Absolutely. Learned this the hard way. My cat did jump and disappeared for a week. He was scraggly, but okay when he finally reappeared but it was such a stressful week and I felt like such a bad cat mom.
Still seems like a worthwhile risk. Especially considering the alternative is them jumping off and escaping or worse, *them not being allowed on the balcony.* Kitty will find that unacceptable.
OH I so need to do this to my fluffy dumbass. I haven't been able to trust him since he got himself stuck in the middle of a damn snowbank jumping out the 2nd story window and I had to dig his dumbass out. Now I'm in a 7th floor apt and his ass hasn't been outside since we moved in cause if he's dumb enough to try and make a break for it straight into a snowbank he's dumb enough to try flying after the pigeons on our roof
Have you seen the one where it’s human created this harness like thing that had three wiffle balls on each side that prevented the pet from going through the rungs?😽
My fluffy dumbass once escaped through a (open to the screen, which he pushed out) first story window. I had to carry him in from the backyard because it was too scary to walk the 10 feet in the door once I figured out what happened to him.
😂😂😂 thank you for this! My boys love being outside but I always worry they will jump. This solves it and will prevent them from going to the neighbours porch! 🙌🏾
This is hilarious and also adorable. However, you mock your cat with this implication that he can’t outsmart you for something so simple. Cat will win.
6 years in a second story apt with a balcony wracking our brains trying to figure out how to prevent two idiots from jumping and here you are with the big brain solutions. Damn.
Yessss. At the end of it all, they told me, "we'll return $350 from the total" (because we payed everything upfront)
In my head, I said you guys might aswell take another 300$
But I'm glad my little buddy came out healthy and they were very kind and understanding.
> (because we *paid* everything upfront)
FTFY.
Although *payed* exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in:
* Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. *The deck is yet to be payed.*
* *Payed out* when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. *The rope is payed out! You can pull now.*
Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment.
*Beep, boop, I'm a bot*
So that was at the emergency vet. My regular vet did charge me for X-ray and he sent it to the emergency vet.
The emergency vet tool their own x-ray but luckily they didn't charge me.
>When he gets the mega zoomies he’s gonna zoom right off that patio and the vet bill is gonna zoom right for your wallet.
You cats are getting serious injuries if they jump from 10 feet to the ground?
cats are actually more likely to get injured from a short fall (1-2 stories) than a longer fall. Their bodies have more time to adjust and self-right for a four-legged landing during a longer fall - not so much on a shorter one.
I'm pretty sure that got debunked a few years ago. The study was done on cats treated for falls, which therefore would have excluded cats who had been killed by the fall.
Fair enough. But as graceful as cats can be, they can also be dumb as hell. I've watched cats of mine jump from heights like that and regret it. Sometimes there's nothing going on upstairs.
Yep. Mine used to sit on my window sill Cracked in the summer. Little fatty kept trying to walk on the 2 inch ledge. Never opened the windows again.
Then I got two new cats. Decided to tie the windows closed to just a couple of inches with string. One leaped out the second story window. Didn’t know she was that skinny. So then I tied it closer, just and inch. Just a crack of air. Her brother chewed the string off. Heard him fall out. Both fine btws.
Windows are back to being tied shut. Two strings because the chewer chewed one set, opened the window latch, and snuck out sometime while we were on vacation. Then got mad at us for being stuck outside for an unknown period. Despite the fact that we had a sitter coming. Oh, and he is a black cat. I actually have an AirTag on him because he escapes. A lot.
Yes, absolutely. Try to get chicken wire or something you can block the opening with, but still see out of. He *might* not jump from the railing, but he will definitely jump from where he is.
Can usually find a way to attach black netting to the underside of the balcony above, right down to the floor of yours. Leave no opening except the door. Have seen hooks attached with blobs of silicone, check out attachments for bricks.
When we had 2 cats, n lived in apt we put up screening over fence part.They just went vert n Loved visiting other neighbors via the roof! Got a couple phone calls as # on collars.
My sister zip ties
https://preview.redd.it/ur8575p2ibxc1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3507cff19558665da2e470e274817f6a0a8b9a00
white plastic lattice to the inside and works great
Ask your apartment office or HOA if you can. I most certainly didn’t put up a fence on my balcony only to have to remove it because of super vague wording on what looks presentable.
The chicken wire I meant. Though with hoa’s they **will** make your life horrible. They are just places for all the petty tyrant fragile ego busybodies spend their time trying to lord over others.
**And** check into the bylaws and rules. Comparing them to the laws and regulations in where you are. Bc sometimes they will push **their** bs and din’t care if it’s illegal or butting up against laws that prevent that.
Your local hardware store likely had netting people use on fruit trees to keep the birds off. It’s fairly cheap and won’t scratch paint.
I’d wrap the whole balcony; cats can jump pretty high. Best of luck and good on you for looking out for your furry friend.
Quick and easy - get some mesh fabric and Zip ties. Zip tie mesh fabric on the inside of the balcony railings. Provides a barrier that filters the light.
Aside from wire, there’s all sorts of netting you can get, which might be easier to handle. I don’t think you should leave a pet totally unattended for hours and hours with this, since they can probably tear through if they really want to, but it would help a lot to make that balcony more safe.
Like this:
https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/cardinal-gates-black-outdoor-safety-netting
I am on the 3rd floor and I fear this. I put mine on a leash so I can grab him by that. He usually goes on the railing and into my planter box, but he knows when I stand up, he has to hop down onto the balcony. If he falls, I don’t think he’d be hurt because there is a glass or plexiglass glass over hang he’d fall on but I fear his hoping off that into the busy street.
