Why cats like to climb a tree?

hellocat · Aug 29, 2016

Got it, thanks @Norachan

Norachan · Aug 29, 2016

hellocat said:
Got it, thanks @Norachan

You're welcome.

jtbo · Aug 31, 2016

hellocat said:
Do cats like to climb a tree? Absolutely they do.

But have you ever considered why? I am curious about this, so below is what I got from Google.

It's said that mostly to do with predatory or defensive tactics.

Some said they just work on improving their climbing abilities.

Another interesting thing, cats never climb down from a tree because their claws curve inward, allowing it to grip onto surfaces while going up head first. Unfortunately, this useful climbing curve does nothing to help the animal get back down again. So they just jump out of the tree.

Cats do climb down a tree, when they climb enough high and have had some practicing, at least mine do when they climb near very top of tall pine trees, they climb down tail first.

Mine tend to climb a tree when they are having mad hour, my bet is that it is way to show off what they can do to each other, they seem to even compete with each other, who will dare to go higher faster sort of game.

Sometimes they go after a squirrel to a tree, but mostly it seems to be some kind of showing off or burning excessive energy.

My cats seem to have some kind of daredevil mode, first one does something crazy and then another tries to overdo what first one did, it is not much different from how some young human males act sometimes, silly things, like climbing up wall of house or electric pole etc. Once I saw one of mine at top of electric pole trying electric line with his paw, I guess he had some idea about doing walking on a rope or such. Climbing up to a wall has something to do with bats that live in a slit near roof, it is old wooden wall that has vertical pieces of wood so cat can climb it quite well.

I would say that cats do experience some sort of pleasure from doing those crazy things, like some humans that do extreme sports get their kicks from such, maybe climbing to a tree is similar for a cat. Some say cats don't have emotions or such high level activity in brain, but I like to think that we just don't know enough from them, I mean when they climb up a tree, tails swoosh, they throw their head from side to side and make lot of noises that they do when enjoying from activity they do, certainly there are some brain chemistry going on that could be classified as emotions.

hellocat · Sep 1, 2016

@JTbo Thanks for your sharing. Your cats are energetic and smart. I agree with you that cats climb trees may be some kind of showing off or burning excessive energy, just like some humans. I do believe cats think in their way, we need to know more about them so that we can better understand them.