How to keep from stepping on your kitten?

Jeremiah is a sweetie, but he has a frightening way of walking directly and immediately in front of me. Sometimes he'll run past me, cross in front of me, and I'll nearly step on him.

He has also plopped down on the couch where I sit--immediately before I do. I got him out of the way, of course, but how do you keep a kitten from getting in the way like that?

I'd be horrified if I accidentally hurt him, but I don't know how to train him to stay out of my way. Could someone give me some ideas?

We have this problem too with Moki (one of our four cats). I bought night lights for every room, so at least we can see her at night. And we learned to walk always slowly watching out step.
I hope somebody has more ideas on how to prevent stepping on kitties, cause I can't figure how to train her not to do that anymore.

Reti

I'd sure like to know as well.... Oliver does it often (and he's full grown!) especially if he knows I'm going to the kitchen to cook (he's a begger)... I don't think I've actually stepped on him yet, but I've nearly broken my neck several times trying to avoid it! It's especially hard if he's hiding under the desk or something and comes darting out as I walk by, because then I can't see him and prepare myself....

Harley does the same thing-he will actually wait on the opposite side of the island in our kitchen til he sees us walk past and then he will dart out in front of us I'm always afraid of stepping on him or hurting him! So far we haven't!

I've lost count at how many times i've nearly trod on Rosie and Sophie, or nearly fell down the stairs because they dart in front.

The secret is to have eyes all over the floor, especially when walking through with a coffee or using the oven

Originally Posted by rosiemac

The secret is to have eyes all over the floor, especially when walking through with a coffee or using the oven

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I have to be especially careful when using the oven--when the door is open he likes to sit underneath it (between the door and the floor) That always worries me!!

I just shuffle now. In the light, I don't need to, because I can see and both cats have gotten out of that "lets kill mom" phase. But in the dark, I shuffle and even then I'll accidently kick them if they're just lying on the floor (Willow's favorite place is staring at the heat vent right next to my bedroom door). But kicking is better than smooshing, I'm sure, lol

I shuffle, too. Feel like I've aged about 20 years, shuffling around the house here! LOL At least I don't trip, though!

I use collars with a bell (only when they are kittens), I also shuffle when I walk and have light night too!....... I must admit I have still tripped over them !

In my house we shuffle our feet!!!

Shuffler here to. Cats have bells - but I have black cats - hard to see in dim light, and if they are just hanging out in the middle of the hallway - can't hear them either. I have punted a few cats during my shuffles. Cats are not amused.

Originally Posted by babyharley

I have to be especially careful when using the oven--when the door is open he likes to sit underneath it (between the door and the floor) That always worries me!!

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Sunday likes to get in the dishwasher - we have to be so careful!! But they don't really get underfoot - they're usually sleeping...lol

Now this may sound mean, but I have had pets for almost my whole life. And I think they learn to deal with us as we teach them too. I find it very unsafe, mostly to the pet, to have someone who walks underfoot! If I get a young animal who gets underfoot, I intentionally "squish" them. Not to the point of causing pain or harm, of course, but to teach them not to walk underfoot.

To me it is too dangerous to have an animal who will not watch out for your feet, because it wouldn't take much of a step to break a fragile leg and really harm the animal. I know of one person who broke his arm falling over a poodle, and it just isn't worth it.

I don't know how young your kitten is, but would definitely try to discourage this action. If you hold your foot over one little paw, as if stepping on it but not causing pain, they should get the idea. (I have only ever done this on a paw, I would never do it on the body or head as you could hurt them accidentally.) Just try to make it more fun for kitty to stay out of your way! If you aren't comfortable with my squish idea, maybe reaching down and imobilizing kitten for a short time in your hands will be like a mini time out. Very sad for an active baby to have to be still when trying to race.

My dog is getting old now, and no longer stays out of my way very well. She used to get up at night if I got up, and would get out of my way. Now I have to use the shuffle move on her, to be sure I don't step on her at night and injure her. But she is just old, and sleeps more sound than she used to.

Originally Posted by foxfire

Jeremiah is a sweetie, but he has a frightening way of walking directly and immediately in front of me. Sometimes he'll run past me, cross in front of me, and I'll nearly step on him.

He has also plopped down on the couch where I sit--immediately before I do. I got him out of the way, of course, but how do you keep a kitten from getting in the way like that?

I'd be horrified if I accidentally hurt him, but I don't know how to train him to stay out of my way. Could someone give me some ideas?

Click to expand...

You got to be very careful. There have been a few posters that actually killed their kittens by stepping on the kitten's heads. You got to look under your feet and not step on the kitten.

Shuffler here too

I have tile flooring, and just this past week, I took a hard fall when I slipped, trying to avoid stepping on Sidney. It really scared me b/c of my bad ankle.

Two years ago, in my attempt to catch my Kitkat to calm her during a major thunder storm, I missed the last step on the stairs. I fell and shattered the ankle on one foot and broke the other foot as well. This happened the first week of the last year of law school. It was quite a struggle to get through my last year of law school with 2 broken limbs, in a wheel chair and then later on crutches (for 4 months), lugging around all my heavy law books to classes.

Thanks, Beckiboo, for the "squish" idea; I'll definitely consider it. Before I got back to this thread, I tried letting Jeremiah run into me if it's from behind. I've also kindof shoved my foot out to the side into him before putting it down. It's a bit hard to tell, but I think he's getting a little better.

Any other suggestions would be welcome.