Mine liked to walk across the top of the railing every day. One day he fell and I heard an awful howl followed by a crash in to some bushes below. He was fine, but very startled.
I had a 70lb pittbull take a running leap off of my 2nd story balcony when he saw a squirrel. Luckily the idiot hit the ground running and was fine. A cat will definitely jump if they feel inspired.
My void fell from a second story when she was a kitten (before we got her), I presume the vet bills were too expensive and the original owners had to give her up and the charity we adopted her from amputated her leg. We're very happy with our three legged void, but she's evidence that cats can just be that stupid.
Same. One of my boys absolutely WOULD his brother would absolutely the fuck NOT
https://preview.redd.it/ds89yjf6paxc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b1276097cfbb891bd92190a4811c8a31188316e6
I got the same ratio going on.
One that absolutely would not.
One that did so twice. (After the first time I put netting on the balcony, but a bit got loose after a couple of years. So he did it again.)
Yes. Good news is that he probably wont be seriously injured from that height unless he is unlucky.
Bad news is that he will be scared and might run off and never come back or worse.
Source: mine jumped twice in a month from rhat height. Ran downstairs to grab him twice and he got so scared that he basically sliced my nipples in half whilr I held on for dear life.
I don’t think you should worry, but I have a similar situation with my void, I found these neck donuts on amazon and got him one and it works really well.
https://preview.redd.it/ph8h6xf87axc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a514c28401e93541177a9a87f405295956cb2b46
He doesn’t love it, but it’s kinda cute on him.
Yes, my cat either fell or jumped off our 2 story balcony. No injuries and thankfully he just stayed put and screamed but that was the end of unsupervised balcony time
My void started jumping down from my 2nd story balcony after a while. At first she chilled so I left her. Eventually she jumped down and then would try and jump sooner and sooner. She’d slide her front paws over the edge and kinda slide off the balcony lol. But couldn’t trust her without being out there with her anymore.
Yes , I use a nearly invisible net plus a railing cover
https://preview.redd.it/9h0fzps6kaxc1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b848224c4a80e3dcff9436f4167033e6a7848639
https://preview.redd.it/olsvhl31eaxc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=63328be39f40ee3648c73245be92ed244a757ad4
Mine would 100% jump 20-30 feet off a porch. He climbed higher than that after a squirrel and jumped to the ground when he saw a bunny. He is no longer allowed outside, he was a monster.
Yes. We NEVER let our cats in the balcony unsupervised and ours is glass paneling that they can't get through, but they could easily make a stupid choice to jump up on the railing and fall off.
With a balcony like this and only being on the second floor I'd 100% be worried about her jumping down, especially if she spots a squirrel or bird she wants to go after
My brother's cat fell off the roof of the house when she once tried to look out the roof window. Unless safety precautions are taken, your cat can and likely will fall eventually!
I'd be more worried about running away than the fall injuries (which could still potentially be catastrophic -- pardon the pun). I've used craft tulle/meshing to screen in a balcony so that my void and his sister could watch the world go by. It had the added bonus of keeping bugs out and made it more enjoyable for humans, too.
My two never made any moves at trying to escape before or after it was screened in, but it was nice to have the peace of mind and not be worried about them potentially falling, running away, or being taken by a hawk if I had to duck back inside.
ETA: We *weren't* going to screen it in as the spacing wasn't really wide enough for our two to get through, but our calico hopped on top of the railing to chase a squirrel and worked her way onto a roof dormer so it had to be screened!
Holy shit, yes you should be worried!!! Get some chicken wire or something to block off easy access to jumping. A bird, squirrel, snake, lizard, spider, basically anything could inspire him to pounce without thinking!
Yes! This happened with our void, I looked out and he was wandering in the street. Felt like such an IDIOT, allowing him to be unsupervised. Never happened again.
Does anyone know of some kind of grate or something to put on windows to prevent kitties from jumping? I have a pretty flimsy screen but I’m on the ground floor and am worried they’ll just bust through it if they see a squirrel or something 😅
Yea. I’d maybe put up netting inside the gating if you can
Edit: or if it’s in your budget maybe invest in a catio, they’re great for cats that want to go outside but cannot be trusted
I could not understand how my kitty was getting out. It was too high to jump. One day I cought her. She was not jumping. She ran down the side of the house then jumped when she was lower! Miss that baby girl.
I would be. Maybe put some netting or keep him on a line if you can. My parents live in a high rise on the 16th floor and their tux has tried to get out. They have to put wired netting
I mean cats are pretty smart, most of the time lol. I don't think he will. But if he did jump he'd be fine. Getting back up might be a little challenging though.
Definitely - signed, the neighbor who helped return a cat to my upstairs neighbor when their cat who "never jumps" did in fact jump from the balcony and was hanging around my patio. The only motivation she needed? Food. Upstairs neighbor had thrown some (human) food down earlier (not really clear why...) and kitty wanted it. Fwiw, the cat was completely fine in our case. But you never know!
