A look at falling statistics 

We always hope for the best and believe that tragedy will pass us by. What happens to others doesn’t concern us, and we think it won’t happen to us. "My cats have never fallen out of the window, so they never will." This is what we all think.

Let’s make another analogy. Suppose you’ve been driving for 20 years and never had an accident. Does that guarantee you will never have one and that you don’t need to wear a seatbelt anymore? Clearly, no.

As we’ve mentioned before, a cat may sit calmly on the window for 5, 10, or even 14 years, and then one day jump after a brightly colored bird.

For some reason, people have a hard time learning from the mistakes of others. Losing a beloved cat, crying all your tears remembering their suffering and final moments, and living with the guilt of negligence—that’s the lesson many people learn, and it comes at the cost of an innocent life that couldn’t protect itself. But sometimes, even that lesson isn’t enough for everyone to change.

Real Cases and Some Statistics

We’ve already covered the genetic traits of cats and their instincts, including their predisposition to high-rise syndrome, their reaction to fear, and their intelligence. But we’ve gone even further.

We asked a friendly veterinary clinic district (an area with no more than 7 clinics) to provide statistics on patients who had been brought in after falling from windows. Gathering larger-scale statistics is very difficult, but perhaps we can achieve this in the future.

In June  24 cats that had fallen from heights were brought into the clinic—almost one cat per day!
Now imagine how many more cats were brought into other clinics in this district, and how many across all of town.

How many cats were not brought to a clinic because:

• They weren’t found after falling (a street cleaner removed the body, they were hit by a car, they crawled into a basement to die, or ran away in fear);

• Owners didn’t want to spend money on a vet;

• They died on the spot.

Out of the 24 cats, 9 died right on the table or within the first 24 hours from injuries and internal organ damage that were incompatible with life. 8 had spinal fractures with a prognosis of permanent disability—6 of these were euthanized, as their owners didn’t want a paralyzed pet. Only 7 cats survived with various injuries: fractures, bruises, concussions, or palate ruptures.

Are you still sure this doesn’t apply to your cat?

Maybe it’s time to protect your cat with reliable screens, just as you protect yourself with a seatbelt in the car. Windows are the #1 danger in the home for cats, and if there’s a way to reduce the risk of an accident, it’s better to take that step.

"But petscreens are expensive!" (you might say).

Yes, petscreens aren’t cheap, but the cost of several days in intensive care for a cat with high-rise injuries—under oxygen, mechanical ventilation, organ repair surgery, or spinal surgery, along with rehabilitation—can be tens of times more expensive than even the priciest screens. 

The pain and suffering of a living being cannot be measured in money. Life has no price. Consider whether this kind of "savings" is worth it. Preventing danger is easier and cheaper than fixing the consequences.

Cats bring us joy, but they also come with serious responsibility for their health and life. For a good owner, ensuring safety and meeting all the basic needs of their pet is of the utmost importance.