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Cat Forum / General Topics / March 2008Zooming Up Stairs - 4 legs or 2 Doubled Up?
Isis has two ways of climbing stairs. For the slow climb she does left front-right rear leg and right front-left rear leg. For the faster emergency climbs she does the above or, more often, she switches off to left front-right front and left rear-right rear leg combination. She seems to get more speed by using the left-right combination rear push off manuever. I think that's the more efficient way to go. Which maneuver seems to work best for your cats? Mike in Illinois > Isis has two ways of climbing stairs. For the slow climb she does left > front-right rear leg and right front-left rear leg. For the faster [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Mike in Illinois My cats arn't allowed upstairs, and they know it. However, if I find one of the hairy little 'baskets' upstairs, they certainly run downstairs pretty quickly. Unfortunately, they go so fast I don't see their legs move - there's just a blur! Spider Well, next time one of 'em chooses to wilfully disobey you and moves into an emergency run watch those legs, ok? I think you'll find that a downstairs emergency run involves the opposite leg maneuver. I'm guessing that the same applies for an upstairs trip because it sounds like they sneak upstairs very very slowly to avoid alerting you. <-: Or, maybe not. Maybe they do the rear pair front pair approach to get up quickly. Mike in Illinois >My cats arn't allowed upstairs, and they know it. However, if I find one of >the hairy little 'baskets' upstairs, they certainly run downstairs pretty >quickly. Unfortunately, they go so fast I don't see their legs move - >there's just a blur! > >Spider Mike, I'm quite sure that when they go upstairs, it's only on three legs..............the fourth leg is holding down their bell so I can't hear it jingle :o)) !! Yes, maybe I should watch them bolting downstairs. I'll stand a fierce dog at the bottom in order to slow their progress. (Mmm .. you're quite right - I jest!) Anyway, as far as they're concerned, it's bad enough having a fierce owner at the top of the stairs. Spider > Well, next time one of 'em chooses to wilfully disobey you and moves > into an emergency run watch those legs, ok? I think you'll find that a [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] >> >>Spider Well, the only part of your e-mail that I didn't quite get was that "aren't allowed" part. I have rules here, too, but they are typically ignored from time to time. I think maybe it should be "strongly suggested" that your cats don't sneak upstairs. Aside from the upstairs trip being "forbidden behaviour", which makes it all the more enticing, what is up there that is verboten? I had a couch I got that was real nice. Every chance she got Isis would jump on it because it has nice elastic material and scritch-scratch like crazy. She'd look me right in the eye while she did it because she knew it was Forbidden. I got a couch cover for it which took a lot of the magic away. I'm into this cat thing. For instance, ever see your cat spin it's head after you tickle its ear hairs? I've wondered how fast those back and forth spins really go. I might just take a movie and watch count the turns per second and then multiply by 360 and I can then know how many "rpm's". This is where I'm at after 8 years with Isis. Mike in Illinois >Mike, I'm quite sure that when they go upstairs, it's only on three >legs..............the fourth leg is holding down their bell so I can't hear [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] >>> >>>Spider > Well, the only part of your e-mail that I didn't quite get was that > "aren't allowed" part. I have rules here, too, but they are typically > ignored from time to time. I think maybe it should be "strongly > suggested" that your cats don't sneak upstairs. Aside from the > upstairs trip being "forbidden behaviour", which makes it all the more > enticing, what is up there that is verboten? It's very simple, Mike. I adore cats. I absolutely off-the-scale adore them. Alas, I have a husband who doesn't. He says they are "rat-faced sh.t machines", filthy and destructive. You may get the idea we don't agree on the subject! When he finally allowed me to have a cat (now 2 cats), we agreed that they wouldn't go upstairs. I insist they don't go in my larder (cleaning chemicals on bottom shelf) or in the garage (similar dangers plus big thingy with wheels on it). Hubby doesn't want them upstairs because they'll leave fleas, disease and hair up there. He doesn't