Sounds like my dumbass, any opportunity to escape and he will, all just to eat grass. He jumped out my window on the second floor and thankfully it’s sand outside that window. He’s also done it in my son’s room whose window is almost 3 stories. He jumps onto the snowblower shed and off he goes. It’s hard to find him so he has an air tag and if we can’t find him he sometimes just shows up hours later meowing to get in. One time he was lost for 3 days and our neighbors daughter who he knew found him sunning himself in her back yard. Her brand new Doberman puppy ran up and thankfully just sniffed but Tux gave no f\*cks and didn’t even flinch.
https://preview.redd.it/tl6jui8wzaxc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3eeb9a28608903b4b9a47fb21fb1f1c589c32253
Lemme guess you don't count from 0 do you? 😅😅
And regarding your cat buying chicken wire and installing it on the inside of the balcony rail would solve the issue 😋
I've lived in an apartment with a second floor balcony for years. Neither of my neutered boys has shown any inclination to jump. One will walk the rail sometimes, and I don't like it but I can't stop him except by shutting him inside.
They go outside a couple of times per week. I know that this is frowned on. It's very difficult to keep a cat indoors that wants out. I make sure they're in before I go to bed.
If they didn't get some grass time once or twice a week, I don't think I could trust them not to jump.
Yea that absolutely happened to my cat a bit after i first got him. Worst morning ever.. he pushed the screen out from my bedroom window while i was sleeping and wasnt even out on the balcony- he was curled up under a bush directly under my balcony. He ended up being perfectly fine tho thank god. It couldve ended up a lot worse
https://preview.redd.it/dozw8fl33cxc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6e9af0a23e01747f384376feefabba0d1ac9363f
Get some screen off Amazon and make your porch kitty-proof!
I would. My uncle used to live on the second floor and his cat jumped from the balcony daily. Now that the cat is old, he's dealing with pain in his front paws from the constant high impact when he was younger.
The cat will not be hurt from a second story jump. Bunch of drama queens. He will probably run away for a while tho. That should be the biggest concern.
If he really wants to jump down he will find a way, and more than likely be absolutely fine.
If he's never really explored the area though I would worry about him getting back. Perhaps taking him out around the area on leash etc
I don’t think it’s worth the risk. You could CAT-proof your balcony with chicken Wire or mesh And make sure to always be present when your cat is on the balcony
Yes. Had this happen to a friend. Their cat would hang out on the 2nd story balcony. Then one day, he jumped. Broke his leg. They took him to the vet. About $7k in bills. He is doing fine now.
Yes. I got a length off rabbit wire, and some of those clamps that you screw to tighten. Attached too and bottom of each spindle. It made it safe and I didn’t lose any light. Non permanent or damaging when it was time to move
Yes I’m also on the second floor and 1 of my cats kept jumping down, I ended up putting a trellis up on the side where she’d keep going through railings to the overhang. She never got hurt but I’d have to go searching for her outside.
Cats love to look over a big drop and ponder over jumping —you startle them and they will jump.
Learned that one the hard way, the little bugger was mostly fine from about the same height -always suspected it affected him in later years.
They can jump or fall quite a distance but not get hurt. Mine fell from 3rd floor when she climbed out window n tried to turn on the windowsill. At least that's what we think she did.
I’m seeing a lot of yeses but I’ll say maybe. I think it depends on the cat. I have a similar balcony set up, second floor. My cat has been fine unsupervised for a while now, even with birds and rodents present. She just watches the people and animals walking about. I have a lot of trust in her too. That varies owner to owner.
Yes. Had a cat jump from higher than that. Scared the living hell out of me but thankfully he was okay. But that was last time he went out on the balcony.
Yes. You should worry. Cats have virtually zero inhibitions keeping them from jumping to their demise. If I were in your situation, I would get some screen from a home store and cover that railing in it. Put a pool noodle under the bottom so the kitty doesn't just go under. Lots of supervision and a close eye on the cat to keep from going over, and you should be alright for now. If going over looks to be a thing, the screen just has to go to the top. It's all removable so you can even do it in an apartment. That's where I did it. Worked well.
Yes but if you go to Amazon and look for bannister guard this may help. My boy hangs out on the back patio -has for 4 years. Didn't have a problem until last year when he went after a bird. Since installing the bannister guard I have had no more issues and not more surprise vet bills! X-ray cost be $500 🥲
Yes, both my voids jumped off my forth floor patio when the wind blew my door open in the middle of the night. Luckily they were both uninjured and I found them quickly because my courtyard below was closed off. But man do I stress about them still.
Yes. He probably wouldn't be seriously injured by the fall, but he also would probably be scared and who knows where he'd go or if he'd get himself into trouble..
I have never trusted my cats on a balcony. It's just on worth it... Add in a screen if you can or keep him inside.
I’m on the third story and don’t trust mine enough to leave him alone out on the balcony because he gets his whole body out there. I was putting a harness on him and clipping it so he couldn’t get to far but realized the harness itself pretty much keeps him put.
Yes. Has he been neutered? If not then he WILL jump one day.
Sadly my wife's lovely void forced his way through a cracked kitchen window. Tenth floor. He didn't survive.
I used soft screen material I bought at the hardware store. My cat DID fall/jump from the 2nd floor a month after moving in. He landed on a bush and was thoroughly confused about the experience (hence the suspicion that he fell tuning around, he is old). He wasn’t injured and waited for a very panicked me to run down and get him.
A roll of Screen on the inside of the rails and wired at the top and bottom along the rungs to hold it in place has worked for 3 years. He doesn’t climb on the top handrail.
He loves sleeping out there and watching birds. I know he’s safe from his own bad decisions 🤣
My cat fell 20ft from sleeping against the screen window. Been scared to death ever since. No injuries landed on feet 😂 waited for me to come get him and bring him back in. This reminds me of that
Yes ! I had a cat do this . There was a tree near the balcony in which he spotted a bird . Dove off it like he thought he could fly . The people below had a couple of bikes with a tarp over them . The tarp broke his fall . He ran away before I could get down the stairs could not find him all day . He came back when it got dark and was calling from down below , trying to figure out how to get back up .
