







Why do cats love high places?
As a friend of the felines, you will have observed them making their way up frighteningly-tall trees, bookcases and cabinets, on multiple occasions. But what’s with the love of heights? We share a few reasons for cats’ daredevil behaviour in this post:
Dominance
For cats, height serves a purpose. It’s not for the purrrfectview – oh no. Cats associate height with dominance. If you’ve got more than one cat, you’ll notice it’s the most dominant cat who wants to get the highest point available – there’s a pet hierarchy in every home, so it will always be the cheekiest chappy who is first to the top of the tower.
Observation
As cats are observational by nature, being high up allows them to cast an eye over their territory. It also allows them to make eye contact with the people in their home, giving them a greater sense of security and to feel accepted there.
Cats also feel that they’re in some way camouflaged because they are higher up and therefore, is a great place for them to practise their hunting skills and scan the ground for morsels of food.
Anxiety
Anxiety is a genetic explanation of why our cats look for elevated places to perch. In a high place, such as a shelf, our furry friends feel safe, as they are out of reach of potential claws and other threats. Cats will also retreat to a grand placeto relieve any anxiety they’re feeling in terms of noise, other animals or other things that they might be worried about.
Warmth
We all know that hot air rises. Well, so do cats, so they often get higher up to keep warm. This is why cats love radiators so much, as that fur just isn’t doing the trick in winter. This shouldn’t be dangerous for your pet, as long as they are wise enough to move when they get too hot!
Entertainment
Oh, and then there’s the sheer fun element. Cats love climbing to high places for the entertainment-value. As they have loadsof energy to burn off each day and often get bored, climbing is a fabulous way for them to expel some calories.
Climbing is also good for their claws, their ability to balanceand their musculoskeletal system.
If you worry about your cat being so high up in your home, you can get carpeted shelves that are in easy-reach or buy them a cat tower, which will also serve as an exercise activity.Always ensure you have cat insurance to cover your pets in the event of an accident.
This is a guest post collaboration