how high can a cat fall?
Tony_AUS
unattended on while I am home.
I am on the second floor and was wondering if my cat would die from this
sort of height if he for some reason decided to jump. He'd be landing on
grass too - if that helps!
My cat is a Ragdoll that has surprisingly good balance and agility for such
a lazy breed !
Any stories or advice about this situation ?
There is no ledge that he can jump up on to - just a hand rail that I have
tried to how him so he knows there's nothing he can land on.
He is a very curious cat though, so it's a constant worry.
Thanks, TONY
Graham
"Tony_AUS" <to...@NOTHANKS.com> wrote in message
news:bfbamh$2pqo$1...@otis.netspace.net.au...
Kitties are not daft, they have a sense of height just like us and know
what's ok and what's not.
Trust the kitty!
Graham
Ted Davis
wrote:
The survival rate for second floor (US meaning of 'second floor')
falls is poorer than for somewhat higher falls because the cat doesn't
have time to twist around into proper landing position. Injury rate
is fairly high for falls from all heights over a few feet.
Intentional jumps are another matter: normally cats won't jump from an
something that is much higher than what they know they can deal with,
but a frightened cat just might.
I would worry about the cat trying to jump to the hand rail and not
being able to recover his balance.
T.E.D. (tda...@gearbox.maem.umr.edu - e-mail must contain "T.E.D." or my .sig in the body)
M.C. Mullen
"Tony_AUS" <to...@NOTHANKS.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:bfbamh$2pqo$1...@otis.netspace.net.au...
I don't think that he'd die if he fell down, but he could certainly break a
leg or hurt his back. Then the vet would cost more than making the balcony
cat proof! Suggestions: Apply a net (available especially for cats and
children) or make the rail higher by attaching a bamboo fence or anything
else that looks nice. Don't forget, a bird might sit on the rail and the cat
could jump over it in order to catch it and fall.
Carola
Tony_AUS
By second floor, I mean Ground, First & Second - so he fly past 3 levels if
he fell.
He got out through an open window and jumped on to a ledge that wouldn't be
more than 2 inches wide. He is a very big Ragdoll cat, so how he did it
amazed me. Luckily I could reach him safely.
Cheers
Tony
"Ted Davis" <tda...@gearbox.maem.umr.edu> wrote in message
news:rfrihvk3gb0pi0e75...@4ax.com...
MaryL
"Tony_AUS" <to...@NOTHANKS.com> wrote in message
> Thanks for the advice folks.
>
> By second floor, I mean Ground, First & Second - so he fly past 3 levels
if
> he fell.
>
> He got out through an open window and jumped on to a ledge that wouldn't
be
> more than 2 inches wide. He is a very big Ragdoll cat, so how he did it
> amazed me. Luckily I could reach him safely.
>
> Cheers
> Tony
>
>
The fact that your cat has already managed to leap onto a small ledge should
be warning to take steps ASAP to try to prevent future episodes -- because,
yes, cats can be injured or killed in a fall. Agile as they are, it is
still common for a cat to slip and fall off handrails or other small areas.
Some people on this group have used netting to enclose their balconies and
make them cat-safe.
MaryL
m l briggs
m l briggs
some kind of enclosure. MLB
M.C. Mullen
"Tony_AUS" <to...@NOTHANKS.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
| Thanks for the advice folks.
|
| By second floor, I mean Ground, First & Second - so he fly past 3 levels
if
| he fell.
|
| He got out through an open window and jumped on to a ledge that wouldn't
be
| more than 2 inches wide. He is a very big Ragdoll cat, so how he did it
| amazed me. Luckily I could reach him safely.
|
| Cheers
| Tony
|
I have to add that a workmate lost a cat that fell from this height. It was
not a young and inexperienced cat either.
It's not to be taken lightly. So please take care.
Carola
blcker
"Tony_AUS" <to...@NOTHANKS.com> wrote in message
news:bfci9q$1qf9$1...@otis.netspace.net.au...
Dee
> I have moved to an apartment that has a balcony that I often leave my cat
> unattended on while I am home.
Not a good idea Tony.
> I am on the second floor and was wondering if my cat would die from this
> sort of height if he for some reason decided to jump. He'd be landing on
> grass too - if that helps!
A cat can sometimes survive a high jump. At the same time it could fall
four feet and break it's leg. Yes, your cat could die. Leaving it on a
balcony where it can't shelter from the elements doesn't sound too good
either.
