Why Cats Like High Places and How to Make Them Safer

By Dr Duncan Houston

Your cat may choose the top of a bookcase over a perfectly comfortable bed on the floor. The higher spot offers a different view and a way to rest away from household traffic.

Instead of simply discouraging climbing, give the cat a raised place that is stable, reachable and easy to leave. The route down matters as much as the view from the top.

Quick Answer

Many cats like high places because they offer a useful viewpoint and space away from activity below. Provide stable perches with secure support, comfortable surfaces and easy access in both directions. Protect windows and balconies, and offer several options so another animal cannot control every route.

What does height offer a cat?

A raised resting place lets a cat observe the room while keeping some distance from people, dogs or other cats. It can be part of ordinary exploration and rest.

The RSPCA’s cat-environment guidance recommends suitable high places for climbing and resting. This does not mean the highest possible shelf is always the best choice.

A broad, lower perch with a comfortable route may be more useful than a dramatic tower that wobbles or leaves the cat with only one difficult way down.

Choose a place the cat can actually use

Watch the cat’s current routes. Where do they rest, which surfaces do they avoid and what do they use as intermediate steps?

• Location: choose a spot away from constant reaching or crowding
• Space: allow the cat to turn, settle and change position comfortably
• Surface: use secure material that does not slide beneath the paws
• Access: provide manageable steps up and down
• Choice: keep another resting option available at a different height

Follow the individual cat’s established care restrictions. Do not place food or favourite toys on a difficult perch to pressure them into a climb.

Check stability before adding height

Furniture should remain stable when a cat lands, pushes off or changes direction. Assemble cat trees as instructed and use the manufacturer’s recommended fixing method where anchoring is required.

For wall shelves, choose fixings appropriate to the wall and expected load. If you are unsure how to install them securely, ask a competent installer rather than relying on a decorative shelf’s appearance.

Inspect screws, brackets, platforms and coverings regularly. A perch that was stable when fitted can loosen or wear with use.

Plan the route down

A cat may climb onto a high surface using a narrow intermediate object, then find the return route much harder. Think through the whole path before making the top attractive.

Provide stable intermediate levels and keep the landing area clear. Avoid a setup that requires a long drop onto slippery flooring or a leap over sharp furniture edges.

Check the route again after moving furniture. A chair or side table may have been part of the cat’s usual access even if nobody planned it that way.

Windows and balconies need separate protection

A high indoor resting place should not lead to an open window or unprotected balcony. Cats can lose balance or follow an interesting movement beyond a safe edge.

Use secure, suitable screening or barriers and check them for damage and gaps. A flyscreen, loose mesh or open railing should not be assumed to contain a cat.

Keep cords, blind loops and unstable window accessories out of the access route. A comfortable view is useful only when the surrounding setup is safe.

Make room for more than one cat

One prized tower can become a bottleneck. Offer different resting places and, where practical, more than one way to approach or leave them.

Watch whether one cat waits below a perch, blocks a route or repeatedly displaces another. More resources only help when each cat can reach them comfortably.

Height does not prove that a cat is the household’s leader. The Cats Protection body-language guide encourages attention to the whole interaction rather than a single position.

Provide hiding as well as a viewpoint

Some cats prefer an open lookout; others want a covered resting place. Offer both where possible, without making a hide a trap at the end of a narrow route.

Cats Protection’s hiding guidance describes quiet, protected places, often raised off the ground. Let the cat rest there without repeatedly reaching in or calling them out.

Keep food, water and toileting resources accessible elsewhere. A retreat should add a choice, not become the only place a cat feels able to remain.

When the pattern changes

Increased climbing may signal stress or illness. It’s worth checking if your cat is retreating to heights more often, and consulting your vet for behavioral or physical health concerns.

Record whether the change involves more hiding, a new household disturbance or a different route through the room. Share observations rather than assuming the perch itself explains the cause.

If the cat’s usual access no longer seems comfortable, make essential resources easy to reach and discuss their needs with the veterinary team. Do not make them repeat a difficult jump to demonstrate the problem.

Common mistakes

• Choosing height without checking stability
• Providing an easy climb up but no manageable route down
• Placing a perch beside an unsecured window
• Assuming one tower is enough for every cat in the home
• Following a resting cat into their retreat for unwanted contact

A quick home check

Follow one of your cat’s usual routes from floor to resting place and back. Check each support, landing and nearby opening. Then watch whether another animal can block the route.

Make one improvement at a time and allow the cat to investigate without lifting them onto an unfamiliar high surface. A useful perch should become a comfortable option, not a test of bravery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does every cat need a very tall tree?

No. The right arrangement depends on the individual cat, the room and safe access. Several stable lower options may be more useful.

Why does my cat choose the wardrobe?

It may provide a quiet view or a familiar retreat. Check whether the route is safe and offer a suitable alternative if it is not.

Can an older cat still have a raised bed?

Choose an accessible setup suited to their existing needs and veterinary advice. Comfortable intermediate steps or a lower position may help with practical access.

Should I bring my cat down whenever visitors arrive?

Do not force social contact. A secure retreat can let the cat observe or rest away from the activity.

Build a route, not just a high destination. Stability, choice and a comfortable way down make raised space genuinely useful.

ASK A VET™ can help you organise home-environment questions alongside your cat’s individual care guidance.