10 Best Steps for Cats With Arthritis in 2023 – Reviews & Top Picks

It’s a sad fact that when our beloved feline friends get older, they don’t have the same spring in their step that they had when they were younger. When they’re suffering from arthritis, that change is even more noticeable. That’s why it’s crucial to get them the best possible cat steps. Not only does this give them access to more locations, but it also enables them to get to those places with less pain.

Since we want your cat to enjoy their golden years as much as you do, we decided to track down and review the 10 best steps for cats with arthritis. When you’re serious about giving your aging cat extra comfort, these are the products that you want.

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2023

The 10 Best Steps for Cats with Arthritis

1. Zinus Comfort Cat Stairs – Best Overall

There are comfortable stairs at a great price, and then there’s the Zinus Comfort Cat Stairs. These stairs provide maximum comfort at a price that you can handle. Even better, there are five size options to choose from, so no matter where you need steps for your cat, you’re bound to find exactly what you’re looking for. Since the pricing goes up depending on the size, you don’t have to pay for features that you don’t need.

Each step has plenty of depth, so you don’t have to worry about your feline friend falling off, and the entire assembly is light and movable, so you can take it from room to room as needed. With so many great features, it’s no wonder the Zinus Comfort Cat Stairs easily earned our nod as the best overall steps for cats with arthritis.

In fact, the only thing that we can find about these cat stairs is that they only come in one color. But since it’s a neutral color, it can fit into almost any room décor.

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2. Imperial Cat Step’ N Play Cat Steps – Best Value

Having a cat with medical issues like arthritis is expensive enough, and the last thing that you want is to spend even more money on steps. That’s why the best steps for cats with arthritis for the money is the Imperial Cat Step’ N Play Cat Steps. It’s an extremely affordable option, it folds down completely flat for easy storage, and you won’t find lighter cat stairs out there. As another perk, it can double as a play area under the stairs, and the entire assembly comes from recycled materials.

But there is a catch—Imperial made the entire assembly from cardboard. This destroys its long-term durability, and it doesn’t look all that great either. But for a short-term fix or a low-cost option, it’s certainly worth considering.

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3. Best Pet Supplies Cat Stairs – Premium Choice

The Best Pet Supplies Cat Stairs is the best way to spoil your cat. There are three different size options to choose from, and there are three different color options that let you match the stairs to your room’s décor. Of course, with a premium product, you need premium features. For starters, every landing on these stairs is extremely soft. This aids joints suffering from arthritis. Moreover, it has an anti-slip bottom, so even if you’re putting this out in a room without carpet, you don’t need to worry about it sliding around.

It’s everything that you and your cat could want in a set of cat steps, and that’s part of the reason that it’s one of the more expensive options. But for premium performance, you have to spend a premium price.

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4. Frisco Collapsible Cat Stairs & Storage – Best for Kittens

While it’s rare that a kitten has to deal with something like arthritis, it’s not completely unheard of. That’s where an option like the Frisco Collapsible Cat Stairs & Storage comes into the mix. It has a much lower design that’s easy for kittens to climb onto, but the tradeoff is that it doesn’t go that high. If you only need the steps to help them on the sofa and not a high bed, then it’s not that big of a deal. Another huge perk for kittens is that the steps are an impressive 11 inches wide.

This is much wider than most cat steps and for clumsier kittens, that can save them from uncomfortable falls. Finally, while the storage space isn’t a big deal for your cat, it is for you. Extra storage space is always a boon, and we’re sure you’ll find a great way to use it.

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5. Best Pet Supplies Foldable Cat Stairs

These Best Pet Supplies cat stairs have a foldable design and come in two different size options. The landings are also extremely soft to ease the impact on joints, and the anti-slip bottom is excellent for slick floors. There are two color options, it can handle a ton of weight, and the cover is completely removable for easy cleaning.

But for everything that these cat stairs do right, we simply can’t look past their price tag. These are expensive cat stairs. It’s a premium product, but with still an extravagant cost.

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6. Armarkat Cat Stairs

The Armarkat Cat Stairs have extra-wide and super soft landings. The entire assembly is extremely sturdy, and Armarkat made the frame itself from wood. It has an option for both high beds and lower couches. But this company needs to lower the price of this food a bit. This is a great product, but it’s not competing within its price range. Second, Armarkat needs to add an anti-slip bottom that can compete with other brands.

However, the fact that you can remove individual stairs to achieve the exact height that you’re looking for is a big deal in its own right. While the set doesn’t look completely right without all the stairs, the versatility is still a nice perk.

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7. FurHaven Steady Paws Cat Stairs

Most cat stairs have various size options and plenty of comfort features, but one area that they’re lacking is their color options—not so with the FurHaven Steady Paws Cat Stairs! This set has three different color options to choose from, and they’re not just slight variations on a cream or gray. This gives you the ability to ascent any style in any room, which means the cat stairs won’t look out of place.

