Cat Post-stroke mobility down stairs

[JimenaFlores]

My little old man is nearly 19, and recently suffered his 2nd stroke due to hypertension. (Also is being treated for hyperthyroidism and chronic pancreatitis)

My Mr. Snuggles

Over the last 12 days, he has recovered gradually from having extreme weakness and no balance at all (only lifted his head). Now he can use the litter box on his own, walk slowly and wobbly from room to room (sometimes pausing or leaning against the wall/objects), and walk up stairs. He has regained a lot of strength, but his sense of balance is still severely impaired and affects his whole body motion/all 4 legs.

The Problem: He is very particular about using his litter boxes in the basement. He refuses to use a litter box on the main floor of the house. After his last stroke, I moved a litter box upstairs and he used it as a bed. But he can't walk down stairs (He had a very bad fall after his first stroke, so we're both wary) he can only walk up them. So, I have to carry him down periodically (including at 3am) so he can go potty.

PLEASE help me with some advice for a low-cost solution that will give my kitty independence to get down the stairs on his own, even though he is very, very wobbly.

The dreaded stairs

[CarolC]

He looks a lot like my Paddy.

I don't know if this would work, but what if you get some self-adhesive carpet squares and stick them on the cement steps. They would need to be stuck on well enough to be safe for humans, too. That way if he did tumble, it would cushion him and he might not fall as far because maybe he could grab the steps. You might want a thick mat at the foot of the steps, too. I was wondering about a carpeted ramp but I don't think it would work, the stairs are pretty steep.

https://www.lowes.com/search?searchTerm ... ick+carpet

Either that, or if you can identify one spot where he potties when he does not go downstairs (when you don't carry him, where does he go upstairs?) then put down some absorbent pads in that area, or a washable rug.

But these are just ideas. With pancreatitis you don't want to cause him any stress if possible, which upsetting his house the way he is used to it might do. So if he doesn't mind you carrying him down, it might be worth the sacrifice to get up at 3AM and just continue doing that, and know that you are a really really good cat mom! 19 is fabulous!

[JimenaFlores]

Thanks for your suggestions. I could have clarified that the steps are just wood. Also, I do agree that it's probably too steep for a simple ramp.

As for the padding, it's not so much an "if" he falls situation. He would definitely fall down the steps if he tried. And a broken anything right now would lead to a swift and painful goodbye.

I do leave towels in his sleeping spots in case of an accident (only 2 so far). But this guy is the type to hold in in and give himself a UTI rather than make a mess. As it is, I am still much happier waking up in the middle of the night than cleaning up a mess in the morning. Besides, he doesn't need the added stress of suffering through a half-bath every day.

[CarolC]

OK, at first I thought they were wood, then I thought they were cement. Wood is better because you can just tack carpet on them and you are able to use carpet as thick as you want, whereas the self-adhesive carpet squares seem to be pretty low pile and not too cushiony, like office carpet or something.

If I was going to really stretch and try a ramp, I might try to figure some kind of tubular ramp with carpet inside. Years ago just for fun I used to buy those stiff cardboard forms designed for pouring posts in construction, for my cats to go into. They come in different diameters and some of them are the right size for a cat to walk into (he looks like a large kitty). It would take several of them end to end to do the stairs, but it would be better than just a ramp. It would be a tunnel.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/QUIKRETE-48-in ... in/3018328

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/212716/redneck-cat-tunnel

[critters]

You could also use "puzzle tiles," those foamy, textured pieces. They're pretty easy to cut and to nail.