# pet stairs and ramps



## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

Ok, I know every kitty is different, but does anyone have a ramp or steps that their arthritic kitty actually uses? I don't know whether a ramp or stairs would be better. I have these stairs, that Celia won't touch (Margaux never did either). I tried treats and catnip. No go.










I'm wondering if I get ones that are closed in, like either of these, she'd use them:



















Or if a ramp is better. This one is heavy duty foam. I'm afraid it'll be slightly soft, and that will put her off.








If anyone has any opinions or suggestions, I'd love to know - and so would Celia's knee and hip.


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## burt (Jun 2, 2014)

I myself think stairs are just as bad for arthritic cats as jumping, I have stairs on my front and back porches. When Smokey used to follow me around the yard when we got back to the house I would always boost him up the stairs everytime.

I would say ramps are the best and I always had planned on making him one, its unfortunatly too late for that 

Cosequin is also great for the joints...


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Spirite, 
I agree with Burt! For arthritic cats, a ramp would be the way to go, especially if the arthritis is bad...
S.


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## maggie23 (Mar 10, 2012)

my 14 year angel uses the ramps my ex and i made for her all the time and they're great! we had a bunch of scrap wood around so we took nice solid pieces that were @14" wide and @4' long. then i covered them with 1 -1 1/2" thick foam from Joann's Fabrics (i can't remember now exactly how thick the foam was but it was at least 1" and I wrapped it just slightly around the corners to make sure the whole ramp was padded), then staple gunned material (i used a fleece type of material so it's not slippery) on top of that (stapled to the underside of the ramp). 

they are very sturdy and nice and soft on her joints and she does use them all the time. we used to also have similarly padded and covered boxes of different heights for her to use to get up on things, but she slowly stopped jumping up on those and now uses the ramps ONLY.

sorry i don't have any pictures handy, but they do work great.


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## maggie23 (Mar 10, 2012)

actually, here's a link to my silly youtube video of angel using one of her ramps. just be sure to mute it so you don't hear my annoying kitty voice. ha ha!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fG9LpKK8K9Y


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

Thanks for your input guys. A ramp it is then!

maggie23, Angel is beautiful, and she certainly seems to be enjoying the ramps. That's a funny moment at the end of the clip, when she thinks she's too good for the ramp up to the chairs and thinks about jumping - then thinks the better of it.  

Your ramps look great. I wish I could make my own, because pet furniture is outrageously expensive for what it is. Plus, I like that your ramps are wood so that there's a solid surface underneath. Alas. I'm beyond hopeless when it comes to DIY projects. I'd probably end up stapling myself to the board. 

I'll try the foam ramp above if I can't find something sturdier - they probably don't even sell the kind you made, figuring that most people would make their own.


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

OMG. I take that back. I found a great one - for $269. 8O


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Can you share a picture of it, or a link Spirite? 
Thanks!
S.


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

Here you go: Easy Slope Indoor Pet Ramp - Dog Ramps and Pet Steps at - Pet Classics™

This is the "easy slope" version, which is the one I'd get. But they have a couple of other ones. There's also one with a sisal scratcher, but I think the slope may be too steep for arthritic kitties.

The quality looks excellent - an Amish-made pet ramp! I really like one of the scratching posts too. But by the time I figure in tax and shipping, plus the little floor protectors, plus maybe a colored wood, this thing will be well over $300.  

And I'm so aggravated with the little furball right now that this gets a definite no. 



Right now.


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

WOW! Spirite! These are Beautiful! There's a couple of other things I liked there to!


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## Mochas Mommy (Dec 9, 2013)

Definitely a ramp...doesn't have to be fancy....but it us a lot easier to walk up a little slope than haul butt up stairs!


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

Well, the $269 ramp that was a definite no earlier this week has moved into the realm of most likely yes. 

The foam one is half the price, but 2 reviewers said their cats wouldn't go near it at first, and one thought it might have been because of a smell coming from the fabric. I don't know that I want to take the chance that there's a funky chemical smell. 

I don't really see any alternatives, since I'm so completely incompetent with DIY projects. And anyway, I just don't have the time. 

Should I just suck it up? My little munchkin will then be costing me somewhere upwards of $1000 since June. Not including food, medication, catnip, or toys.  

Good thing she's cute.


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Hi Spirite! 
I've been doing a little investigating into ramps and stairs!
I don't know if any of these will help...
S.

These actually look very good, because of the design! :

http://m.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Pet-Gear-Easy-Steps-Dog-Cat-Bed-Stair-PG9760CH-/351417141854?nav=SEARCH


http://m.ebay.com/sch/Ramps-Stairs-/116389/i.html

http://m.1800petmeds.com/mt/www.1800petmeds.com/Steps+++Ramps-cat200006.html?source=cat

http://www.overstock.com/#/Pet-Supplies/Pet-Stairs-Ramps/333/dept.html

http://www.overstock.com/#Pet-Suppl...l?count=60&sort=Recommended&landingPage=false

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/dog-supplies/ramps-stairs/ps/c/3307/18712


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## TabbCatt (Mar 26, 2014)

Hmm, I'm wondering if maybe it's cheaper to hire a carpenter or carpenter apprentice to do this for a more reasonable price! You could supply him with the material from a home improvement store and let him do the rest, showing pictures and measurements of what you really want, of course.


