CATS AND BALCONIES

Most people truly believe that cats are magical creatures (well, they are) that can't fall or hurt themselves, that they can get out of any tree or sticky situation and land safely. Some CIA idiots in WII even tested cat bombs--tying cats to bombs so that the cats would make them land right side up. I can't even think about the horror...let's not go there.

So, what is the truth about cats, heights, and falling? The truth is that cats DO get trapped in trees and can't get back down. The truth, as relevant to you, dear city-dwelling cat owner, is that cats also fall off of balconies and out of windows and die. All the time. In fact, it happens so commonly that cats fall that I tell people who adopt from to ASSUME that it will happen to every cat at some point in its lifetime. If you live on the first or second floor, your cat will likely survive the fall. If you live higher up, assume that survival would be a miracle.

I have known of many cats lost this way. Just yesterday, a friend's beloved cat fell off her 7th floor roof patio and died, which is why I thought to write this post. So, what to do? Put good screens in windows, don't let the cat out on the balcony unsupervised (they really can be pretty dumb), install some kind of cat-proofing like netting or a special wall, or at least put a wide wood platform on top of the railing since your cat WILL jump up on it. That's what I did, since I can't bear to live in a closed-up apartment--I put wood all along the balcony's railing so that my cats have something to walk on safely (and they've all still fallen at least once, but only from the second floor). Here is a Pinterest board I found with images of city-cats and their outdoor spaces: https://www.pinterest.com/7katz/high-rise-cats/

For the absolute BEST cat containment system I've seen yet, go to this site: http://catfence.nz/how-to-order-the-oscillot-system/. It's genius!

Moral of the story? Cats love trouble. They search it out. And they don't always land safely. Be prepared for the arrival of a new kitten by fall-proofing windows and balconies!