Dee
NickKnight
>Tony, PLEASE install a safe screen on that window!!
As many parents have found a screen on a window will not
prevent a fall.......
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Karen Chuplis
Karen
"NickKnight" <NickKnight...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:jblohvcm7l05dfq08...@4ax.com...
NickKnight
>It'll prevent more than no screen.
In many cases not. Many unfortunate parents have found
that a child fell through the window even with a screen.
I wouldn't bet the rent on the screen being of any help.
Try doing a google search on kids falling out of windows.
Too many parents thought a screen would help, sadly it
didn't.
k
> I have moved to an apartment that has a balcony that I often leave my cat
> unattended on while I am home.
Not in the least bit bright.
> He is a very curious cat though, so it's a constant worry.
>
So don't do it.
Don't let him out there, or screen it.
There is no guarantee at all that someday their may be disaster
otherwise.
This is just commonsense.
blcker
That is a ludicrous and unfounded statement. A little help is better than
NONE at all. A properly made and attached screen WILL keep the cat in. My
house is a living testimonial to that. 25 years and never an escape through
a screen.
Please rethink.
"NickKnight" <NickKnight...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:lm0phv41ukkpknk70...@4ax.com...
christine cassata
I live on the 11th floor in the city. Some portions of the ground are
landscaped, but the majority is cement and asphalt.
When I moved into the building over 10 years ago, I had a cat who went
outside all the time and even jumped onto the neighbors balcony. I did not
worry about him being outside at all, he was a very smart cat, and I did not
know any better.
Then, I brought home Coco, and when she went outside she went after a bee
and I brought her inside immediately. I would not let her out because she
was too skittish.
One day we were at a neighborhood festival and came back upstairs. I could
not find Coco. I looked at the screen door to my balcony and saw it
flapping in the wind. I ran downstairs and there she was.
Now, she made it, believe it or not. It was an absolute miracle that she
did - she managed to fall eleven stories and make it onto a small patch of
landscaping -we still can't figure out how. She had a bruised lung and a
fractured toe.
Sorry this story is so long, but what I got out of it is this:
1- Do not let your cats outside on a balcony, it is just too dangerous.
2- Do not trust a screen to keep in your cat. Yes, a screen is better
than no screen, but it also gives you a false sense of security.
Regards,
cmc
"Tony_AUS" <to...@NOTHANKS.com> wrote in message
news:bfbamh$2pqo$1...@otis.netspace.net.au...
Karen Chuplis
"christine cassata" <cas...@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:wIbTa.67463$0v4.4...@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
When I lived on the fourth floor, what I did to keep the cats from pressing
against the screen but still allow them to sit on the window sill was I had
garden lattice cut to size for the window. These were sash windows but it
should work for any except those that swing out. Then when I opened the
windows for air, I fit the lattice (which easily bent enough to fit into the
sash tracks) and then closed the windows down on them to secure it in the
opening. This looked nice, kept the cats off the screens and still allowed
plenty of fresh air and was very cheap.
Karen
NickKnight
>Oh c'mon Nick, you can not be serious about a screen being "no help"???
>
>That is a ludicrous and unfounded statement. A little help is better than
>NONE at all. A properly made and attached screen WILL keep the cat in. My
>house is a living testimonial to that. 25 years and never an escape through
>a screen.
Actually it is probably better to not have a screen. If the
screen is there some parents will rely on it to keep their
kids from falling out. Some parents mistakenly rely on the
screen for protection. It offerrs next to nothing for as
far as preventing falls.
Screens are there to keep bugs out not to keep kids in.
Every year around here we have dozens of
children who fall out of windows and
die. Some of those parents have said they
thought the kid was safe because there was a
screen. They weren't.
Try puting yor fist through a screen. Report back on
how much resistance it provided.l
You've never found how easy it is for a screen
to develop a hole have you?
NickKnight
>2- Do not trust a screen to keep in your cat. Yes, a screen is better
>than no screen, but it also gives you a false sense of security.
I would point out I've had cats put holes into a screen.
Remember the screen is made to keep out smalll bugs, not
to keep a 15 pound cat in.
Ted Davis
<NickKnight...@hotmail.com> wrote:
<snip>
>Every year around here we have dozens of
>children who fall out of windows and
>die. Some of those parents have said they
>thought the kid was safe because there was a
>screen. They weren't.
We're talking about cats - there was no mention of children in the
original message. A strudy metal screen that won't stop a 40 lb.
child from falling out, is quite likely to keep a 10 lb. cat in place.
