What to do if a cat fell from the top floor. A cat fell from the fifth floor - what to do?

Among owners of domestic cats, there is an opinion that a pet falling from a height is not dangerous for it, supposedly the cat can group itself and fall evenly, on all four paws, without harming itself. A domestic predator can indeed group itself in the air, but often a cat receives quite serious injuries after falling from a height.

Surprisingly, most often cats are very seriously injured when they fall from a not very high height (approximately the second floor of a residential building). In this case, the cat really does not have time to take the correct position so that the landing does not cause significant harm to it. A fall from the fifth to the ninth floors is considered less painful, but no less dangerous, because a frightened cat who is never outside may well hide in a far corner out of fear or run away, and the owners are not always able to find him.

It should be noted that a happy landing is the exception rather than the rule. If a pet falls, it can get injured by touching protruding parts of a building or breaking branches of trees below; it can flop flat on the ground, receive internal bruises and bleeding.

If such a problem occurs, then it would be best to show your pet to the veterinarian, even if it seems that everything is fine with the purr. The fluffy beauty may be in a state of shock, so she will not immediately feel pain. But she may have internal tears, damage to the bones or, worse, the spine. There may also be dangers such as concussion, fractures of the tail or limbs, and serious external and internal bruises.

If a cat has an unfortunate fall from a great height, you need to understand how to properly assist her and how best to transport her for examination to a veterinary clinic.

The first thing to do is to visually assess the animal’s injuries. If the cat is lying motionless, its paws are hanging limply, or the pet is bleeding from the nose or mouth, under no circumstances should you pick up the animal in your arms. You need to carefully place a flat board, a strong hard tray, a sheet of plywood or another flat object covered with a cloth under the cat, and then very carefully transport the animal on a hard surface. In this case, there is a chance not to cause additional harm to an animal that has suffered spinal injuries or serious internal bruises with organ ruptures. When transporting, you need to hold the cat's head so that it does not dangle from side to side; the pet itself can be covered with a light cloth; it may well be that after suffering shock and pain, it will be frozen.

Cat owners need to understand that the animal, being in a state of shock, is not able to fully control itself. If the owner accidentally hurts the pet, then she may well bite and scratch him, if she has the strength to do so. Therefore, it is a good idea to at least protect yourself with protective gloves before moving your cat.

If a cat vomits after falling from a height, you need to place it so that it cannot choke on the vomit; you can gently hold its head.

When it is clearly visible that the animal has a broken paw or tail, before arriving at the veterinary clinic or the doctor coming to the house, you can splint the animal. But if there is the slightest suspicion of spinal damage, you should not try to fix the splint. Only a professional doctor can help here, and an amateur is more likely to cause harm with his inept actions.

Wounds, cuts, bleeding

If you have wounds or cuts after a fall, you can treat them as usual and apply an aseptic bandage. If the wounds are quite deep, it is better to immediately move towards the clinic. Your pet may need stitches.

If there is heavy bleeding, you should try to stop it by applying a tourniquet or a strong bandage. If the blood is arterial (it is much darker in appearance), then only a strong tourniquet can save your pet from fatal blood loss. However, we must remember that a limb tied with a tourniquet after two hours without blood supply can receive irreversible damage.

Therefore, after applying the tourniquet, you need to loosen the tourniquet for one minute every hour until you arrive at the clinic or the doctor arrives on call, without removing it completely. Thus, blood will gradually flow into the injured limb.

If internal bleeding is suspected, it is recommended to apply ice compresses to the cat’s tummy and head. If it is clear that the cat is in great pain, you can give a painkiller, but only the one recommended by the veterinarian, since human analgesics can lead to serious consequences under certain conditions (bleeding, internal pathologies).

Head injuries

It is very common for an animal to suffer head injuries from a fall. This can be fraught with a fracture of the skull bones, bruising and liquefaction of brain tissue, concussion, and hemorrhage. If a kitten has a head injury, it should be taken to a veterinary clinic immediately without trying to help it yourself. The owner can only apply a cold compress or bandage to the head to stop the bleeding. Otherwise, only professional veterinary assistance with the necessary research will be required.

Absolutely forbidden

There are a number of actions that can greatly harm a cat after a fall and negate all future efforts of doctors to save the cat.