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

Thanks for all the links 10cats! The 2nd ebay link didn't work for me, but I checked out the other sites. There are a ton of ramps, but the frustrating thing is that almost all are made for cars. The tops all have a pretty narrow lip, so they wouldn't be secure if you hang that lip over the edge of a bed. The expensive one has a platform on top, but the best thing is that it's got a lower angle of incline than any of the other ramps. 

TabbCatt, I did actually think about asking my handyman. I've got three boards in various lengths hanging out in the porch (they were used as shelving in the closets, but I didn't need them) that I've been meaning to get rid of. They may be too narrow though. 

Speaking of, any thoughts on whether a 12" wide ramp is ok, or if I should go with 16"? The price difference is minimal, considering, but this thing is a beast - 83" long, so I can't imagine how huge 16" wide x 83" long would be in my bedroom.  It would fit though.


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## maggie23 (Mar 10, 2012)

83" seems REALLY long for a ramp. the ones we made are only 48" and i think they are sufficient. they are also 14" wide and that's totally sufficient for our little 10.5 lb cat. if your cat is bigger or is very unsteady on his/her paws, then i suppose you might opt for the 16" wide vs. 12" wide version.

and i definitely think you could have your handyman make the ramp for you. if you only need one, then he could use those pieces of wood you have lying around to make one nice big wide, long piece. then all he has to do is staple gun some foam and material around it and voila! awesome homemade kitty ramp for less then what you'd buy them for online and just the size you want without that little lip for cars.


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## DebS (Jun 14, 2015)

Here is another link with some ramps... Furniture Grade Indoor Pet Ramps


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

*opinions?*

Oh wow, I swear I responded eons ago. DebS, thanks for that link. They have a ramp similar to the one I was eyeing. It's less expensive, but it's also shorter, which means the angle is higher. I was looking at the site again just now and weirdly, I found something I'd been looking for on Wayfair and Overstock tonight - the $13 pet door that snaps onto a screen! It's back-ordered til September, but I'm excited! 

While I contemplate my ramp options, I'm going to get something she can use as a step/landing, because right now, she needs to jump 32" to get on my bed, and she's clearly hesitating. I can't decide between two regular condos and a big paw condo, though I'm leaning towards the paw. 

The paw condo is 15"H, so just about half the total height. It's also 20"D x 24"W, so that's a lot of surface for jumping on and off, which I think will make her comfortable. But it's awfully bulky, and it's not like you can just push it into a corner. Here's the paw:










This is a more normal condo, 10"H x 16"D:










There's also this one, which is 12.5"H x 19.5"D. 










Don't know how I feel about that fur.

Anyone have any comments/preferences/recommendations?


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Hi Spirite! 
I think the Paw one is super comfy looking, and I like the little raised edge all around it, to help keep any snoozing kitties from rolling off!
S.


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## TabbCatt (Mar 26, 2014)

I also vote for the paw condo, but I bet it's also the most expensive. Isn't Wayfair cheaper than Overstock or other places for it right now? Though still...$68 for a "landing" isn't cheap.

Btw on wayfair, the sale price is for the brown color only, which is one I'd choose anyway.


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

Oh good! We're in agreement.  

TC, well of course it's the most expensive... 

Yep, instead of working on my article I puttered around on Wayfair and Overstock all night. This is all because I was looking to spend the $15 rewards I have on Wayfair that expire in 2 days. I want the paw in gray, and it's $15 more than the brown. It's outrageous that they charge $15 more for the other colors. On overstock, all the colors are $73. 

Ok, the paw in gray is in my cart. I'm buying this bed too:
K&H Manufacturing Small Orthopedic Bolster Velvet Pet Bed - Overstock Shopping - The Best Prices on K&H Manufacturing Orthopedic Pet Beds

I've already ordered 2 beds from Drs. Foster & Smith, an orthopedic foam one, and the heated kitty cup - you know, the bed that I had two of, until Mr. Casper peed in each one...I believe he ruined 5 beds in total, plus I'll probably end up throwing out the one in the porch. He's only used it once, but it's not washable, and it's been out there for months now. 

Celia has turned up her nose at her most recent favorite bed. I don't smell anything funny, but I'll throw it in the wash. It might smell like eardrops.  So currently she only has one bed, and it has high sides. I want to have at least 3 beds, 2 downstairs and 1 upstairs. Surprisingly, she's not that fussy about beds. She'll sit on pretty much anything with a soft surface and will get in anything that she can climb into. So hopefully she'll like at least 2 of the 3 beds. I believe I've bought something like 12 beds since last fall. 

I think I will have bought something like 12 cat beds since last fall.

8O


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## DebS (Jun 14, 2015)

Oh spirite, I completely understand the need to buy 12 beds. My dog, Riley, used to eat beds when I wasn't home so I had to but beds until I found one she couldn't chew through.


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