Stay safe and secure open windows!

Hi everyone,

Many of us are probably in similar situations it gets warm in our flats and we want it to cool down and the easiest thing of course is to open the window… Unfortunately this is not a good idea when you’ve got cats and you are above ground as they might not realise that there is a sheer drop below…

In addition to the important information from Blue Cross below we would also like to point out that balconies can be equally dangerous unless you secure them using Cat Balcony enclosures such as the ones sold by ProtectaPet.

But now on to the details from Blue Cross.

Thanks,

Marc

National pet charity Blue Cross is sending a warning of open windows as warm weather leads to cat casualties 

As the temperature is set to rise, Blue Cross pet charity is warning cat owners of the dangers of open windows and balconies after the admission of three young cats recently, all with broken pelvises after falling from high windows.

The three cats, a two-year-old female tabby, four-year-old Kenzo and one-year-old Mishmish, came in separately after each fell out of open windows during the warmer weather. Mishmish fell four stories during the night after owners left the window slightly open for cool air. Kenzo also fell from the fourth floor where he has access to a balcony.

Seb Prior, Senior Veterinary Surgeon at Victoria animal hospital said:

“These poor cats will have suffered a great deal of pain after falling and breaking their bones. It is myth to think that cats will always fall on all four paws, which implies an open window or balcony doesn’t pose a threat. They may well land on their paws but the impact from such a great fall can easily shatter bones, like we can see for these three poor pusses, who are lucky to be alive. Last year, we treated a cat at the hospital who was impaled on a railing after falling from a window.”  

Mishmish’s owners said:

“We left the window open only slightly to keep the air cool in the flat as it was a warm night. Mishmish is a slender cat and we didn’t realise she could fit through the gap. She didn’t wake me up in the morning as she usually does so I went looking for her; I found her outside, very quiet and calm, I knew something was wrong so I phoned up Blue Cross to get her seen by a vet. I was devastated to find out she’d broken her pelvis.”

Kenzo’s owner had a similar story, she said:

“I have two cats; the other often goes out onto the balcony to visit my neighbour’s cat but Kenzo never showed interest before. I couldn’t find him one evening so I looked all over the flat, on every floor of the building until I eventually found him outside, scared and hiding underneath a motorbike cover. The only way he could get there was from the balcony I knew he must have fallen.”

All three cats are young and the two females had not been neutered. A commonality with unneutered cats is that they stray and escape from the home in the search of a mate. Often not taking into account the danger they can get in and fall from windows and balconies.

Senior Vet Seb continued:

“We hope these cases will provide a grave warning for cat owners. It can cost a very small amount to order some safety mesh online versus the terrible pain your beloved pet may endure if they fall. Open only upper parts of windows or put safety mesh firmly across them so that cats don’t fall out. Don’t let your cat sunbathe on a balcony even if you think they won’t jump or fall – it is a risk for any cat and the consequences can be devastating.”

For more advice on keeping your pets safe or to make a donation towards caring for sick, injured, homeless and unwanted pets visit www.bluecross.org.uk.

Don't miss out!
Subscribe To Newsletter

Receive top cat news, competitions, tips and more!

Invalid email address
Give it a try. You can unsubscribe at any time.

41 thoughts on “Stay safe and secure open windows!

  1. franhunne4u says:

    I also would like to add: For those of you who have hopper windows (or bottom hung windows – or tilt and turn windows) – do not let them open – when a cat gets hung in the V-opening of such a window it will squeeze its internal organs, shut down blood flow and suffer a very painful, long death. You really do not wish that for your animal!

  2. Lee says:

    Very informative! Thanks for posting. Those poor cats… They really are lucky to be alive it’s such a miracle. I never would have thought about that with it being only slightly open. Though when I open my window there is always a screen that stays shut

  3. Pingback: Cool AND Safe Cats « Terre Pruitt's Blog

  4. terrepruitt says:

    Oh, this reminds me of a post . . . I thought I had written it, but I didn’t. Good opportunity to do so. I hope the cats heal fast and well. Poor babies. Poor people. Thanks for the post prompt!

  5. I LOVE PETS says:

    This is so sad! Will definitely help all those pets out there by keeping from holding my dogs by the edges of high areas. Thanks for the warning Marc! This really helps to let us know about how dangerous this stuff is… Hope everyone else agrees.

  6. RoseyToesSews says:

    Those poor kitties ? I hope their pain has eased and they heal well.
    Some people believe they can train their cats to remain in a balcony area, or not to go through open windows. I personally don’t believe this is the case. If for example a bird flies close by, the cat will often instintively reach for the bird. They won’t consider whether this means jumping off a balcony or out of an open window. Same applies if the cat gets startled.
    Please be aware, and make sure your kitties have safe environments. ?

  7. zodiacimmortal says:

    Are we the only people that actually have screens in our windows? Sure a couple are a little snagged (Sully trying to catch the birds or bugs) but this does help a little

Why not meow a comment to fellow readers?

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.