1. Apply splints and bandages for spinal injuries. This can lead to dangerous displacement of the bones, leading to irreversible consequences.
2. Try to bring the cat to consciousness by shaking and shaking your pet, kissing her and hugging her to you.
3. You should not forcefully try to feed or water your furry friend.

If outwardly there are no wounds, injuries, or injuries, then it is worth closely observing your pet for several days. If her behavior has not changed, she has not become lethargic, apathetic or aggressive, she still eats as well as before the fall, and copes with her needs normally, then there is no particular reason for concern. Except that the owners need to think about how to prevent the danger of falling for their pet.

There must certainly be special nets on the windows so that the cat, carried away by playing with a butterfly or other insect, does not fall down in the excitement of the chase.

If changes are observed in the behavior, habits, or mood of the animal, consultation with a veterinarian is simply necessary. You may need to do an X-ray and ultrasound of the cat so as not to miss serious injuries and complications after them.

Video

Sunny and warm weather promises us a great summer day. A day that could turn into a real nightmare.

You really want to open the window and let the long-awaited summer into your home. But if you live above the second floor and you have a cat, then...

However, read for yourself:

“Today a cat died in my arms. My friend's two year old Brit. I have never felt so sorry for an animal and so sorry for the owner, as if we had not been friends for eight years. The cat fell from the fifth floor. He died three days after that. He choked on black blood under the IV in my arms, was shaking in convulsions, and we tried to hold him and at least take out the catheter... He cried so much when they gave him an IV, he was sick and vomited from the heptral (he was discharged because his liver failed on the second day), and his ribs were broken. Even in convulsions, he looked for his mistress and stretched his paw towards her, and I felt like a tormentor...”

“We are saddened - our cat died at 10 months old. He knocked out the mosquito net (11th floor) with a running start. They didn’t save me (fell on the porch canopy). And the nets seem to be strong, but...”

“There are screens on the windows, I took them off to wash the windows and distracted my daughter, 5 minutes - and we don’t have Felichka... I would have remained alive if it weren’t for the gas pipe around the perimeter of the house. Felix ran into it in flight, and a 15-20-centimeter valve from this pipe was removed from him...”

These are just a few quotes from one of the cat forums on the Internet: THEY WANTED TO LIVE

In the photo: cats are victims of their owners' carelessness

And you can’t even imagine how many cats fall out of windows, fall from balconies, die or become disabled every summer day.

Sometimes you hear stories like this: “My cat fell from the third/fifth/seventh/ninth floor - and nothing happened. I escaped with a slight fright. They brought him home - and he went back to the window/balcony!”

Well, miracles happen. But here’s what veterinary statistics say: the most serious injuries are suffered by cats that fall from a height of the third to eighth floors. That's right: from the third to the eighth. The most serious injuries. Don't you feel the catch?

But there is a catch. And here's the thing. Cats that fall from the second floor are less likely to be seen by veterinarians. They often get by with a “mild fright” from minor injuries. As for cats that fall from the ninth floor or higher, they rarely go to the veterinarians. But for another reason - they no longer need to.

In the photo: visible consequences of burning from a height

Veterinarians have a term: “high altitude syndrome.” He describes the complex injuries that cats experience when falling from height. As a rule, these injuries do not occur one at a time, but en masse:

Chest injuries with rib fractures (up to 90% of cases)
- bruises and lung injuries (up to 55% of cases)
- limb fractures
- fractures of the upper and lower jaw, roof of the palate
- bruise and brain tumor
- pain shock
- bruises of the myocardium (heart) with cardiac arrhythmia
- broken teeth
- bruises and bladder injuries
- internal bleeding

As you know, when a cat falls, it tends to turn over with its paws down. Watch this video and try to imagine for yourself what happens to a cat when it falls from a great height, when its paws, ribs and jaws are successively broken (from hitting its head due to inertia).

Unfortunately, even if the cat survived the fall, the true and complete picture of the damage appears within two to three days. All this time, the cat suffers, and its owners pay for veterinary procedures, sometimes very expensive, with an unguaranteed outcome.

How to prevent a tragedy?

Anything can cause a cat to fall from an open window or balcony. You turned on the vacuum cleaner or blender - the cat jumped in surprise and lost its balance. A fly/butterfly/beetle flew into a window or onto a balcony – and that’s all, goodness is gone. The window sill or balcony railing was wet by rain - the cat slipped, and you can’t get it back.

