High Rise Syndrome

Unfortunately cats do not always land on their feet . To a large degree it depends on how far the cat falls. 

In fact cats are better off to fall from higher up. If it is too low, the cat may not have enough time to correct their body position and land on their feet.

 but often their legs can’t hold the bounce. Their joints are heavily bended, single bones break and the cat’s head and thorax hit the ground.” 

The consequences of such a bounce can be significant. The cats often suffer internal  injuries such as lung or brain injuries. 

This life-threatening situation requires quick action. 

Other frequent injuries are broken bones, pelvis, jawbones.

Even if there are no visible injuries after a plunge out of the window, the cat should undergo a check by a vet. Internal injuries can lead to a life-threatening situation even hours or days after the accident. 

“Bone fractures and dislocations cause a severe pain for the animals. As a consequence, one or several surgeries can be necessary which might cause quite high costs for the keepers,” says Steinbacher. 

Scientific investigation of plunges out of the window 

According to a study by the Clinical Unit of Small Animal Surgery at the Vetmeduni Vienna in 2010, accidents are on average more frequent among younger cats than among older ones. 

Furthermore, male cats fall more often from very high. The study found that statistically June, July and August are the most dangerous months. The most frequent fractures are broken pelvis as well as broken forefoot and midfoot bones.