This is the second time my cat has fallen off the balcony.. I'm going to end up needing a season ticket for the vet at this rate.. But it really scares me because I just don't understand how he manages to fall.. Is he just being clumsy while playing? Is he hunting something or what? I'm not allowed to put up safety netting on my balcony.. Have any of you dealt with this before? Do you have any solutions? Because our little Milo is really stressing me out.. He's not had the easiest start in life.. ( https://www.leetchi.com/c/solidarite-de-milo-10198968 )
Thanks!
Translated from French
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If it’s a kitten, they usually settle in well indoors at first. It’s definitely safer to have a litter tray if you can’t cat-proof the area. Best of luck!!!
The simple solution is to stop letting him out, or at least not unless you're on the balcony with him yourself, and don't let him jump up on the railing. You should also put up some screening if there's a gap at the bottom of the balcony.
Personally, I’d never let my cats out on a balcony; it’s always seemed like common sense to me that it could be really dangerous, and that first fall would have been lesson enough for me to not let him out anymore.
Hi,
I lived in Lyon for two years (on the 4th floor of an old period building, so it was a very long way up) and since I wasn't allowed to install a safety net either, I was also constantly terrified that one of my two cats would fall... Unfortunately, in these situations, only constant supervision can really keep Milo safe. I tried various repellents but they didn't work at all.
Nico-
Hi Neilruan,
It’s true that cats don’t always land on their feet, which is why you need to be careful and have them checked over by a vet after a fall, as Cindy from the vet advice service mentioned.
Hi Neileruan,
As you've already noticed, a cat that falls once doesn't necessarily learn their lesson...
Having dealt with this problem myself (two of my own cats fell from the 4th floor), it can happen when a cat gets "distracted" or startled (like a bird flying past when they aren't expecting it) or simply if the cat isn't as agile as others and loses their balance. Their hunting instinct sometimes overrides their awareness of the drop, and the cat jumps to catch prey...
If you can't put up netting on your balcony, your best bet is to only let your cat out under your supervision.
If it were to happen again, get them to an emergency vet straight away. A cat with no external wounds after a fall can still have internal damage (a ruptured spleen or bladder, a collapsed lung, etc.) and can take a turn for the worse within 48 hours. Sometimes a fall from the 2nd floor can actually be more serious than one from the 8th...
Hope this answers your question,
Cindy
