Swiss Catwalk Architecture: Photographic Study Documents Feline Staircases Across Switzerland

A new photographic book titled 'Catwalk Stories' documents the diverse architectural phenomenon of cat ladders found on Swiss house facades. The project was created by photographer Francisco 'Paco' Carrascosa, art historian Matthias Oberli, and graphic designer Emanuel Tschumi. Their exploration spanned from Lucerne to Lugano and Villeret to Urdorf, capturing structures that range from simple wooden boards to elaborate 11-meter-high spirals. These ladders serve as dedicated entryways for Switzerland's estimated two million cats, the country's most popular pet. Bern is noted as a particular hotspot for these constructions, possibly due to its many traffic-calmed residential areas. The book reveals that while these catwalks are common, observing a cat actually using one is rare. Professional cat ladder builder Markus Gehring, based in Dallenwil in the canton of Nidwalden, has constructed five hundred such structures for Zurich alone. The publication, 'Catwalk Stories', was released by Edition Haus am Gern in Biel in 2026. It features 208 pages with 192 color illustrations and is priced at 41.90 Swiss Francs. The architectural features symbolize a connection between domestic life and nature, though they sometimes face criticism from animal protection advocates during spring for the safety of young birds.