so if you can't bare it just shout loudly when she does it and she will understand!


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## Albert_The_Cat (Nov 28, 2014)

Hi there,
We have similar problem with cat climbing people, but perhaps not as extreme as described above. 

Our cats – Albert in particular is jumping on the back and shoulders of me or my wife. He does so mainly to be close to head so he could be close to owner’s head. I’ve read that it’s normal for this breed (Devon Rex) since they get very attached to theirs’ owners. 

The other instance, when Albert is jumping on us is when he wants to climb the higher vintage points and uses us as his ladder. That is an issue since he has grown from tiny kitten to 3,5 kg of raw cat. 

The remedy is trimming his claws regularly so it’s less painful when he does his climbing. Trying to discourage him does not work. The only thing that helps is observing him closely and move away or block his view when he is preparing himself for jump. 

Top sum up – I don’t know a way to discourage a cat from climbing people, my only solution is either denying him an opportunity to do so (moving away) or mitigating the painful consequences by trimming his claws.


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## Smaughunter (Feb 14, 2014)

Thanks for that point about the nail trimming. I have a little pair of clippers for her but I haven't used them yet. I am trying to get her used to having her paws handled. I may try it later today!


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## Albert_The_Cat (Nov 28, 2014)

Good luck with trimming, it's always a bit changing especially when the hind legs are concerned. 

Also be careful not to trim too much - observe the red "veins" inside the claws. If you cut it, the will bleed bad and may be painful.


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## KittyCatKate (Dec 5, 2014)

My cat did this when he was a kitten. He did it till he was about 4 months then stopped because he realized he was too heavy to climb my pants! He then started jumping up on my lap instead of climbing them. I think it is a common behavior that dies out on its own.


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## bluemilk (Oct 3, 2005)

This is kitten behavior. It may stop in time. In the meantime it's good if one of you is on hand to rescue the other! When Percy, my orange boy was a kitten, he'd climb my ankles and slide down my socks! Finally, he got a little big for that...


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## Smaughunter (Feb 14, 2014)

Thanks Albert for your advice on the nail trimming. I did succeed in trimming her forpaws yesterday. I let her curl up on my lap of her own volition and when she was nice and relaxing I started to pet behind her ears, under her chin, and made my way down to her toes where I slowly extended the claws and clipped just the very tip of each one. Giving lots of affection in between each claw. I didn't want to tempt my luck with the back claws just yet!


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## Albert_The_Cat (Nov 28, 2014)

Smaughunter said:


> Thanks Albert for your advice on the nail trimming. I did succeed in trimming her forpaws yesterday.


 Congratulations, it’s not an easy task. I do it at least twice a week for the past two years and still this is a challenge. 
My cats didn’t get used to it, so I have to do it despite their protests. 

I usually award them with a favourite snack after grooming to build the positive association with this activity, but still they are reluctant.


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