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From 7 lives…
Unfortunately I have already seen some pictures of injured cats on the internet – some of them got stuck in the space between the windows. Others fell out of the window or from the balcony and unfortunately landed so down that they were injured. But even flats where the windows are only tilted can lead to serious injuries and it is strongly recommended to secure these tilting windows (more about this below).
It is warned again and again that heights can be dangerous for cats, but nevertheless it comes regularly to bad accidents. The reason for these terrible accidents is that people always believe in the „7 cat lives“. They think that cats can fall down from high above without any damage. Of course, sometimes nothing happens and the cats survive – but not always!
In the winter the windows are mostly closed anyway and it is in principle hardly an issue to make the windows or balcony openings safe for cats. But as soon as it gets a little warmer, one leaves the windows and the balcony door open nevertheless gladly times longer.
And just in these seasons the accidents of the poor animals accumulate.
It’s a prejudice to think that you don’t have to secure windows and balconies just because the cats are so smart. Cats are still small predators and have animal instincts that make them do unexpected things.
Cat should not be on the balcony?
If this is your reason why you don’t want to secure your balcony, then you are taking a high risk! Better play it safe and secure your balcony with professional balcony cat safety.
Use cat grids for balconies
Safety nets are a good way to give your cat some freedom and keep her safe at the same time. I think that’s the best way because it allows the cat to let off steam, use the balcony and still be safe.
These safety nets are very popular and there are many good safety nets to buy. Another advantage of cat nets is that they protect the apartment from insects in summer. Especially in such hot summers, where there are wasp plagues or beetle plagues, an insect protection net is worthwhile. Who decides for such a dense net, should pay attention to the fact that still enough sunbeams come through, otherwise the balcony is rather shady with this net.
Is a cat net allowed on the balcony?
Yes, this is allowed without the landlord’s permission, as long as the net is transparent in colour. Since most nets are transparent, it does not represent a problem to procure such a net.
What does a cat net for the balcony cost?
Of course there are also very cheap networks here, but at this point it is not worth saving! It is better to buy a cat net with high quality that is really safe.
cat net balcony which colour?
Cat nets are best if they are transparent so that the sun can shine through and the landlord cannot complain.
Which cat net for balcony?
After a long search I decided to use this cat net from „Good to have „*:
It was important to me that it had the perfect size for my balcony. With its 8 by 3 meters the size was perfect. The net can also be cut to any size if a smaller size is needed. It should also be easy to attach. The advantage of this cat net is that it comes with all the important fixing material, so you don’t have to buy anything extra.
I was always a little worried that my cat might bite or scratch the net. This is impossible with this material – it is absolutely stable and cannot be destroyed by cats.
How do I attach a cat net to the balcony?
Practical is the extra fastening rope. It is 25 meters long and extra reinforced. The instructions for setting it up are included and are very easy to understand. I think even my aunt could use it to attach the net herself.
Cat proof balcony without drilling?
If you are one of those who are not allowed to drill around on their balcony, you can still buy the net, because you can also fix it with poles and cable ties.
The point that completely convinced me is the money back guarantee from Good to Have Cat Net* I could be sure before the purchase that I can simply send it back without hesitation if I don’t like it. The money will be returned in any case, if the net is not the right one.
Who can make my balcony cat-safe?
Actually, it’s not that hard to do it yourself. If you are not able to do it, you should ask your relatives around or advertise small ads on Ebay.
Which plants on balcony with cats?
Pansy, blue lily, Chinese reed, date palm, Cyprus grass, fuchsia, daisies, millworm, beautiful upholstery, horn violet, houseleek, lemon tree, succulent, roses, marigold, sackflower
Cat proof balcony without mains?
There are of course other possibilities to make a balcony cat-proof. For example by Plexiglas (if the landlord permits it) or in which one leaves the beloved rent only on the leash on the balcony. More about that here:
Cat only on the leash on the balcony let
The easiest way to keep your cat safe on the balcony is to use a leash. If you’ve never used a leash for your cat, you need to practice it with your cat first. Depending on the cat, it may take a few weeks for your cat to accept the leash and actually walk around voluntarily with a belt. The „running on the leash“ should not be practiced on the balcony, but in the apartment. The first time you walk on the leash, your dear cat will most likely become quite wild and try to get rid of the leash somehow.
