Often, kittens are too small to climb stairs easily, but it does depend on the kittens and the stairs. Â Carpeted stairs are often easier for kittens to climb, as they can use their claws to climb up. With that said, they can often only climb a few stairs at a time, as they may get tired out easily.
Kittens between 6 and 8 weeks old can often start climbing stairs. Before then, it can be challenging for them. The easiest way to determine if your kitten can climb stairs is to put a toy or treat up a step and encourage your cat to climb it. Watch with supervision to see if your kitten can climb the stairs easily. If not, you may need to wait for longer until allowing your cat to climb the stairs without supervision.
We recommend introducing your kitten to the stairs as early as possible. This helps them learn how to climb stairs easily and prevents them from becoming fearful. It isn’t super common for cats to become scared of stairs, as many climb naturally.
Is It Bad for Kittens to Climb Stairs?
Kittens love to climb. Therefore, it isn’t necessarily bad for them to climb stairs. They’ll likely be climbing just about everything, anyway. However, you shouldn’t allow the kittens to climb up the banisters or on stairs where they can get a nasty fall. They can easily fall through banisters, so be very cautious when allowing them to play on the stairs. It’s often best to let them develop some better motor skills before allowing them to climb the stairs without any supervision.
You can block the area between the banisters with cardboard or a similar barrier. Be sure that your kitten can’t climb over or under it. There is no reason to avoid introducing your kittens to stairs—just allow them to explore with supervision.
At What Age Can Kittens Manage Stairs?
Kittens can often start climbing stairs at around a month old. However, that doesn’t mean that all kittens can climb all stairs well at this age. This is when you can introduce kittens to stairs with some success.
Taller stairs are often challenging for cats, as well as wooden or tiled stairs. Carpeted stairs are easier for cats to manage as they can get more traction. However, every kitten is different and may have different challenges.
What Age Can Kittens Climb?
Kittens will start to climb at a young age—around 3 weeks old. At this point, they often come out of their box and start exploring. Every kitten is different, though, so don’t expect every kitten to venture out and start exploring as soon as they hit 3 weeks old. Kittens may start climbing at this point, allowing them to climb the stairs with some success.
Kittens take a little while to gain motor skills so they may climb and fall a lot in the beginning. This is normal and doesn’t harm the kittens. By 4 weeks, all kittens will be able to run, climb, and play.
Kittens can handle the occasional tumble. Therefore, don’t be afraid to let them explore. Just watch for long drops, such as between banisters. On stairs, this drop is what you should be most concerned about.
Can a 2-Month-Old Kitten Climb Stairs?
Yes, a 2-month-old kitten can climb stairs. Often, kittens can be introduced to stairs at around 1 month. Usually, when they’re 2 months old, they’re much better at climbing steps.
Conclusion
Kittens can climb stairs when they’re about 2 months old. However, they can be introduced as early as 4 weeks. Kittens need to practice climbing steps so you’ll need to supervise them a few times to let them practice safely.
Of course, kittens and stairs differ. Therefore, just because one kitten can climb stairs doesn’t mean another one can. Carpeted stairs are often easier for kittens to climb, as they can get more traction.
Featured Image Credit: YULIIA TSYMBALO, Shutterstock