T.E.D. (tda...@gearbox.maem.umr.edu)
SPAM filter: Messages to this address *must* contain "T.E.D."
somewhere in the body or they will be automatically rejected.
Karen Chuplis
> On "blcker" <oh...@nospam.com> wrote:
>
> >Oh c'mon Nick, you can not be serious about a screen being "no help"???
> >
> >That is a ludicrous and unfounded statement. A little help is better
than
> >NONE at all. A properly made and attached screen WILL keep the cat in.
My
> >house is a living testimonial to that. 25 years and never an escape
through
> >a screen.
> Actually it is probably better to not have a screen. If the
> screen is there some parents will rely on it to keep their
> kids from falling out. Some parents mistakenly rely on the
> screen for protection. It offerrs next to nothing for as
> far as preventing falls.
>
Karen
NickKnight
>We're talking about cats - there was no mention of children in the
>original message. A strudy metal screen that won't stop a 40 lb.
>child from falling out, is quite likely to keep a 10 lb. cat in place.
And a screen will not hold a 15 pound cat...........mabye if
it is 1 pound, more than that I wouldn't bet on it. I've
had too many screens develop holes.......
NickKnight
>Why do you keep talking about kids?
Because if a kid can fall through a screen a 15 pound cat
can too.
Ted Davis
<NickKnight...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>On Ted Davis <tda...@gearbox.maem.umr.edu> wrote:
>
>>We're talking about cats - there was no mention of children in the
>>original message. A strudy metal screen that won't stop a 40 lb.
>>child from falling out, is quite likely to keep a 10 lb. cat in place.
>And a screen will not hold a 15 pound cat...........mabye if
>it is 1 pound, more than that I wouldn't bet on it. I've
>had too many screens develop holes.......
So have I - from things being thrown or pushed through them. I
suspect that anyone who has a damaged screen and a cat he wants to
keep inside who doesn't close the window/door until the screen can be
repaired doesn't really care about the cat very much and would not be
asking the question here.
Metal screens resist damage much better than fiberglass or plastic
ones. I paid extra to get metal screens on my new windows.
Ted Davis
<NickKnight...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>On "Karen Chuplis" <kchu...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
>>Why do you keep talking about kids?
>Because if a kid can fall through a screen a 15 pound cat
>can too.
Turning that around and expanding to reasonable limits (you haven't
placed any) you are saying that whatever will hold a 15 pound cat will
also hold my co-worker's 14 year old, 120 pound kid. That is saying
that a 15 pound test line will hold a 120 pound fish. I don't think
so.
When considering the strengths of materials, you have to define the
forces involved. If assuming that a large hole exists, you need to
explain why it hasn't been blocked or repaired, as well as provide a
reasonable explanation of how it got there.
If you are comparing cats and children of the same size, you have to
say so, and also explain why the athletic ability of an adult cat can
be compared to the clumsiness of a toddler.
christine cassata
over a new screen and attached. My current solution for the sliding glass
doors was a plexiglass piece with holes cut into it, which is then screwed
on the to exterior screen.
"Karen Chuplis" <kchu...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
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*~*SooZy*~*
fit fly screens up.. that what we have
--
Luv'n'Stuff
*~*SooZy*~*
http://community.webshots.com/user/ragdollcatsuknews:d2wTa.67921$3o3.4...@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
NickKnight
>Turning that around and expanding to reasonable limits (you haven't
>placed any) you are saying that whatever will hold a 15 pound cat will
>also hold my co-worker's 14 year old, 120 pound kid. That is saying
>that a 15 pound test line will hold a 120 pound fish. I don't think
>so.
The bottom line in this discussion, keep cats and kids away
from the window unless it has bars designed for
preventing falls.
Around here there have been too many kids who have
died from falls from windows.
If you want to rely on a screen to prevent falls then you
are a fool.
m l briggs
small animals, but I have seen cats knock them out of place. MLB
NickKnight
>That's a great idea! My windows open out but I could have them fashioned
>over a new screen and attached. My current solution for the sliding glass
>doors was a plexiglass piece with holes cut into it, which is then screwed
>on the to exterior screen.
Please use Velcro though. Around here in Winter people
use anything/everything to try and seal windows when it
gets cold. If you put plexiglass up do it in such a way
that it be removed instantly if an ermegency arises
(fire).
NickKnight
>If I am not mistaken, screens were intended to keep out insects!
That is what I mentioned but I still got slammed.