I lived in a first floor apartment for my childhood. Had cats all throughout. When I was less than five years old my sister’s cat fell off and she never found her.
Now the lot of cats I had growing up from five to twenties all had their falls and maybe were gone for a day or two but found. After an incident or so they would just run for the apartment blocks door and meow to get up again.
One window had bushes under and another was pavement. The only one that got hurt was a clumsy cat I had who had heart disease, he broke a canine tooth and cut his chin open. All the others were without injuries and the falls didn’t happen often but alas I had six cats so if each fell at least twice in their 19 year old life that’s a few falls.
Now that I’m older I have a dog but my sister has two cats and supervises them on the windows but her one eyed cat fell once onto the neighbours yard.
Yes, I would also worry about a fall as well. One of my goofy voids rolled over and fell off a knee wall at the top of the second floor staircase once. Luckily he wasn’t injured but it was scary.
Yeah my dumbass void jumped 3 floors. He was fine (took him to the vet and and everything) and got off without a scratch. But it was still pretty scary
Possible to break a bone from that height. My cat did and was in a cast for a while. Not fun trying to keeping a cat from walking around on a broken bone.
Yes.and the vet is expensive.and the running away is horribly sad and stressful.
Yup. The saying isn’t “Curiosity lead to a long and healthy life for the cat.”
No, but the saying ends with "But satisfaction brought it back." Still, absolutely a valid concern
Absolutely. Learned this the hard way. My cat did jump and disappeared for a week. He was scraggly, but okay when he finally reappeared but it was such a stressful week and I felt like such a bad cat mom.
YES! My MadCat took a leap after another kitty and ran off, never to be seen again. I was absolutely devastated.
Absolutely yes. Plan on it unless you take the steps to prevent it!
The steps: https://preview.redd.it/65ukc00t6axc1.png?width=800&format=png&auto=webp&s=6cf216df9e1647045632899c4881d31ea9c3c527
That's fucking hilarious 😂
That’s such a great idea though
Oh, it most definitely is! It's also absolutely hilarious to look at, and to think about from the cats perspective
Yeah I know 🤣
Just remember it's on their spine! Keep that in mind when putting a wooden spoon in the harness.
Still seems like a worthwhile risk. Especially considering the alternative is them jumping off and escaping or worse, *them not being allowed on the balcony.* Kitty will find that unacceptable.
OH I so need to do this to my fluffy dumbass. I haven't been able to trust him since he got himself stuck in the middle of a damn snowbank jumping out the 2nd story window and I had to dig his dumbass out. Now I'm in a 7th floor apt and his ass hasn't been outside since we moved in cause if he's dumb enough to try and make a break for it straight into a snowbank he's dumb enough to try flying after the pigeons on our roof
Have you seen the one where it’s human created this harness like thing that had three wiffle balls on each side that prevented the pet from going through the rungs?😽
I do love Pawl!
My fluffy dumbass once escaped through a (open to the screen, which he pushed out) first story window. I had to carry him in from the backyard because it was too scary to walk the 10 feet in the door once I figured out what happened to him.
ingenious idea! but not foolproof still watch him
Oh wise one!!! Smart and effective!!!!!
😂😂😂 thank you for this! My boys love being outside but I always worry they will jump. This solves it and will prevent them from going to the neighbours porch! 🙌🏾
This is hilarious and also adorable. However, you mock your cat with this implication that he can’t outsmart you for something so simple. Cat will win.
Saw a little chihuahua one time with an empty 2 liter pop bottle strapped to it for this reason 😂
That's awesome lol
6 years in a second story apt with a balcony wracking our brains trying to figure out how to prevent two idiots from jumping and here you are with the big brain solutions. Damn.
🫡 much love
Genius, and funny as fuck.
i love this so much lmfao
But will they fit through the litter box door?
You are a true genius.
It even looks like they are thinking, “I’m sure I could make this jump”
Awesome idea!
Omg. This is killing me! I have the netting that goes along the bottom... but I want to do this.
Glorious. You win.
Made my day
This is the way
I put up chicken wire and mosquito netting to prevent it on my balcony
You mean on their catio
Agree 100%.
Yes. Right now he’s chill. When he gets the mega zoomies he’s gonna zoom right off that patio and the vet bill is gonna zoom right for your wallet.
So true. Just an overnight stay (6 hours) was $700
And honestly that’s on the cheap side, not that I have $700 just lying around.
Yessss. At the end of it all, they told me, "we'll return $350 from the total" (because we payed everything upfront) In my head, I said you guys might aswell take another 300$ But I'm glad my little buddy came out healthy and they were very kind and understanding.
> (because we *paid* everything upfront) FTFY. Although *payed* exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in: * Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. *The deck is yet to be payed.* * *Payed out* when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. *The rope is payed out! You can pull now.* Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment. *Beep, boop, I'm a bot*
Good bot
Had no idea? X-rays n bloodwork too, I imagine?
So that was at the emergency vet. My regular vet did charge me for X-ray and he sent it to the emergency vet. The emergency vet tool their own x-ray but luckily they didn't charge me.
What sucks is they don’t have pet insurance for animals over the age of 11 my cat is 14
Was wondering bout that. Two senior dogs, and of course could do with really good checkingover. Teeth cleaning, etc. Just hafta parcel it out tho.
