If you live on the second floor and have a cat in the house who has access to the terrace, you must immediately make the balcony safe to prevent your feline friend from crossing through the railings and accidentally falling.
The flying cat syndrome
Contrary to popular belief, cats do not have nine lives and they do not always manage to land on their feet when they fall from a branch or from a ledge. It happens more often than expected that a cat chasing a bird or a lizard on the terrace of a house loses control of the space around him and ends up falling into the emptiness. Sometimes he comes out of it unscathed, but other times he may not and could be seriously injured. These episodes are explained by the term “Flying Cat Syndrome”.
Cat-proof balconies with Ferplast’s Cat Net
To prevent your cat from having accidents and falls you need to create a “cat-proof” balcony, by adding some extra protection. Anyone who has a balcony with railings can easily install nets, better still if they are transparent, so they do not obstruct the view and are not unsightly.
A good solution is Ferplast’s Cat Net, a nylon safety net. It is applied along the whole length of the balcony, at a height of about forty centimetres from the floor and, to finish off, it is anchored to the ceiling. Cat Net is a net made of nylon that is resistant to UV rays and comes in different sizes, all with 3 cm by 3 cm mesh, complete with metal hooks and special fixing screws.
To understand the best fit for your terrace, simply measure the space between the upper edge of the railing and the ceiling.
We would like to remind you that the transparent net is not easily visible to birds and, for this reason, we advise you to hang some sheets of aluminium foil or some bird shapes: in this way, you will prevent birds from getting caught in the net. Furthermore, the transparent nylon mesh is sensitive to temperature changes, which could cause it to expand or shrink. In winter, it can become tauter, so we suggest that you don’t stretch it too much in the summer.
Useful tips for preventing your cat from falling off the balcony
Installing a safety net is essential for ensuring your cat’s safety, but other precautions must also be taken. For example, dangerous windows and terraces should always be closed before leaving home (even if they have a net); never leave your cat alone and unmonitored if he is near a window; it is a good idea to place furniture away from the railings, as cats can stand on it and use them as a springboard. Furthermore, if you see a cat balancing or in a situation, we believe to be dangerous, it is absolutely not advisable to call him by raising your voice or trying to get hold of him: it would frighten him and the chances of him falling would increase considerably. The cat tends to frequent a terrace to look for distractions and, to keep him away from it as much as possible, the easiest thing to do is play with him and make sure he has fun during the day!