There’s nothing quite like opening your windows on a warm summer’s day. But the desire to enjoy the weather can lead to putting your pets at risk, especially if you have feline friends. If you have unscreened windows and live above the ground floor, opening them could put your cat at risk of “high-rise syndrome,” or falling out of the window and getting hurt. Many people
assume that because cats can survive falls from high places, they will always walk away unharmed from a fall. This isn’t the case. While cats have a unique ability to often land on their feet, they are still at risk of serious injuries from falls, which may include: Cats can and do die from falls, as well. How serious is high-rise syndrome in cats? Very. During the summer
months, ASPCA veterinarians see up to five cats a week who have fallen from a high place and hurt themselves. Simply opening a window can and does lead to many pet injuries every year. Here’s a breakdown of some high-rise syndrome facts and how to avoid it. It’s easy to assume that because cats love high
places and seek them out regularly that they are safe and sound wherever they climb. Unfortunately, this isn't the case. While cats can generally hold onto tree branches and wooden surfaces with their sharp claws, other surfaces such as concrete or plastic are more challenging. Declawed cats are at even greater risk for the same reason. Another common misconception is
that falling from a lower height isn’t dangerous to your pet. However, a fall from a one- or two-story window can actually put your cat in more danger than a higher fall. It takes a little time for your cat to twist themselves around to land on their feet; short falls may not give them enough to do this, leading to injuries. Luckily for pet owners, cats are unlikely to ever jump from a high window unless they trust that they will land safely. Cats have excellent survival
instincts, after all. This means that many cases of high-rise syndrome happen when a cat falls accidentally from a high window or fire escape. While cats have excellent survival instincts, they also have a tendency to hyperfocus on anything that interests them. A bird or bug flying around just beyond their reach can distract them enough that a loud noise or strong breeze startles them and causes them to fall. When a cat falls,
they flip over to land on their feet, and in the process they splay their legs slightly. This helps to better absorb the impact of the fall, but it can also lead to head and pelvis injuries if they fall far enough. If your cat falls on concrete, they may lose consciousness. Don’t assume that they haven’t survived; instead, immediately bring them to an emergency animal hospital to
get them the help they need. Finally, cats can and are often injured in falls from high places, but not permanently. If a cat receives immediate, appropriate medical attention, most cases of high-rise syndrome have a 90% chance of survival. High-Rise Syndrome Is PreventableBelow are some facts on high-rise syndrome. Although this type of injury is common, with just a few simple precautions you can prevent it entirely. If you want to have your windows open, always install sturdy, snug screens. These will keep your cat from falling in the first place. If you don’t have screens on your windows, keep them closed. Adjustable screens should be tightly attached to the windows so that they aren't knocked over, whether by curious pets or a strong breeze. Childproof window guards are not an adequate replacement for screens. Though they provide gaps too small for children, cats can squeeze through just fine. High-rise syndrome can only occur if your cat can access spaces where they can fall a significant distance, like open windows or fire escapes. To fully protect your pet, always keep your cats indoors. This has the added benefit of protecting them from cars, other animals, disease, and themselves. If you would like to give your cat the outdoor experience, you can purchase predesigned full-screen enclosures for backyards, terraces, and windows.
Students practice Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning (CER) while examining the relationship between falling height and cat injuries. The graphs show that cats who fall 2-7 stories often suffer more injuries than cats who fall from greater distances. Not much information is given about how the data was collected, though the original source is included, I find this a good time to talk to students about ethics in research. Some students will question how the data was gathered, and suspect that scientists wouldn’t throw cats off buildings. The data was actually gathered from veterinary reports of cats who were treated after falls. Students first analyze data from a table, then read an article from Nature titled “Why Cats Have Nine Lives” which goes into greater detail about why cats can survive falls that would kill humans. Students use the articles and accompanying graphs to identify the CLAIM that is being made by the author and the EVIDENCE given. Some of the vocabulary in the article may be difficult for some biology students, particularly words related to veterinary and anatomical concepts. For example, the graph shows a line to denote the number of “split palates” recorded for falls. Students may not know that a split palate refers to a mouth/chin injury. The handout linked below has an abridged version of the article to keep the lesson time shorter, though the original article can be downloaded. I also show this video to students after they’ve analyzed the data because it helps them to visualize how cats manage to survive these falls and understand how terminal velocity works. Download PDF Google Doc How do the number of injuries per cat relate to the number of stories a cat falls?Students practice Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning (CER) while examining the relationship between falling height and cat injuries. The graphs show that cats who fall 2-7 stories often suffer more injuries than cats who fall from greater distances.
Can cats survive a 7 story fall?Yes! In fact, the higher the fall, the more likely a cat is to survive it. The BBC tells us that "In a 1987 study of 132 cats brought to a New York City emergency veterinary clinic after falls from high-rise buildings, 90% of treated cats survived and only 37% needed emergency treatment to keep them alive."
Can cats survive a fall from 3 stories?Studies done of cats that have fallen from 2 to 32 stories, and are still alive when brought to a veterinarian clinic, show that the overall survival rate is 90 percent of those treated.
Why will a cat that falls from the top of a 50 story building hit a safety net below no faster than if it fell from the 20th story?Why does a cat that falls from a 50-story building hit the safety net with no more speed than if it fell from the 20th story? Once anything reaches terminal velocity, no increase in speed occurs. This occurs for a cat at about the 20 thstory.
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Cats falling out of windows answer key
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