Feline instincts have their peculiarities.

Often, cats that have calmly sat on windowsills for years suddenly fall at the age of 5, 10, or even 14 years. And their owners always say the same thing: "She always sat calmly" or "He never showed interest in the windows." But this time was different...

It’s important to remember that your furry homebody is, above all, a predator. Even if she’s so lazy that she rarely moves a paw, on the day “X,” she might be in a more playful mood, or that one fateful bird might fly by, sparking her interest more than usual. In that moment, her hunting instinct could overpower any sense of danger, and the cat might fall.

Why does this happen?

1. Explained by an animal behaviorist: "During hunting or play, a cat completely focuses on the prey and essentially disconnects from the outside world. The cat is fixated only on the prey and the distance to it. At the right moment, the cat attacks, making a jump. This is an automatic reflex.

Thus, the belief that a cat’s survival instinct protects it from falling is ungrounded. This 'switch' is turned off in the mode of play, hunting, or fear."

A cat can lose balance and fall for several reasons:

• A strong gust of wind while walking along a balcony railing;

• A slippery windowsill during rain;

• A window slamming shut due to a draft;

• A neighbor shaking out a rug from above;

• Falling asleep on the windowsill;

• Playing or fighting with another cat near an open window;

• Being startled by a sudden loud sound from outside (a helicopter, car alarm, fireworks, thunder, a drill, or construction noise).

Why do cats react so sharply to sound?

Cats have always hunted using their acute sense of hearing. A cat’s ear is controlled by 32 muscles and can rotate 180 degrees. This is essential for precisely locating mice at night. Cats detect sound waves between 45 and 65,000 Hz, distinguish sounds across a range of 10 octaves, and can even hear ultrasound.

Therefore, sounds are much louder and more intense for cats than for humans. It’s like someone suddenly shouting through a megaphone right into your ear. Any unexpected loud noise can cause panic and lead to an uncalculated jump or escape. A deaf cat may become startled by any unexpected touch.

The conclusion is clear: the most reliable way to protect your cat from falling is to install pet safety screens.