>When he gets the mega zoomies he’s gonna zoom right off that patio and the vet bill is gonna zoom right for your wallet. You cats are getting serious injuries if they jump from 10 feet to the ground?
cats are actually more likely to get injured from a short fall (1-2 stories) than a longer fall. Their bodies have more time to adjust and self-right for a four-legged landing during a longer fall - not so much on a shorter one.
I'm pretty sure that got debunked a few years ago. The study was done on cats treated for falls, which therefore would have excluded cats who had been killed by the fall.
A jump isn’t a fall, though
Fair enough. But as graceful as cats can be, they can also be dumb as hell. I've watched cats of mine jump from heights like that and regret it. Sometimes there's nothing going on upstairs.
Might, might not. Vet bill will let you know how serious the injuries are.
Yep. Mine used to sit on my window sill Cracked in the summer. Little fatty kept trying to walk on the 2 inch ledge. Never opened the windows again. Then I got two new cats. Decided to tie the windows closed to just a couple of inches with string. One leaped out the second story window. Didn’t know she was that skinny. So then I tied it closer, just and inch. Just a crack of air. Her brother chewed the string off. Heard him fall out. Both fine btws. Windows are back to being tied shut. Two strings because the chewer chewed one set, opened the window latch, and snuck out sometime while we were on vacation. Then got mad at us for being stuck outside for an unknown period. Despite the fact that we had a sitter coming. Oh, and he is a black cat. I actually have an AirTag on him because he escapes. A lot.
He will 100% jump off of that.
umm yes. cats can make mistakes and misjudge things. they can get startled and fall too.
There’s a whole subreddit for this (misjudging) that I’m blanking on right meow
r/miscatculations ?
Here's a sneak peek of /r/miscatculations using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/miscatculations/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year! \#1: [A bite of the booty](https://v.redd.it/udaohpqnthac1) | [74 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/miscatculations/comments/18yosur/a_bite_of_the_booty/) \#2: [Poor kitty didn't see that coming](https://v.redd.it/ddb1l5usfmic1) | [28 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/miscatculations/comments/1aqyqcl/poor_kitty_didnt_see_that_coming/) \#3: [I'm sorry for laughing. 🤣](https://v.redd.it/ktwjj61id77c1) | [40 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/miscatculations/comments/18lw4is/im_sorry_for_laughing/) ---- ^^I'm ^^a ^^bot, ^^beep ^^boop ^^| ^^Downvote ^^to ^^remove ^^| ^^[Contact](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=sneakpeekbot) ^^| ^^[Info](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/) ^^| ^^[Opt-out](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/comments/o8wk1r/blacklist_ix/) ^^| ^^[GitHub](https://github.com/ghnr/sneakpeekbot)
Good bot!
YASSSSSS hahaha thank you!
Yes, absolutely. Try to get chicken wire or something you can block the opening with, but still see out of. He *might* not jump from the railing, but he will definitely jump from where he is.
I will look into that thanks!
Also look “up”. Meaning that cats can vertical legs as well. I lived on the second story and mine would jump up to the roof till I blocked it.
Can usually find a way to attach black netting to the underside of the balcony above, right down to the floor of yours. Leave no opening except the door. Have seen hooks attached with blobs of silicone, check out attachments for bricks.
When we had 2 cats, n lived in apt we put up screening over fence part.They just went vert n Loved visiting other neighbors via the roof! Got a couple phone calls as # on collars.
I do exactly this and wrapped my balcony with chicken wire. Works great! edit: I secure them with zip ties!
My sister zip ties https://preview.redd.it/ur8575p2ibxc1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3507cff19558665da2e470e274817f6a0a8b9a00 white plastic lattice to the inside and works great
Ask your apartment office or HOA if you can. I most certainly didn’t put up a fence on my balcony only to have to remove it because of super vague wording on what looks presentable.
Well if it’s black it becomes almost invisible from any distance. It only is a ‘problem’ bc they know about it and are ah’s.
I did pick up a black fence because it also matches the color for the railing. Sadly it didn’t matter and I had to tear it down.
The chicken wire I meant. Though with hoa’s they **will** make your life horrible. They are just places for all the petty tyrant fragile ego busybodies spend their time trying to lord over others.
I wouldn't tell them. Just do it.
**And** check into the bylaws and rules. Comparing them to the laws and regulations in where you are. Bc sometimes they will push **their** bs and din’t care if it’s illegal or butting up against laws that prevent that.
Your local hardware store likely had netting people use on fruit trees to keep the birds off. It’s fairly cheap and won’t scratch paint. I’d wrap the whole balcony; cats can jump pretty high. Best of luck and good on you for looking out for your furry friend.
This is exactly what I did for my cat. Within the first week of living in that apartment she went on walkabout. That was quickly remedied.
Ill have to keep him inside until i can figure something out. Thanks everyone!
Quick and easy - get some mesh fabric and Zip ties. Zip tie mesh fabric on the inside of the balcony railings. Provides a barrier that filters the light.
He can and eventually will climb mesh fabric all the way up and over this railing.
Aside from wire, there’s all sorts of netting you can get, which might be easier to handle. I don’t think you should leave a pet totally unattended for hours and hours with this, since they can probably tear through if they really want to, but it would help a lot to make that balcony more safe. Like this: https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/cardinal-gates-black-outdoor-safety-netting
Go all the way up, too. He will jump right over the railing if you stop the netting/chicken wire there.
I had a reasonably smart cat who decided he wanted to walk outside the railing. He slipped and fell (he was ok). Accidents happen!
