Spider Cat - ginger tabby demonstrates his prowess (picture)

Just another day in the life of a domestic cat although it looks impressive to many humans. To other humans it might look a bit annoying because you don't know what kind of damage he is doing. I do not think that he is doing damage, actually, because the structure on which he's climbing is suitable for climbing and I don't think it can be harmed by him. And he is having a hell of a lot of fun. It's the vertical movement which cats love. They have to have their daily fix.

Ginger tabby Miko the Samoan cat is Spider Cat. Photo: the owner of Miko the Samoan cat. He lives in Japan.

I just like the photograph. It's nice and symmetrical and this ginger tabby is looking very much like Spider-Man which is a very popular franchised film currently. That is why "spider cat" is a suitable title.

We don't know what happened next. Cats are very good at going forwards and upwards but less good at going backwards and downwards. He must have shimmied down or simply turned around where he was and jumped down.

RELATED: Cats have shock absorber legs.

The poor performance of domestic cats in going backwards i.e. in reverse down trees is one reason why they sometimes get stuck 40 feet up. They race up with not a problem in the world and then scratch their heads and try and figure out how to get down which normally means going backwards. 

RELATED: Cat climbing trees – moving vertically has great advantages for the cat.

The very adept and talented domestic cats race down headfirst using the branches as breaking points. That is mightily impressive and they need their shock absorber forelegs to cope with this and confidence and courage in abundance.

Encouraging your cat to sleep in a tree (when safe to do so)

Cats are vertical movers. And cat caregivers know that domestic cats like to rest in high places to feel more secure. Also, domestic cats like to be in nature if at all possible. It is a natural place for them. I understand if it is not possible for safety reasons. A good catio with a fake tree would be a nice substitute.

Gabs in a tree looking happy and relaxed. Pic: MikeB

But if your cat can go into a garden and if there is a tree in the garden which can be climbed you can make him a little hammock out of plastic netting strung between branches as I have. He'll climb into it with happiness in his heart and spend many enjoyable hours there in the summer days. Broad leaf trees are perhaps the best as they provide natural shade.

Associated: How do I make my cat happy?

I believe that it is these small things that can make all the difference to a cat's life. It is tapping into the raw cat withing as Jackson Galaxy would say. It is about recognising the wild cat inside the domestic cat and firing it up - cat mojo. That's how you make a domestic cat happy.

Domestic cats need vertical spaces and places

Domestic cats need vertical spaces and places. This is a good example. The cat's owner describes it as an act of wanton destruction and in some ways it is but it is not wanton. It is simply an example of a domestic cat trying to find something to climb because it comes entirely instinctively to them. We all know it by now or should do that domestic cats like to live in vertical spaces as well as horizontal spaces. It appears, and I have to make a presumption which may be unfair, that in this home the owner has not provided sufficient vertical spaces for their cat to enjoy. And of course I'm talking about those cat trees that are so common and popular and which can buy on Amazon. Or you can make your own if you are handy with carpentry. Jackson Galaxy has talked a lot about making your home more cat friendly. He calls it "catification" as you may know. He likes to make up his own language to describe the world of domestic cats.

My cat with every item I own that I value and cherish.. pic.twitter.com/KISalCajkS

— Nature & Animals🌴 (@AnimalsWorId) December 7, 2020

I put myself in that bracket of people who don't do enough to accommodate domestic cat behaviour fully. Of course I've got many things which help him to enjoy himself but what I should do is to build some climbing frames all around the walls with little caves near the ceiling where he would no doubt spend many happy hours. Not many people want to disfigure the interior of their homes in this way in the interests of domestic cat welfare but they should if their aesthetic sensibilities allow it. It all goes back to the domestic cat's wildcat ancestor who is a good climber. The North African wildcat lives on the ground and in trees to a certain extent. They are primarily ground dwelling creatures but are excellent climbers when needs must. Perhaps the best species of cat in respect of climbing is the small margay which lives primarily in South America in dense forest where they spend most of their time in trees. These are arboreal cats - cats that live in trees. Of the big cats, the magnificent leopard is perhaps the best climber. Their enormous ability and strength allows them to climb into trees with the entirety of a prey item. It is completely awesome. I have a cat tree at home but perhaps the home of the cat we see in the video needs something tall and strong which this domestic cat can climb up and enjoy.