How to Keep a Cat Off the Stairs

Managing your cat's behavior might seem like an insurmountable task but, with time and work, you can train it to follow the boundaries you set. Whether you have an indoor or outdoor cat, it must know that you are the ultimate boss of what goes on in the household. Even though a cat marches to the beat of its own drum, there are some simple yet effective measures you can take to keep your cat off the stairs.

Things You'll Need

  • Cat repellent
  • Spray bottle
  • Water
  • Divider/safety gate
  • Mothballs
  • Lavender plants
  • Jar
  • Citrus oil
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Instructions

    • 1

      Put up a divider or safety gate at the base or top of the stairs or both. Since cats are adept jumpers, make sure the divider is about 4 to 5 feet high to prevent your cat from jumping over it.

    • 2

      Spray your cat lightly with water. Keep the spray bottle a safe distance away from the cat's face if that's where you're spraying it. A couple of feet is safe; the water will have dissipated into fine crystals by the time it reaches your cat.

    • 3

      Place mothballs in a jar on the first step of the staircase; the jar's cover should have holes poked in it to release the smell, which cats dislike. Because mothballs are toxic to cats, you must make sure that the jar is tightly covered. Use as many jars as necessary to produce the desired result.

    • 4

      Place lavender plants along the first few steps of the staircase. Cats have a natural dislike of lavender plants because of their pungent smell.

    • 5

      Sprinkle a commercial cat repellent along the entire staircase. You can find cat repellents at your local pet store. The pungent odor of the repellent will help deter your pet from hanging around the staircase.

    • 6

      Mix 10 drops of citrus oil with 2 cups of water and pour the solution into a spray bottle. Spray your entire staircase with the mixture to make the staircase an unpleasant place for your cat.