Highrise
syndrome
It's time to check your screens
MetPet.com Staff Writer
 Whether you
live on the 20th floor of an apartment building in the city or have a 2
story colonial in the suburbs, if you have a cat you'll need to have secure
screens on your windows. Even though they're not apt to jump out of a
window without reason, cats will reach for insects or birds or simply lose
their footing.
High rise syndrome refers to the spring time
phenomenon in cities. People are most apt to leave windows open during
the spring forgetting to check the security of the screens that could have
been damaged during the winter. Check to see that screens have not
become warped, the netting has not come loose at the edges or there is the
making of a hole in the netting. If you can't push the screen out,
chances are good that even the most determined cat can't either.
If you have any concerns, it's best to keep the
windows closed or open just a crack to let in the fresh air.
Oddly enough, cats that fall from
greater heights have been known to survive while those who fall from the
lower stories do not. One theory is that cats relax during the descent
and sustain less severe injuries. Whether the theory holds or not,
cats do sustain massive injuries from falls so prevention is the order of
the day. |
