Gating the steps to protect the kittens!

[thatfilmgirl]

So I adopted two sweeties from the animal protective leave on halloween and they're 3mos today! So far they've been confined to the back bedroom, as we're finishing painting around the house and there's some dangerous things for the tiny ones to get into. I originally had a 48" tall black dog fence around the room but two days in and Artemis has figured out how to climb it and jump down (baby girl is fearless and I honestly can't wait to build some kitty highways around the house for them!) the problem is, I want to keep them confined to the upstairs for the foreseeable future because I have the open staircase that is right above the basement stairs. Were they to fall through, it would be a very scary drop and frankly, I don't want them going in the basement, so whatever I use for the upstairs will eventually have to work to block off the downstairs

I've seen some suggestions about the vertical slatted baby gates with the foot pedal which I think are awesome and what I'm looking for, but right now the kiddos are 2.3 and 2.6lbs respectively. They're going to slip through that easily for quite some time. Suggestions? Should I affix maybe poster board or cardboard to the gate? I can return the dog fence no issue.

Thanks for the suggestions and here's a link to a little video!

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi! Such cuties!! You can take closet shelving from Lowes, Home Depot, etc. that come in lengths up to 12 feet (or maybe higher, if need be), set them on their side and connect as many as you need together with zip ties to cover the entire open area. It makes a foldable type gate that can easily be opened by you as needed. Each end can be temporarily affixed with hooks to the walls on each side of the open stairway. This pic and the idea are courtesy of flybear & daftcat75 - and, I am sure other members I can't immediately recall.

 

[daftcat75]

Hi! Such cuties!! You can take closet shelving from Lowes, Home Depot, etc. that come in lengths up to 12 feet (or maybe higher, if need be), set them on their side and connect as many as you need together with zip ties to cover the entire open area. It makes a foldable type gate that can easily be opened by you as needed. Each end can be temporarily affixed with hooks to the walls on each side of the open stairway. This pic and the idea are courtesy of flybear & daftcat75 - and, I am sure other members I can't immediately recall.
View attachment 306259

That’s a great version of the gate I have. I was only able to find 4 foot shelving at The Container Store. I also put felt on the bottom since mine stretches across a laminate floor and I didn’t want to leave scratches or grooves when I use it.

Gate closed in the background.


Gate open and secured to wall with hooks.

 

[thatfilmgirl]

Fantastic suggestions, thank you! I think Artmeis is part monkey (Traveler hasn't tried to climb) because as long as she has a horizontal surface, she's climbing. So either I'd have to do it to the ceiling (which will be hard with the basement stairs especially but after I clean up the basement, I can block off where I don't want them to investigate down there.

I was looking at something like this for the basement stairs for sure Top Paw® Home Decor Arched Pet Gate | dog Dog Doors & Gates | PetSmart

but maybe being able to use it for the second floor in the mean time, then perhaps put posterboard over the slats so they are unaware of the world that awaits them *lol*

 

[daftcat75]

I don’t think that arch gate is going to be tall enough at only 36”. My 15 year old can jump my 4 ft gate. When she’s feeling well. I use the gate when she’s got puke or poop issues. When she no longer has issues, she’s able to jump it.

What I would do for your kittens is either shelving or a baby gate. But add an extra piece at the top that provides an overhang at a 45 degree angle in the direction of the kitties. It would prevent jumping and they would absolutely have to be monkeys to scale that piece.

Using shelving, you might ask a Home Depot or Lowes to cut 1 foot pieces of shelf that you would attach with cable ties to extend each segment. Then you would need something like a stiff but collapsible arm to prop your extra segments up at 45 degree angle. Hmmm...how to do that. Bear with me. Take a wood dowel and screw hooks into either end. Then you would make some kind of collar on each piece (the gate and the overhang) that would prevent the hooks from sliding past the collar. This lets you swing your overhang into place. You may even fix one end of the dowel in place and the other swings freely when not attached in place by the collar. This would make your whole gate assembly and the overhang collapsible when not in use.

 

[thatfilmgirl]

Good news is that right now, the most they can jump is about 6". Traveler hasn't shown much inclination on climbing things he shouldn't like his sister, quite content with the scratching post and the cardboard cat tree (a mama's boy indeed ) Not to say his behavior won't change in time, but I'm taking this as a good sign. By the time she can jump that high, she should be safe enough to get downstairs at that point (the first floor will be sufficiently kitten proof)

Good news! I have plenty of that kind of shelving laying around since moving into the new place. I think I follow what you're saying. I'll have to fiddle around. I knew 45 degree angles would be best. I think dad and I can figure something out there.

I did end up buying that gate actually (they also had one of the top of the stairs) because it also matched the house and like I said, in the short term? This will work. I also bought four, 1" round piping covers from lowes to fit in some smaller areas.

 

[daftcat75]

From the cat's perspective, the angle will be 135 degrees. The overhang leans in towards them, but it doesn't give them a lower surface to jump onto. If you make an L with your first finger and thumb, that's 90 degrees. If you bring that first finger halfway towards the thumb, that's 45 degrees. If you instead stretch your thumb away from your finger about as far as you can, that's approaching 135 degrees. Now rotate your hand so your finger points down, that's the shape of the fence and overhang you are looking for. The angle will open away from the cats but the overhang is on the cats' side like an upside-down awning.

 

[thatfilmgirl]

From the cat's perspective, the angle will be 135 degrees. The overhang leans in towards them, but it doesn't give them a lower surface to jump onto. If you make an L with your first finger and thumb, that's 90 degrees. If you bring that first finger halfway towards the thumb, that's 45 degrees. If you instead stretch your thumb away from your finger about as far as you can, that's approaching 135 degrees. Now rotate your hand so your finger points down, that's the shape of the fence and overhang you are looking for. The angle will open away from the cats but the overhang is on the cats' side like an upside-down awning.

As someone who is awful at math, that's super helpful! Thank you!

After twenty minutes of trying to figure out how to fit it, I opted for not screwing anything in the walls or banister today and stuck the gate in the door. They were far more enchanted playing with one another on either side of the bedroom door proper than investigating the gate itself. I've left it up for now, and will report back if Artemis gets curious enough to try climb.

And if anyone was curious, I purchased this one, the Petco Brand, and the spaces between the vertical bars are just narrow enough to make them think twice about trying to stick their heads through. I think if they *really* wanted to, they could, but they'd get stuck. They both leaned in towards it, took a look around, and wandered away.

ETA: Not even ten minutes after responding, Artemis waltzed right on through while her brother cried frantically after her. So I can't tell if he's not inclined, or if those few ounces he has over her means he can't get through the bars. I guess for now I'll take it back and just keep the door closed of their room.

*siiiiigh*

ETA 2: Took some wide painter's tape and went about halfway up. Interest seems to have been lost, but I know realize how much Artemis wants to snuggle with me. But oh man I thought my heart went into my throat when she pranced over to the stair railings and I could just see her tipping over in kitten clumsiness!