In the Netherlands, even the cats are getting the royal treatment.

Amsterdam has announced a heartwarming new initiative that’s equal parts clever and cute: tiny wooden staircases are being installed along the city’s canals to help cats and small animals safely climb out of the water.

The city is allocating up to 100,000 pounds from an unused biodiversity fund to install the steps, which aim to prevent animal drownings in areas where high walls make escape nearly impossible.

“A simple measure can prevent enormous animal suffering,” said Judith Krom from the Party for the Animals (PvdD), who proposed the plan. “The adopted motion demonstrates that as a city, we take responsibility for protecting the lives of animals.”

According to Dierenambulance Amsterdam, 19 cats have drowned in the city’s canals in the past six months, six of them in the city center alone. The problem is especially pronounced in spots with steep walls that even the most agile kitties can’t scale.

Councillor for animal welfare Zita Pels had already supported the plan in spirit, but until now, “funding was lacking,” said PvdD. That changed on July 10, when the Amsterdam City Council voted in favor of Krom’s motion, opening the floodgates for paws-itive change.

The city will now work with Dierenambulance to identify the highest-risk areas, and staircases will be installed later this year to give stranded animals a literal step up.

And Amsterdam isn’t alone. In June, the nearby city of Amersfoort made a similar splash by announcing the construction of approximately 300 “cat traps” along its canals.

“Unfortunately, animals that end up in water in areas with high quays or quay walls can’t get out and drown,” said Amersfoort councillor Johnas van Lammeren. “Together with the animal ambulance, a research agency, and residents from Vathorst and other areas, we’ve mapped out where cat traps are needed. We’ll be installing hundreds of them in the coming period, preventing a great deal of animal suffering.”

The Amersfoort plan, which stems from a 2024 animal welfare sub-environmental program, will install around 300 cat stairs per year.

Whether you call them cat steps, staircases, or tiny ladders for paws in peril, one thing is clear: Dutch cities are making big moves for their tiniest residents.