August's Pet of the Month
Meet
our adorable August Pet of the Month Brulee! Brulee is a 1.5 year old
Platinum Burmese who loves his 6mo Shih Tzu "sister" Chica, plays
fetch, sleeps under the covers in bed, and will come running at the mere
thought of treats! Brulee is here to talk about the feline phenomenon known as
"high-rise syndrome".
A couple of months ago Brulee fell from his balcony about 4.5 stories up! Brulee sustained a few broken toes, some superficial bruises/scrapes, and some internal injuries. Luckily, after some frequent visits to Pearl Animal Hospital for splints and check-ups, Brulee is healing well and continues to be the sweetest patient!
A couple of months ago Brulee fell from his balcony about 4.5 stories up! Brulee sustained a few broken toes, some superficial bruises/scrapes, and some internal injuries. Luckily, after some frequent visits to Pearl Animal Hospital for splints and check-ups, Brulee is healing well and continues to be the sweetest patient!
"High-rise syndrome" is a phenomenon where cats fall from high-rise buildings and/or upper levels of houses and is most common in the warmer months as people start keeping their windows and doors open to let in fresh air. It is thought to be related to their strong instinct to chase moving objects such as a bird flying by or even falling leaves. This worked for their ancestors when leaping from trees as they could grab onto bark and/or branches in order to catch their fall, however, when falling from concrete and metal buildings they have little to grab onto. Interestingly, these falls are more likely to be fatal or cause serious injury at heights between 2 and 6 stories than they are if they were higher. There have even been reports of cats surviving falls of up to 30 stories, though these animals sustained quite severe injuries. The reason behind this being that at heights of 2 to 6 stories cats do not have the time to relax and orient themselves in order to fall properly.
The best way to prevent "high-rise syndrome" is to make sure that the windows of your house or apartment are securely screened. Many indoor cats love to sit out on balconies, however, this is risky as many cats will walk along railings increasing the possibility of a fall. Many cat owners will avoid letting their cats onto the balcony of their home or will find a way to enclose the balcony and create a "catio" (refer to Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon for more information). Creating a stimulating indoor environment with platforms, cat trees, toys, and plenty of play will help keep your cat happy and hopefully out of trouble, you may refer to the Indoor Cat Initiative for tips!
