How to protect a cat from falling out of a window or balcony?

Should cats be afraid of heights?

This is not to say that cats are not at all afraid of heights. Think about how often you’ve seen news reports of cats climbing a tall tree and meowing plaintively until rescuers arrive and remove them from the upper branches. But how did the cat get there? Most likely, in such cases, representatives of the fauna, under the guidance of instincts, are fond of chasing a bird, using the skill of climbing trees that has been practiced for centuries, and then they realize that the bird has flown away, and they themselves are very far from the earth. We can say that in the thinking of cats, the calculation of risks is far from the first place, instinct often takes over. When the cat realizes that she has climbed to a dangerous height, it is already too late, she cannot cope with the situation herself.

Consider the option with a homebody cat. You brought it home in a carrier. It never occurs to him at what incredible height the cozy apartment is located, where he eats, sleeps and plays day after day. And the phrase “twelfth floor” is unlikely to orient the cat. The pet has no understanding and feeling how high it is outside the window. The cat sees that there is a sky, trees, other houses, but is not able to calculate how many meters from the ground to his window.

It can be concluded that height is dangerous for cats primarily because the cat is not able to reasonably assess the distance to the ground and the risks associated with it. Therefore, to protect the cat from harm is the task of the owners.

How dangerous is a fall from a height for a cat? 

Compared to humans, a cat is indeed better equipped to protect itself from injury in a fall. If a cat falls from a height of several meters, it will have enough time to turn its head in flight, orient itself in space and see the ground. Then the pet groups up and releases all four paws so as to prepare for a hard landing. Remember how flying squirrels can flatten themselves in the air to make a short flight? The cat also tries to spread its paws wide, relax the body and muscles in order to minimize the consequences of hitting the ground.

But there are cats in which these natural skills are developed worse. An in-flight encounter with a clothesline or ledge at home will negate any cat’s attempts to avoid injury. Under the window there may be a soft flower bed with flowers, or maybe a roadway. If the cat does not suffer any visible injuries during the fall, it still needs to be taken to the veterinarian. Even if the cat fell out of the first floor window and remained completely intact, you may not find it. The fact is that the state of shock from falling and suddenly falling into an unfamiliar environment makes the pet instinctively hide somewhere.

It is easy to avoid all these troubles. It is enough to follow the safety rules and adapt the windows and balcony in the house to the onslaught of curious cats. Let’s talk about this in more detail.

Basic safety rules

Here are the main rules that will allow you to protect the cat from harm:

• Ordinary mosquito nets are dangerous because they give the illusion of fall protection. They are almost not fixed in any way, and a cat can easily tear their material with claws. There are tragic cases when cats fall out of windows along with a mosquito net, deciding to hunt a bug that they saw on the net. Choose an anti-cat window screen or a pet screen – that is, designed specifically for homes where pets live. They are made of more durable material and have secure fastenings on the sides. Another (not so aesthetic option) is the bars on the windows. But the distance between the bars should be such that the cat could not stick its head through.
• If you need to open a window when a cat is nearby, open it a couple of centimeters and put a special limiter, it is recommended to have such limiters in a house where there are pets and small children.
• If the windows in your house open with one motion, install locks or even just unscrew the handles. After all, if cats can easily learn to jump up and press the door handle to get into the room. The day is not far off when they will be able to open the window in the same way.
• If there is no way to secure the balcony, do not open it when the cat is near, and never let it out onto the balcony. If you can’t secure the windows right now, close the cat in another room before airing.
• Do not leave the window and balcony open if the cat is sleeping. You won’t even have time to look back, as the pet wakes up and becomes interested in the birds that have flown onto the balcony. Avoid dangerous situations.
• Move shelving, furniture, decorative stairs and stepladders away from the windows – the cat can use them to get to the window.
• All curtains and other accessories must be safe for the pet. If you have blinds or roller blinds on your windows, make sure that cords and chains do not hang from them. The cat can start to climb on them and get tangled in them.
• If you have guests, make them aware of the importance of following these safety rules. If your friends or family don’t have pets, they may unknowingly leave the window open when you’re not around.

Solutions for windows and balconies

Let’s talk about specific solutions for windows and balconies in the house where the mustachioed-striped one lives. Windows with a tilt and turn mechanism at first glance seem like an excellent way out. But when airing, they form a wide gap. It often seems to cats that they can easily crawl into it, but in the end, the unfortunate pet gets stuck in a kind of trap. And the more desperately he tries to get out, the more he gets stuck in the narrow part of the gap. Whether the pet survives depends on whether the owners, neighbors or caring passers-by noticed the cat stuck in the window in time.

1. On turn-tilt windows, you need to install a comb with which you can fix the angle of inclination of the ajar sash. It’s a good idea to get bars that mount on the sides.
2. For PVC windows, parallel-sliding fittings have been relatively recently developed. It allows you to move the sash less than a centimeter parallel to the frame. This solution is suitable for stuffy weather, when you need to leave the cat alone at home for the whole day. The pet will not feel bad from stuffiness, because a small crack for ventilation will still remain.
3. If you want the cat to walk on the balcony, it is best to glaze it. But here, too, be vigilant. If at least one small window opens on the balcony, the cat will certainly be interested in it.

We have already talked about the need to install anti-cat screens on the window, since ordinary mosquito nets do not comply with safety rules at all. Now let’s focus on how to secure a balcony for cats. In pet stores, you can find several types of nets for balconies and attachments to them. A plastic mesh will last for three to four years, no more, especially if your windows are on the sunny side. A metal protective mesh for a balcony for cats is more reliable and durable, it is not afraid of pet teeth and weather conditions. It is important not to pull it too tight on the balcony, otherwise the cat may try to climb it. Please note that the standard mesh size for protective nets is three by three centimeters. You can protect the balcony with gratings or aluminum profile structures with a mesh stretched over them. It is important to fix the frame well.

If you are not sure that you can handle the selection and installation of the grid yourself, seek the help of professionals. All work and materials for the safety of windows and balconies in the apartment are not so expensive as to give up the opportunity to protect your pet.

We wish you to think over the issue of safety in advance and not worry about the life of your four-legged friends. We sincerely wish that the upcoming summer season will give you and your pets only positive emotions!