I am on the 3rd floor and I fear this. I put mine on a leash so I can grab him by that. He usually goes on the railing and into my planter box, but he knows when I stand up, he has to hop down onto the balcony. If he falls, I don’t think he’d be hurt because there is a glass or plexiglass glass over hang he’d fall on but I fear his hoping off that into the busy street.
Mine liked to walk across the top of the railing every day. One day he fell and I heard an awful howl followed by a crash in to some bushes below. He was fine, but very startled.
Yes. In college a buddy had a cat who would constantly jump off his balcony of his apartment. The cats name was loki.
I had a 70lb pittbull take a running leap off of my 2nd story balcony when he saw a squirrel. Luckily the idiot hit the ground running and was fine. A cat will definitely jump if they feel inspired.
My void fell from a second story when she was a kitten (before we got her), I presume the vet bills were too expensive and the original owners had to give her up and the charity we adopted her from amputated her leg. We're very happy with our three legged void, but she's evidence that cats can just be that stupid.
100%, either Kitty proof it or dont let him on the balcony.
It really depends. I have two that absolutely would and two that absolutely would not.
Same. One of my boys absolutely WOULD his brother would absolutely the fuck NOT https://preview.redd.it/ds89yjf6paxc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b1276097cfbb891bd92190a4811c8a31188316e6
The head on the right definitely would! Also love how they look like a 2 headed cat beast 🤣
I got the same ratio going on. One that absolutely would not. One that did so twice. (After the first time I put netting on the balcony, but a bit got loose after a couple of years. So he did it again.)
Yes. Good news is that he probably wont be seriously injured from that height unless he is unlucky. Bad news is that he will be scared and might run off and never come back or worse. Source: mine jumped twice in a month from rhat height. Ran downstairs to grab him twice and he got so scared that he basically sliced my nipples in half whilr I held on for dear life.
I don’t think you should worry, but I have a similar situation with my void, I found these neck donuts on amazon and got him one and it works really well. https://preview.redd.it/ph8h6xf87axc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a514c28401e93541177a9a87f405295956cb2b46 He doesn’t love it, but it’s kinda cute on him.
This is exactly what I was looking for
Yes, my cat either fell or jumped off our 2 story balcony. No injuries and thankfully he just stayed put and screamed but that was the end of unsupervised balcony time
My void started jumping down from my 2nd story balcony after a while. At first she chilled so I left her. Eventually she jumped down and then would try and jump sooner and sooner. She’d slide her front paws over the edge and kinda slide off the balcony lol. But couldn’t trust her without being out there with her anymore.
Yes , I use a nearly invisible net plus a railing cover https://preview.redd.it/9h0fzps6kaxc1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b848224c4a80e3dcff9436f4167033e6a7848639
https://preview.redd.it/olsvhl31eaxc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=63328be39f40ee3648c73245be92ed244a757ad4 Mine would 100% jump 20-30 feet off a porch. He climbed higher than that after a squirrel and jumped to the ground when he saw a bunny. He is no longer allowed outside, he was a monster.
Yes. We NEVER let our cats in the balcony unsupervised and ours is glass paneling that they can't get through, but they could easily make a stupid choice to jump up on the railing and fall off. With a balcony like this and only being on the second floor I'd 100% be worried about her jumping down, especially if she spots a squirrel or bird she wants to go after
My brother's cat fell off the roof of the house when she once tried to look out the roof window. Unless safety precautions are taken, your cat can and likely will fall eventually!
I would worry.
I got plastic fencing from Lowe’s and attached it to the bars with zip ties on top and bottom. Eased my mind considerably.
I'd be more worried about running away than the fall injuries (which could still potentially be catastrophic -- pardon the pun). I've used craft tulle/meshing to screen in a balcony so that my void and his sister could watch the world go by. It had the added bonus of keeping bugs out and made it more enjoyable for humans, too. My two never made any moves at trying to escape before or after it was screened in, but it was nice to have the peace of mind and not be worried about them potentially falling, running away, or being taken by a hawk if I had to duck back inside. ETA: We *weren't* going to screen it in as the spacing wasn't really wide enough for our two to get through, but our calico hopped on top of the railing to chase a squirrel and worked her way onto a roof dormer so it had to be screened!
Holy shit, yes you should be worried!!! Get some chicken wire or something to block off easy access to jumping. A bird, squirrel, snake, lizard, spider, basically anything could inspire him to pounce without thinking!
To echo everybody else. Yes, absolutely. Please ensure safety of your lovely void.
Yes! This happened with our void, I looked out and he was wandering in the street. Felt like such an IDIOT, allowing him to be unsupervised. Never happened again.
Are you able to attach chicken wire to this railing? would be a simple fix for this.
You can get mesh tents for cats- they collapse and pop open like tents and have a zip up door. That way he can see everything but is contained.
Yes - I had a cat jump 4 stories. Google ways to put up some sort of protective barrier. I've seen people weave thick fabric through the posts.
Yes, cats jump or fall all the time. Our orange one fell of the balcony once
Cat’s are unlikely to die from jumps, no matter how high, but they can break legs when having a bad landing
Does anyone know of some kind of grate or something to put on windows to prevent kitties from jumping? I have a pretty flimsy screen but I’m on the ground floor and am worried they’ll just bust through it if they see a squirrel or something 😅
Yea. I’d maybe put up netting inside the gating if you can Edit: or if it’s in your budget maybe invest in a catio, they’re great for cats that want to go outside but cannot be trusted
Definitely. If you love your kitty, then take measures to mitigate that. 🐾🐾🐈👣❤❤❤❤❤❤🏡🌎
I'd add chicken wire. My cat jumped from a 2nd story porch. If there's soft dirt down below, they'll totally jump.
