How to Make Sure Your Windows are Cat Proof
It isn’t unknown for indoor cats to make for the outside when such opportunities present themselves. This is a very serious problem because indoor cats are not adapted for outdoor living, which is why even indoor cats that are permitted to roam outside on a regular basis tend to live much shorter lives than those of their counterparts that stay inside. Partly, this is because indoor cats have not learned the right behaviors for outdoor living, and partly, this is because indoor cats are exposed to a much wider range of potential threats when they are outside than when they are inside. On top of this, it should be mentioned that roaming cats can be a huge nuisance, whether because they are eliminating on other people’s property, killing wild birds and animals, or getting into fights with other cats that can be very territorial indeed. As such, cat owners should do their best to keep their cats indoors, which is why they should cat-proof their windows sooner rather than later.
Besides this, there is one more reason that cat owners should cat-proof their windows, which is the very real problem of their cats falling from great distances. Yes, cats are well-adapted for living in trees, meaning that they are quite good at surviving falls of great distances. For example, their legs are both long and powerful, thus enabling them to act as shock absorbers. Likewise, cats have an innate instinct that enables them to orient themselves in the process of falling so that they will land in a position that will better enable them to survive the impact. However, there is a limit to how much such strategies can help, which is why it isn’t unknown for cats that fall from sufficient heights to suffer serious injuries even when they successfully execute their falling strategies. Based on this, it is clear that cat owners living in apartments have even more reason to cat-proof their windows so that their beloved pets can’t put their well-being at serious risk.
How Can You Cat-Proof Your Windows?
There are a lot of products that can be used to proof windows. After all, babies have been known to fall out of windows as well, which is why baby-proofing products have become so popular. However, interested individuals might want to make sure that they choose products that are meant to keep cats from getting out through windows rather than babies because different products are meant to stand up to different problems. Due to this, if cat owners buy something that isn’t actually capable of stopping a cat, they could end up with a very dangerous sense of misguided confidence.
Speaking of which, the cat owner’s vigilance can do a great deal in preventing their cats from escaping through the windows as well. This is because people like fresh air, meaning that it isn’t uncommon for cat owners to open up a window from time to time. However, if they do so, they need to make sure that their windows are properly closed afterwards because if they aren’t, there is nothing that their cat-proofing can do to stop their cats from exploiting such opportunities for escape.
For cat owners with cats that spend a lot of time looking out the window, it might be a good idea to get either a cat tree or a cat condo that will provide them with a good position to look out without actually making it easier for them to get access at the windows. By doing so, cat owners could ease whatever impulse is driving their cat’s desire to look out the window without increasing the chances of them making a successful escape.
Finally, cat owners should remember that cat-proofing has become a popular topic. As a result, there are a lot of people who have accumulated plenty of cat-proofing expertise and experience, meaning that if they are not sure how to proceed, they can always contact one of these specialists for their assistance. Granted, specialist help might not be cheap, but considering the very real threats that exist for cats in the great outdoors, it can nonetheless be worthwhile so long as cat owners can make sure that it comes from a reliable and reputable source.