Habits to Practice for a Cat-Safe Home

Although cats sometimes survive falls from high-rise buildings (called the "high-rise syndrome"), they can be seriously injured by falls from even a second-story window. If you must open windows on hot days for ventilation, either keep the opening narrow enough to prevent a cat from slipping through, or invest in special pet screens and reinforce the screen attachments to keep your cat from leaning against and popping out the screen. (This may take some ingenuity, such as drilling holes through the casement and securing the screen frame with heavy wires.)

Residents of upper story apartments with balconies should take similar precautions to prevent falls.