Only special grilles for windows and balconies can reliably protect a cat from harm. What are they?

Anti-mosquito net or anti-cat net

In the photo: plastic mesh “Anti-cat”

A simple plastic mosquito net will not help protect a cat: it can easily withstand the blows of the strongest mosquitoes, but even a small child can knock such a net out of its frame:

Manufacturers of plastic windows offer ready-made meshes called “Anti-cat”. Unfortunately, this is most often a slightly reinforced version of the mosquito net. The cat can tear it or knock it out of the window - it will just take more time and effort. Unreliable solution.

Special grid

In the photo: anti-cat grille in the sliding section of the balcony glazing

Only a metal mesh and reliable fastening to the frame can provide absolute confidence in the cat’s safety. Such meshes are made of galvanized steel, which is not subject to corrosion. The cell sizes of steel mesh can vary - from small “anti-mosquito” to large 5x5 centimeters.

A fine-mesh “anti-mosquito” steel mesh is a two-in-one device; it protects both the cat and does not allow insects into the house. But it has disadvantages: the dense mesh does not allow sunlight and fresh air to pass through well, and also interferes with cats’ favorite pastime – contemplating the surroundings.

The best option is grids with cell sizes from 2x2 to 5x5 centimeters. They are almost invisible, easily allow air to pass through and do not interfere with cats looking out the window. And they can even become a new entertainment for your cat - extreme, but absolutely safe:

If you have access to windows from the outside of the house (for example, windows facing a balcony), you can install such a mesh yourself by screwing it with self-tapping screws to the window frame from the outside. Nets and screws are sold in hardware stores and markets. Choose a suitable steel mesh and ask for a whole (!) piece to be cut to the size of your window frame, plus a couple of centimeters on each side for fastening.

If there is no access to the windows from the outside, then you need to make a suitable frame for the mesh. In this case, it is better to turn to professionals. In Russia there are companies and craftsmen offering their services for the production and installation of strong metal anti-cat nets for windows and balconies. Search for them on the Internet using the queries “anti-cat grille” or “anti-cat grille”.

In the photo: anti-cat grille, full guarantee of safety

You can order any anti-cat grill for yourself: removable or permanent, for a window, window or balcony door, in a wooden or plastic frame, to match the color of your window frames or balcony walls. A very convenient solution is a grill inserted into a sliding frame for glazing loggias.

In the photo: a sliding section with a grille on a glazed balcony. The section is fixed in the frame using a built-in latch. Pay attention to the glazed sections on the left: they are connected to each other with Velcro fasteners. This is done in order to prevent sections from opening separately. Thanks to the locks, the sections cannot be moved apart even by accident. Absolute safety!

An ingenious solution is a “walk” for cats. This is a special barred balcony mounted outside the window. Cats love such “walks” for the opportunity to contemplate the world in three directions at once!

In the photo: “walk” for cats with a door built into the window glass

Security Arithmetic

Manufacturing and installing reliable mesh and gratings costs money. For some – considerable. If you're not sure whether these expenses are necessary, just ask yourself: how much does it cost to lose your beloved cat? Besides the fact that this is a mental wound and pain for the rest of your life - for you and your children?

Let's do the math.

The author of this article several years ago installed two bars in his apartment: one on the window in the living room and one, in the form of a sliding section, on the glazed balcony. At that time, even in Moscow, this service was rare and expensive. For both grilles (made of a plastic profile, with all the necessary fittings and fasteners), along with installation, the author paid about 6,500 rubles.

In the photo: installing a grill made it possible to create comfortable shelves for a cat on the balcony!

And recently a misfortune happened to the neighbors. The young guys adored their kitten and carefully ensured that it did not end up on the balcony. But one day they didn’t keep track, and the kitten fell from the height of the tenth floor. He was alive, only blood was oozing from his front paws and muzzle. At the nearest clinic, the kitten was examined, x-rayed and ultrasound performed. Diagnosis: multiple fractures of the front paws, fractures of the hind paws, fractures of the upper and lower jaw, fracture of the roof of the palate, perforating injury to the left lung (it was pierced by a broken rib), painful shock, contusion of the bladder.

