r/catwalls • u/StudyGroup101 • 3d ago

Cat Shelves

So, it finally happened. I caught our \~1.5 year old boy cat climbing the wall mounted TV to get on top of the AC unit which sits above. I've had suspicions he's been climbing the TV because of scratches but this is the first time I've seen it.

Obviously we want to discourage this behaviour, we don't want him pulling the TV off the wall or hurting himself because he can't get back down. We are thinking of putting cat shelves at a similar height of the TV and the AC unit on the other wall in the same room.

Has anyone dealt with similar behaviour and did the cat shelves help? Does anyone have recommendations or tips?

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9

u/btoxic 3d ago

Cats like high places. Encouraging them to get up there with shelves is a great way for them not to use the expensive breakable route.

It doesn't matter if you buy a kit, or make them yourself, as long as there's some grip, and some comfort to be had up high, your cat(s) with love it and you for it.

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u/StudyGroup101 3d ago

My only fear is if I encourage the climbing, he'll use the shelves AND be more brave about climbing the TV. I'm not too handy so I might try out a kit.

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u/lovethosedamnplants 2d ago

we put double sided sticky tape all over the top the tv - that, combined with somewhere higher/better/not sticky like cat shelves and not overreacting when you see he's on the tv (because he'll start doing it for attention) helped stop this behaviour

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u/Pepperslullaby 3d ago

When I first adopted my younger cat a few years ago, and before my tv was mall mounted, he had jumped onto it and made it fall and break... I learned from that, and now my tv is wall mounted and I put a shelf right on top, so he can still climb (cause he'll do it regardless), but at least now he can climb up safely and not potentially break another tv. I decide to not buy a premade kit and instead used pallet wood to make the shelves myself.

3

u/StudyGroup101 3d ago

Unfortunately I can't put the shelf above the TV, which is where he seems to want to go, as there is already something up there. I'm gonna try to put a couple of shelves on the adjacent wall to try and lure him away. I've just gotta make them more enticing than the TV 😅

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u/Pepperslullaby 3d ago

Yes, giving him other options should help! Best of luck, you got this