While this product has great style options, it also has plush stairs, stabilizing poles, and 7-inch-wide steps. But we can’t overlook the price tag and the lack of an anti-slip bottom. For products in this price range, we need it all. FurHaven Steady Paws Cat Stairs gives it a really good attempt, but it’s off by just a hair.

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8. Frisco 2-in-1 Cat Stairs

It’s one thing to be able to choose the size of your cat stairs when you’re placing your order, it’s another to be able to change it after it gets to your home. But that’s exactly what the Frisco 18.5 or 24.5-inch 2-in-1 Cat Stairs offer. As the name implies, you can set the maximum height to either 18.5 or 24.5 inches, which gives you tons of versatility. While it’s cool that you can get two different sizes, it’s not easy to switch. In fact, you’ll actually need the assembly tools to do it.

While you might get two different sizes, chances are that you’re going to pick one and stick with it. Still, it has an anti-slip bottom, it’s not overly expensive, and with stairs that have 7-inch depth, it’ll undoubtedly get the job done, and you could do far worse.

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9. Pet Gear Easy Step II Cat Stairs

The Pet Gear Easy Step II Cat Stairs are plastic cat steps, and we’re not all that impressed with this set. While it’s undoubtedly a durable design, we wish that it had more comfort for your cat. It has carpet on the landings, but these offer almost no padding to help soothe arthritic joints. There’s also only one size option available, although it does come in two different colors.

Finally, while it can handle a ton of weight, we do have to call into question the overall appearance. It’s a plastic design and it looks that way. It’s not exactly what you want as a centerpiece in your living room or bedroom. Plastic is a bit easier to clean, but you can just go with a machine-washable cover instead!

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10. PetSafe CozyUp Foldable Cat Stairs

If you’re looking for the most convenient stairs for you, these PetSafe CozyUp Foldable Cat Stairs might top your list. There are two size options to choose from, and the entire assembly folds completely flat for easy storage when not in use. Additionally, it’s easy to clean and can handle up to 150 pounds! But it’s not comfortable for most cats.

While the landings have carpet, there’s almost no additional padding, and the plastic design is far from stylish. Add the fact that it’s a more expensive option, and you can do better.

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Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Stairs for a Cat with Arthritis

If you’re still a little confused about what cat steps you need for your cat after reading the reviews, you’re not alone. We created this comprehensive buyer’s guide to walk you through everything that you need to know. We’ll have you ordering the perfect cat stairs for your cat in no time.

Measure Twice, Order Once

The last thing that you want is to order new cat steps and realize that they don’t work for your home. Get the right steps the first time by measuring the area and comparing it with the height of the stairs you’re ordering. That you’re With options like the Zinus Comfort Cat Stairs, there are five different sizes to choose from, so there are sure to be cat stairs that work for whatever you’re trying to help them climb on. Measure twice, order once!

Double Check the Landing

The width of the landing matters, especially with older cats. When your cat was in their prime, you didn’t need to worry about them falling off stairs. As cats age, they get a bit clumsier, right when they can least afford a fall. So, double-check the width of the landing and consider it in conjunction with the size of your cat. Don’t go with something too small, even if it costs a bit more to get the larger landings.

Think About Cleaning

Everything looks great straight out of the box. But after a few weeks, months, or even years, suddenly, it doesn’t look so good. It’s a major reason that you need to think about how you’re going to clean your cat stairs. At some point, your cat is likely to take a nap on it, and hair from shedding is an eventuality.

While foam steps might be nice, they can be insanely difficult to clean. Steps with removable covers are a great way to get the best of both worlds. You get cat steps that are easy to clean, and each landing is nice and soft.

It’s All Right to Worry About Style

Pet owners are notorious for worrying about their pets above all else. While that’s a good mindset to have, sometimes it’s fine to take a step back and look at what you want. Cat steps can make your cat’s life a million times easier, as long as the set is the right size. Once you’ve narrowed that selection down a bit, it’s okay to get the one that you think will look best in the room that you’re putting it in.

That’s the thing with getting a top-notch cat step unit—even if it’s not the best of the best, it’s still pretty good. If it’s going to make you a bit happier with the room, it’s perfectly fine to go with that one!

Conclusion

If you’re a little confused about what cat steps to get after reading the reviews, don’t overthink it. The Zinus Comfort Cat Stairs earned our top choice because as it expertly combines comfort and price. If you’re on a tighter budget, the Imperial Cat Step’ N Play Cat Steps are perfectly suitable.

Finally, if you want the best of the best, you’re not going to beat what the Best Pet Supplies Cat Stairs has to offer. But what’s important is that you order something soon. Every day that your cat spends waiting on their new stairs is an extra day of discomfort.

See also:

• 8 Best Litter Boxes for Older Cats – Reviews & Top Picks
• 8 Best Cat Beds for Older Cats – Reviews & Top Picks