A day of treatment for a kitten in this clinic cost its owners 4 thousand rubles for examinations, 5 thousand rubles for a hospital stay and another 1,300 rubles for procedures, for a total of 10,300 rubles. Theoretically, the kitten could survive, but in this case it would forever lose the ability to eat, drink, move around and go to the toilet on its own. But this is purely theoretical. In practice, cats with such injuries die within a few days: the heart cannot withstand the painful shock. Euthanasia and cremation of the beloved animal cost another 3,500 rubles.

As a result, the agony and death of the kitten cost its owners a painfully long day and 13,800 rubles. And also tears, fears, worries and terrible memories for the rest of my life.

So consider it.

***

Trouble always comes at the wrong time. It brings with it sudden pain, ruins all plans and empties your wallet. Don't let trouble enter your life. Protect your cat. Do it right now.

P.S. In this article we do not advertise and do not mention the names and addresses of companies and craftsmen who manufacture protective grilles for windows and balconies. Believe me, they are not at all difficult to find on the Internet. But if for some reason you don’t find them, then write to us, we will tell you how to look for them.

About 15% of cat injuries occur due to falls from a height. More often this trouble happens to them at night. It turns out that the safest floors for cats to fall from in residential buildings are the fifth to ninth floors. When falling from low floors, the animal does not have time to group itself correctly, and when falling from a higher height, grouping will not help. Even a fall from the kitchen table can be traumatic for small kittens, since control of their body comes to them in full with age.

If a cat falls into obstruction in the form of clotheslines or tree branches, the injuries may be more serious than from a simple fall.

If a cat falls, it can suffer varying degrees of injury. It may be limited to ordinary fright, but it can also break its legs, get a head or spine injury, or severe bruise of internal organs. If the cat is not very old and seeks veterinary help after an injury, almost any injury can be treated. Measures must be taken to prevent accidental falls of the animal. It is better to keep the windows closed, or be sure to install a net.

If a fall could not be avoided, first aid must be provided. A frightened animal may simply hide somewhere to lie down in a secluded place. We definitely need to find it and inspect it. In such a situation, the cat can behave very aggressively, so gloves will not hurt you to protect yourself from claws and teeth.

Cats are very patient and hardy. It is very difficult to determine by appearance whether an animal is in pain or not after a fall. It happens that after a fall, a cat quickly jumps up and runs away without external signs of damage. Although some time after this misfortune she may die from internal bleeding. Therefore, after any serious fall, you should definitely contact a veterinarian for help. If after a fall the cat continues to lie at the site of the fall, then you need to act very quickly and carefully. The best option is to carefully place the victim on a hard surface, such as a sheet of plywood, and take her to the nearest hospital.

Most often, animals that fall from a height die not from their injuries, but from shock!

First aid for a cat that has fallen out of a window

Action 1. If you suspect your pet has fractures of the spine, limbs or skull, then there is no talk of any carrying! Any movement should be kept to a minimum. It is necessary to very carefully, without changing the position of the body, place the cat on a dense, flat surface. To do this, you can use a large board, a sheet of plywood or very thick cardboard. But first you should cover it with a blanket, on which you need to put an absorbent diaper.

Action 2. Examine your pet for superficial bleeding. If the cat has a strong or even gushing flow of blood, then this is most likely venous bleeding. If the wound is on a limb, then it is necessary to apply a tourniquet - a tight bandage above the bleeding. It is applied for a short time; in summer, the tourniquet can be kept for about 1.5 hours, in winter – about 30 minutes. Then it must be removed, but if bleeding continues, then after 15-30 minutes, it must be applied again.

A less pressing bandage should be placed on the wound itself, moistened with a disinfectant solution, for example, furatsilin, myromestin or chlorhexidine. This bandage should not be removed until visiting a doctor. In addition to disinfection, it will also restrain blood flow when you remove the tourniquet.

For normal capillary bleeding, the same disinfectants can be used. To stop bleeding, 3% hydrogen peroxide is suitable. A tourniquet is not needed in this situation.

Action 3. If your pet has a broken limb, it must be fixed. To do this you need to use a splint and bandages. It is important that the limb is immobilized, since bone fragments can seriously injure soft tissue and cause severe suffering to the pet. However, under no circumstances try to fix the bones yourself! This will only harm your pet. This can only be done by a qualified veterinarian.

Action 4. If your cat is breathing heavily after a fall, she most likely has a bruised lung. In this situation, the animal must be placed in an oxygen chamber. Therefore, you should immediately go to the veterinary clinic. And on the way, you need to open the window of the car in which you are transporting your pet so that she has access to fresh air. And at a distance of 10 centimeters from the muzzle, hold a swab moistened with alcohol or vodka. This will help remove fluid from your pet's lungs.