want to put his head/face on a pillow where a cat's a**e has been. Because of all this, I train my cats from kittenhood. Firmly, but gently, they learn the rules of the house because, if they didn't, I couldn't have cats. Told you it was simple :~)) > I had a couch I got that was real nice. Every chance she got Isis > would jump on it because it has nice elastic material and > scritch-scratch like crazy. She'd look me right in the eye while she > did it because she knew it was Forbidden. I got a couch cover for it > which took a lot of the magic away. Yes, I had a cat who looked me right in the eye while attempting a known naughtiness. I read this as "I can get away with this, can't I?" behaviour. I always gently told him 'no', but introduced him to his own bed .. food .. whatever he needed. Once or twice he jumped up on our sofa, but it was hubby who was told off, because he'd thrown his coat down on the sofa. The only time Tiggypuss was allowed on the sofa was when he slept on my lap. Naturally, he perceived it was okay to snooze on people-clothing, which made hubby's coat seem legit snoozing equipment. Thus, I have to train the hubby thing, too! I bet you're beginning to feel sorry for anyone who lives with me! > I'm into this cat thing. For instance, ever see your cat spin it's > head after you tickle its ear hairs? I've wondered how fast those back > and forth spins really go. I might just take a movie and watch count > the turns per second and then multiply by 360 and I can then know how > many "rpm's". I've never tickled my cat's ear hairs, so this is new to me. In fact, if I see my cat seem irritated by its ears, I smooth down the hair in its ears, so it's more comfortable. Men are from Mars and tickle cats' ears .. women are from Venus and soothe them. Fact of life. > This is where I'm at after 8 years with Isis. I'm up to 4 years each with Cheetah and Panther, but 28 cat-owning years total. I still think it's harder training hubby. Spider > Mike in Illinois > [quoted text clipped - 32 lines] >>>> >>>>Spider [snip] : It's very simple, Mike. I adore cats. I absolutely : off-the-scale adore them. Alas, I have a husband who : doesn't. He says they are "rat-faced sh.t machines", : filthy and destructive. You know what I'm going to say, don't you ;-) Tell him, cats and me or nothing <g> Ivor > [snip] > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Ivor One doesn't 'tell' this particular hubby anything. We don't argue because he walks away. It should also be pointed out at this stage that I adore him, as well as cats. Also, the hubby thing is very useful .. the whole neighbourhood agree on it, and borrow him from time to time .. he does wiring, plumbing, woodwork, minor building jobs; well, anything but housework, really... and I'm working on that! :~) This way, I get him and cats ... and we all get a little discipline. No harm in that; of the people I know, those without discipline (self~ or enforced) are losers and time-wasters. Life is hard, but cats are put in to soften it. Also, my way, he learns that cats are trainable (which he never believed before), and not the hairy horrors he had previously thought. Six years ago, when we buried Tiggypuss after 22 wonderful years, hubby kissed him gently on the head before laying him in his grave. That's what exposure to cats does for you. Ain't education great?! :~)) Spider > Isis has two ways of climbing stairs. For the slow climb she does left > front-right rear leg and right front-left rear leg. For the faster [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Which maneuver seems to work best for your cats? Mama has 2 ways; the slow alternate leg movement, and the fast jumping movement where she hops with both legs from step-to-step. Conversely, she has the exact opposite movements going down stairs; in other words, if she goes down fast - it's alternating legs, and if she goes slow - she uses both legs in the hopping motion. Running up the stairs has to be good exercise for them. When they cease running up the stairs at all and can only walk... that isn't a good sign for their health. > Isis has two ways of climbing stairs. For the slow climb she does left > front-right rear leg and right front-left rear leg. For the faster [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Which maneuver seems to work best for your cats? I have two cats. One goes up just like your slow climb, every time. The other sits at the bottom of the stairs, looks up for a few seconds then is up all 12 stairs in 3 big leaps. Every time. Weird. Mike P
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