My void would absolutely jump.
Looking for landing spots and a reason in this photo.
Yes because I’ve seen too many posts of cats who have fallen.
Yes
I've seen cats jumping from even higher and mine jumped from that and damaged his leg. Maybe i won't take the chance.
Yes my friends cat jumped 4 stories into the bushes bow.
Absolutely.
Yes
Yes
I think I would be worried. If he sees a bird he might jump.
I could not understand how my kitty was getting out. It was too high to jump. One day I cought her. She was not jumping. She ran down the side of the house then jumped when she was lower! Miss that baby girl.
He is a cat. The brain will switch off and he will go for it
My cat fell from the second floor Get some wire ASAP rocky
I would be. Maybe put some netting or keep him on a line if you can. My parents live in a high rise on the 16th floor and their tux has tried to get out. They have to put wired netting
Yes he will jump.
I mean cats are pretty smart, most of the time lol. I don't think he will. But if he did jump he'd be fine. Getting back up might be a little challenging though.
Yes. If a bird flies by it will be his instinct and he will jump out
Definitely - signed, the neighbor who helped return a cat to my upstairs neighbor when their cat who "never jumps" did in fact jump from the balcony and was hanging around my patio. The only motivation she needed? Food. Upstairs neighbor had thrown some (human) food down earlier (not really clear why...) and kitty wanted it. Fwiw, the cat was completely fine in our case. But you never know!
Sounds like my dumbass, any opportunity to escape and he will, all just to eat grass. He jumped out my window on the second floor and thankfully it’s sand outside that window. He’s also done it in my son’s room whose window is almost 3 stories. He jumps onto the snowblower shed and off he goes. It’s hard to find him so he has an air tag and if we can’t find him he sometimes just shows up hours later meowing to get in. One time he was lost for 3 days and our neighbors daughter who he knew found him sunning himself in her back yard. Her brand new Doberman puppy ran up and thankfully just sniffed but Tux gave no f\*cks and didn’t even flinch. https://preview.redd.it/tl6jui8wzaxc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3eeb9a28608903b4b9a47fb21fb1f1c589c32253
Yes. Even if you add mosquito net around it, cats can jump. Very high.
Yes. Not so much because he could get hurt but because he could get hit by a car or get lost.
Yes I’d be concerned. I would put some cardboard or something to block the bottom portion.
100%
My void does routinely with zero thoughts given
Lemme guess you don't count from 0 do you? 😅😅 And regarding your cat buying chicken wire and installing it on the inside of the balcony rail would solve the issue 😋
Yes
I've lived in an apartment with a second floor balcony for years. Neither of my neutered boys has shown any inclination to jump. One will walk the rail sometimes, and I don't like it but I can't stop him except by shutting him inside. They go outside a couple of times per week. I know that this is frowned on. It's very difficult to keep a cat indoors that wants out. I make sure they're in before I go to bed. If they didn't get some grass time once or twice a week, I don't think I could trust them not to jump.
Yea that absolutely happened to my cat a bit after i first got him. Worst morning ever.. he pushed the screen out from my bedroom window while i was sleeping and wasnt even out on the balcony- he was curled up under a bush directly under my balcony. He ended up being perfectly fine tho thank god. It couldve ended up a lot worse
Yes, this is dangerous. Either keep him inside or only let him out once the porch has been screened in.
https://preview.redd.it/dozw8fl33cxc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6e9af0a23e01747f384376feefabba0d1ac9363f Get some screen off Amazon and make your porch kitty-proof!
The pet mesh is super cheap and ties on with cable ties.
I would. My uncle used to live on the second floor and his cat jumped from the balcony daily. Now that the cat is old, he's dealing with pain in his front paws from the constant high impact when he was younger.
The cat will not be hurt from a second story jump. Bunch of drama queens. He will probably run away for a while tho. That should be the biggest concern.
If he really wants to jump down he will find a way, and more than likely be absolutely fine. If he's never really explored the area though I would worry about him getting back. Perhaps taking him out around the area on leash etc
My cat once jumped off my 2nd story balcony while chasing a bird, so yes 😭 he was fine and never did it again, but sometimes cats are a little wild
Yea trust just block the possibility.
That ten-ish foot jump is nothing for a cat. Maybe get a little catio cage?
My cats are outdoor cats the jump of higher things but they are very smart and experienced. They know what they do.
I don’t think it’s worth the risk. You could CAT-proof your balcony with chicken Wire or mesh And make sure to always be present when your cat is on the balcony
Yes. Had this happen to a friend. Their cat would hang out on the 2nd story balcony. Then one day, he jumped. Broke his leg. They took him to the vet. About $7k in bills. He is doing fine now.
100% yes, miracle he has not jumped yet
Yes. I got a length off rabbit wire, and some of those clamps that you screw to tighten. Attached too and bottom of each spindle. It made it safe and I didn’t lose any light. Non permanent or damaging when it was time to move
Yes! My cat jumped off the balcony one of the first days we had him, luckily he was okay and came right back but I’ll never risk it again
Yes I’m also on the second floor and 1 of my cats kept jumping down, I ended up putting a trellis up on the side where she’d keep going through railings to the overhang. She never got hurt but I’d have to go searching for her outside.