When to leave your cat on the balcony?
When your cat is running safely on the leash at some point, you can take it with you to the balcony to enjoy the pleasant sunrays. You can also attach the leash firmly to as immovable an object as possible. It is important that it does not reach the end of the balcony. Please do not leave your cat alone on the balcony and always keep an eye on it.
- What other area you should make sure to secure in your apartment:
As already described balconies – you can either call a professional to fix a net or buy and fix a good cat net yourself. - window – here there are many possibilities, e.g. networks.
- half-open windows – there are different window grids and blocks that you can put in the windows.
True story: Cat has fallen from balcony
The best example is my aunt’s cat, who loved birds above all else.
My aunt lived on the ninth floor and has had a cat called Trixie for about 6 years. Why do cats jump from the balcony? The cat Trixie loves birds above all – a normal hunting instinct of cats. Unfortunately, my aunt was convinced that Trixie was a very intelligent animal and so she didn’t put a fuse on it. My aunt came from the shift and suddenly Trixie was no longer there!
Trixies hunting instinct had taken over and she had tried to „fly after“ the bird.
I wouldn’t believe it myself if I hadn’t seen it at first hand. It’s an incredible story because Trixie survived this „flight“ from a height of 30 meters.
And although Trixie never would have been away from home, because she is a typical apartment cat, she found home again. Another tenant might not have survived the fall or would have run away disoriented and become a stray. My aunt was just very lucky – but that doesn’t mean that every cat owner has so much luck.
What consequences can a fall from the balcony or from the window have?
Why secure balcony for cats?
It can have horrible consequences if the cat falls from the balcony. If this is too much for you, skip this paragraph. The consequences can be:
A crushed skull, broken jaw, fallen teeth, bleeding (internal as well as external), broken limbs, injury to the spine or internal organs and many other serious injuries are possible. Nobody would ever wish their cat had these terrible injuries.
Cat fallen from balcony what do?
You need to keep your cat as still as possible so that the injury is not made worse by movement. It is best to wrap them in a blanket and transport them to the nearest vet as soon as possible.
Result
Of course, in addition to the solutions listed here, there is always the possibility of simply not letting the cat walk on the balcony at all. But I would first consider the above mentioned solutions, because why shouldn’t the cat enjoy the freedom of the balcony if she can? The cat protection on the balcony is not so complicated to attach and is also not expensive and gives your cat new possibilities to have great fun and at the same time prevent boredom. In addition, every pussy has a great urge to move, which can also be satisfied on the balcony.
I hope that these ideas will help you to make your balcony a safe place for your cat!
Great danger for cats: Tilt window
If the cat gets caught in a tilting window, the internal organs are crushed and the spinal cord can be injured. Most of the time the poor pussies die because they are totally exhausted and the pain does its part too. Unfortunately, the attempt of rescue can lead to further injuries.
How to get your cat out of the tilt window
You should not hesitate and immediately start to take the cat away. It’s best to do it in pairs – but you know how! You carefully move your hand until you are below the cat’s chest basket. The free hand moves under the cat’s belly. Now you can lift your darling slightly. The second person can now lift the pussy to the larger window opening. Now the cat is taken out.
Next comes the first aid: So that the little animal doesn’t move too much and thereby worsens the internal bleeding or injuries, she has to be wrapped in a blanket. Then get in the car with you and immediately and as fast as possible to the next best veterinarian.
Cat tilting window protection
It is better to take precautions here and to save the window!
Here is a picture of a cat tilting window protection*:
The tilted window is completely covered by the white plastic grid, as shown in the picture, and the cat has no possibility to squeeze through the tilted window at all.
Also very good are the tilting window protection blocks
For example there are on Amazon blocks as tilting window protection* for cats:
These woods are also clamped into the tilted window, so that the cat loses the desire to squeeze through. If it is a very skilful cat, which manages to get on top of the woods, it will be able to jump off from there thanks to the wooden condition and is not trapped in the tilting window.
