Banister guard hacks

[TheForgetfulCat]

I have a four month old kitten who is a wonderful ball of energy with no sense of self preservation or discretion. He’s quite keen on attempting to post himself through the banisters and because of the configuration of our stairs that would make an eight-nine foot drop straight down the stairwell.
Been doing all right with netting but he can now go up the netting and just add another three feet to the potential drop.
Any hacks slightly cheaper than the plastic banister guards you can buy for kids? Had thought cardboard but he likes to eat cardboard

[MiniMum97]

He's a cat He can probably handle that drop. I'd leave him to it unless he's already fallen and not landed on his feet? Cats can fall a long way in proportion to their height.

[Mumdiva99]

We have open bannisters with a thin ledge on the 'wrong' side. The kittens walk along giving me a heart attack each time. I thought about blocking it but was worried they would just try to climb whatever I used which would.make the potential fall worse. So far there was one fall and cat walked away unharmed. If they are playing near the edge I do try to redirect them onto the landing....

[TheForgetfulCat]

Thank you. No, he was described to us as the most adventurous—insane— kitten in the litter, and is certainly trying to live up to his billing.
He’s merrily climbing to the top of the extra large cat tree which I bought so the older cat would have somewhere to escape that the kitten couldn’t manage, and has gone five feet off that with only his pride dented.
Our stairs just terrify me but perhaps it’s a hangover from toddlers!
Photo shows the drop (please excuse the mess in the hallway ...)

[Mumdiva99]

Here is ours so it is similar.

I turn away when they are on the ledge as I can't take the stress.

But.....they sort of have to learn as this is their home.

[boobah23]

I'm scared about this too. We got ours on Friday and freeing then from their room within the next week. They'll be about 5 months. Based on their characters I imagine them heading straight for the banister and flinging themselves off. Bit terrified...

[Oldraver]

We mailed hardboard to ours. Now he is not so little he just jumps on the top

[Oldraver]

I should say that we have space saver twisted stairs so that banister drops right down to the ground floor

[freeandfierce]

He's a beauty!

[Mumdiva99]

So an update on ours. I still encourage them not to...they are getting a little big now. The more athletic cat has been known to balance and walk along the top rail. But they are mostly ok.

Here they were on Friday. They aren't scared of heights.....although one struggled with getting down!!

[Oldraver]

When they end up in a tree you do think ... the banister was small fry

[nordica]

I bought a baby guard thing from Amazon, it's clear plastic that came on a roll and is attached with white cable ties.

One of my boy cats now likes to walk on the banister but at least he didn't start that until he was older...

[Ibizafun]

I was also worried when my kittens were that age as we have a 2 floor drop from the top and stone floors. I decided not to put anything there as I was worried that when it came down it would re-ignite their interest!

They are 8 months now and more sensible, neither would dream of it now.