We all cheered and rushed for the camera to capture the moment Cali, our 16 ½-year-old calico, used her pet steps to get up onto the bed by herself. Until I decided to shop for pet stairs, I’d been putting her on and off the bed to prevent her from struggling on her own because of arthritis in her hind legs. She has “big fur” — a polite euphemism to disguise her portly figure.

We were perfectly in sync with one another. Cali would look for me, meow and turn and face the bedroom — my cue to pick her up and plop her on the bed. If I was on the phone or working, she’d scratch on the side of my desk to get my attention and demand a leg-up. She was equally vocal when she wanted to come down.

Cali had me very well-trained; another euphemism for a “bad habit.”

Pet steps seemed like a sensible investment. Once I started looking, the selection was phenomenal, and I felt a bit like Goldilocks and the three bears testing them out on her behalf. Some were too tall, too steep, too clumsy … When I found pet steps made from a high-density foam covered with a faux sheepskin fabric, I knew they were just right! This means they are lightweight enough to carry around the house and give Cali access to other high-top areas.

**For the full article, check out the September 2007 issue of CAT FANCY.**