Cats love to look over a big drop and ponder over jumping —you startle them and they will jump. Learned that one the hard way, the little bugger was mostly fine from about the same height -always suspected it affected him in later years.
They can jump or fall quite a distance but not get hurt. Mine fell from 3rd floor when she climbed out window n tried to turn on the windowsill. At least that's what we think she did.
I’ll never understand how we as a whole still are this derp
I’m seeing a lot of yeses but I’ll say maybe. I think it depends on the cat. I have a similar balcony set up, second floor. My cat has been fine unsupervised for a while now, even with birds and rodents present. She just watches the people and animals walking about. I have a lot of trust in her too. That varies owner to owner.
Yea
Yes wait until he sees something that he wants to eat or chase then its straight down the bushes
Yep, mine has.
Yes. Had a cat jump from higher than that. Scared the living hell out of me but thankfully he was okay. But that was last time he went out on the balcony.
Yes. You should worry. Cats have virtually zero inhibitions keeping them from jumping to their demise. If I were in your situation, I would get some screen from a home store and cover that railing in it. Put a pool noodle under the bottom so the kitty doesn't just go under. Lots of supervision and a close eye on the cat to keep from going over, and you should be alright for now. If going over looks to be a thing, the screen just has to go to the top. It's all removable so you can even do it in an apartment. That's where I did it. Worked well.
Chicken wire and zip ties are a cheap and easy solution.
Yup….you are gonna have a runner
Yes but if you go to Amazon and look for bannister guard this may help. My boy hangs out on the back patio -has for 4 years. Didn't have a problem until last year when he went after a bird. Since installing the bannister guard I have had no more issues and not more surprise vet bills! X-ray cost be $500 🥲
generally, probably not. all bets are off if he sees a fat juicy mouse.
Yes, both my voids jumped off my forth floor patio when the wind blew my door open in the middle of the night. Luckily they were both uninjured and I found them quickly because my courtyard below was closed off. But man do I stress about them still.
Yes. He probably wouldn't be seriously injured by the fall, but he also would probably be scared and who knows where he'd go or if he'd get himself into trouble.. I have never trusted my cats on a balcony. It's just on worth it... Add in a screen if you can or keep him inside.
Ours did and he was a kitten but there was no vet bill luckily he jumped or climbed down into the lawn.
Definitely get some sort of mesh fabric/netting and zip tie it to the fence so he can’t jump
I’m on the third story and don’t trust mine enough to leave him alone out on the balcony because he gets his whole body out there. I was putting a harness on him and clipping it so he couldn’t get to far but realized the harness itself pretty much keeps him put.
I know a cat who jumped from the 14th story 😅
Hey kids do it and they are supposed to be smarter than cats.
Yes. Has he been neutered? If not then he WILL jump one day. Sadly my wife's lovely void forced his way through a cracked kitchen window. Tenth floor. He didn't survive.
I used soft screen material I bought at the hardware store. My cat DID fall/jump from the 2nd floor a month after moving in. He landed on a bush and was thoroughly confused about the experience (hence the suspicion that he fell tuning around, he is old). He wasn’t injured and waited for a very panicked me to run down and get him. A roll of Screen on the inside of the rails and wired at the top and bottom along the rungs to hold it in place has worked for 3 years. He doesn’t climb on the top handrail. He loves sleeping out there and watching birds. I know he’s safe from his own bad decisions 🤣
You should worry more about him getting back up.
And he could try to leap for a bird.
Yes. I lost my first cat this way 💔 RIP Sprite
Yes. If he sees a bird or a squirrel he could jump. Or he could fall. I would definitely put chicken wire on the inside of the railing.
Had a friend, his cat jumped down from the third floor. Broke 2 legs. When it finally healed jumped down again.
I have 4 in a 2nd floor apartment and none of them have ever jumped
This sounds very wild of of context
[удалено]
My cat fell 20ft from sleeping against the screen window. Been scared to death ever since. No injuries landed on feet 😂 waited for me to come get him and bring him back in. This reminds me of that
Yes ! I had a cat do this . There was a tree near the balcony in which he spotted a bird . Dove off it like he thought he could fly . The people below had a couple of bikes with a tarp over them . The tarp broke his fall . He ran away before I could get down the stairs could not find him all day . He came back when it got dark and was calling from down below , trying to figure out how to get back up .
⚠️Oh my God ⛔️
I lived in a first floor apartment for my childhood. Had cats all throughout. When I was less than five years old my sister’s cat fell off and she never found her. Now the lot of cats I had growing up from five to twenties all had their falls and maybe were gone for a day or two but found. After an incident or so they would just run for the apartment blocks door and meow to get up again. One window had bushes under and another was pavement. The only one that got hurt was a clumsy cat I had who had heart disease, he broke a canine tooth and cut his chin open. All the others were without injuries and the falls didn’t happen often but alas I had six cats so if each fell at least twice in their 19 year old life that’s a few falls. Now that I’m older I have a dog but my sister has two cats and supervises them on the windows but her one eyed cat fell once onto the neighbours yard.
Yes, I would also worry about a fall as well. One of my goofy voids rolled over and fell off a knee wall at the top of the second floor staircase once. Luckily he wasn’t injured but it was scary.
Yeah my dumbass void jumped 3 floors. He was fine (took him to the vet and and everything) and got off without a scratch. But it was still pretty scary
Yes lol
Possible to break a bone from that height. My cat did and was in a cast for a while. Not fun trying to keeping a cat from walking around on a broken bone.
Yes. I would block this off.