Even if your pet doesn't have all of the above symptoms after a fall and only seems a little scared, that doesn't mean he's fine. Often, the state of shock of a cat can hide the natural reactions to pain from fractures and internal bruises. Therefore, no matter how good your pet looks after falling from a window or balcony, you still need to consult a veterinarian and undergo anti-shock therapy.

The most common injuries in cats and kittens falling out of windows and their consequences

Most often, veterinarians record the following injuries:

• fractures (from the limbs and spine to cleft palate);
• traumatic brain injury (mild ataxia, mydriasis, severe neurological disorders);
• pneumothorax (presence of free air in the chest cavity) due to contusion or rupture of the lungs;
• diaphragmatic hernia (the diaphragm ruptures and the abdominal organs penetrate into the chest cavity);
• rupture of abdominal organs (spleen, liver), this leads to large blood loss;
• Bladder rupture leads to urinary peritonitis.

In most cases, if a cat falls out of a window, a general state of shock is observed; it develops as a response to injury and is accompanied by disruption of the nervous system, breathing, blood circulation and metabolism.

For all its aviation abilities, the animal is not immune from fractures and severe bruises. It is believed that if a cat falls from a window or balcony, then most often it dies from traumatic shock due to polytrauma - a combination of several serious injuries. Traumatic shock is the body’s reaction to complex multiple injuries, in which a serious disruption of tissue blood flow occupies a central place. As a result of this situation, the regulation of vital systems and organs is disrupted.

Blind faith in a cat's ability to land only on its paws and live nine lives leads to the fact that owners become completely careless and do nothing for the safety of their pet. Especially if he has already sat on the window or balcony many times and has never fallen.

However, statistics on cat “flights” indicate that these animals are capable of not only falling from long-studied windows, but also receiving serious injuries. Most often, if a cat falls from a window, it breaks the forearms of both paws. Quite often, complete bone fractures are observed, which lead to severe tissue swelling and exclusion of the paw from support. A spinal fracture has even more dangerous consequences when there is complete paralysis or paresis of the pet’s pelvic limbs.

A fairly common consequence of a fall in a cat is damage to the upper palate, resulting in a communication between the oral and nasal cavities. It can be either barely noticeable or 5-7 mm wide. Typically, such a cleft can be noticed when the pet meows or yawns. If it is not sewn up, there is a risk that food will get from the mouth into the nasopharynx and respiratory tract.

If before the fall the cat did not urinate for a long time, then the full bladder may simply rupture from the impact. As a result of the rapid development of peritonitis and poisoning of the body with nitrogen metabolism products, the animal can die almost immediately.

Contusions of the liver, spleen, kidneys and other parenchymal organs can lead to either minor dysfunction or massive internal bleeding. A blow to the lungs can result in an accumulation of air in the pleural cavity - pneumothorax. The presence of blood in the urine after a fall indicates a kidney or bladder injury. In this case, you need to take an x-ray to see if there is a rupture of the bladder.

To ensure that your pet does not have the slightest chance of falling from a balcony or window, you should definitely take precautions. Even if you live on the lower floors of the house, your pet can be seriously injured if it falls. That is why it is necessary to put bars on all the vents and windows that you open. A simple plastic insect net will do if you have a calm, not very large pet. However, if the cat is active, curious and strong, then he can push such a net out into the street or tear it with his claws.

The most reliable options are a metal mesh grille, which is used for rabbit hutches, or a thin metal mesh for country houses. The latter can be light and looks almost transparent, so it does not spoil the view from the window or the view of the apartment from the street, and it allows air to pass through well. It is very important to properly secure the screen to the window as cats may jump on it or push it. Standard metal mosquito nets should be installed on plastic windows.

The balcony also needs to be secured; the tailed animals simply have a masterly ability to penetrate the balcony, unnoticed by you, literally in an instant. In addition, you should use a swing net for your balcony door if you open it in the spring or summer.

A cat falling from a window or balcony is always the fault of the owners. Unclosed and unbarred windows, open balconies are the main sources of danger for animals. But taking precautions is very simple, just install a simple mesh! Do not put your pet in mortal danger, take measures to protect it.