Falling from loft

Jennaevans920 · **Joined:** Wed Jan 25, 2017 8:40 pm **Posts:** 2

Hi! Jake is 4 months old now. I live in a house with a 9 foot loft. He is very curious and loves going up there. He sometimes jumps on the spindles as if they are a scratching post. Today he was walking on the wrong side of the rails and fell off!! He seems to be ok. He is walking and running normal and still wants to play. Has anyone had experience with this? How far has your bengal fallen and still been ok? You would think he would have learned from this experience but about 10 minutes later he went right back up there poking his head over the ledge.

brianj12 · **Posted:** Wed Mar 22, 2017 1:08 am

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=27821

MWB · **Joined:** Wed Dec 21, 2016 5:17 am **Posts:** 134

Yeah this happened to Miko when we first got him. Fell through the spindles from the main floor into the basement (10 ft) Gave me quite a scare for a few days- I kept worrying that he was hiding his injury from me. But after a while & a vet check two weeks later (during routine vaccination), he ended up being fine, luckily. Also, he was playing, eating, pooping, and peeing fine after the fall, and he wasn't acting reclusive at all, so those were all good signs as well.

Our solution: he fell through a spot where the opening between the spindles is a bit wider, so we fenced that off with some rope and cardboard. But I think there are just some spots that cannot be fully cat proofed- we decided to get pet insurance, just in case.

He still pokes his head through the spindles all the time. Most of the time its just from the main floor (10 ft drop) and it doesn't bother me too much anymore- but he started poking his head out from the 2nd floor and its a circular stairwell so its easily a 20 ft drop. I just always calmly say "careful, miko... careful..." and he seems to understand and backs away from the edge.

Clare&magic · **Joined:** Sat Oct 31, 2015 9:44 pm **Posts:** 707

I see Brian has put a link to my post about Pearl jumping on the banisters above the stairs.
Well since this post a lady advised me to tightly wrap sisal rope around the banister which I have done, it doesn't stop them getting on it but it gives them something to grip in case they slip.

Clare&magic · **Joined:** Sat Oct 31, 2015 9:44 pm **Posts:** 707

DSC_0324.JPGDSC_0323.JPGHere is a picture of what I've done.

ttl · **Joined:** Sat Jan 09, 2016 10:24 pm **Posts:** 148

Noha fell 10 ft just yesterday, as they were playing on the upper floor. Lily got scared of the noise and Noha just looked at me for a few seconds. I picked him up and examined him but he was ok, no pain or anything. The next minute they were running around again.
Lily actually fractured her xenoid bone (if that's the right name, at the bottom of the sternum?) a few weeks ago, when I wasn't at home. The vet checked her and she was fine, gave her anti inflammatory pills for a few days and she was back to her crazy self in no time. She's a little more cautious now but I'm sure it's not going to last

LadyKay · **Joined:** Tue Sep 15, 2015 6:48 pm **Posts:** 276

I had an interesting discussion about this at the animal hospital, because I was there when a cat who had jumped off a balcony was brought in. She fell five stories and somehow surivived. The next day I asked how the cat who went off the balcony was doing, and the techs were all, 'which cat that went off the balcony, we have several right now'? Apparently it's an epidemic for cats and dogs to leap off of city balconies when a bird goes by.

So my takeaway from that is that animals just don't understand the risk of being up high and we the humans have to take precautions for them.

Sherry · **Joined:** Thu May 23, 2013 2:21 pm **Posts:** 9217

We all know cats love to climb and be high up in the air. Thankfully, the only high thing is Raiden's cat tree and it's just over 6' tall. I can only imagine if I had a loft area or a banister. Raiden can't walk straight on the back of the couch which is 5" wide. I'd be terrified. It is not always true that cats land on their feet! I'm sure many have broken bones due to falls. You would think they would learn a lesson! But, I guess not.

Clare&magic · **Joined:** Sat Oct 31, 2015 9:44 pm **Posts:** 707

Pearl did slip again this morning but it was only around a 4 foot drop not at the highest point and luckily the carpet is new and thick.

TraceyChops · **Joined:** Sun Feb 26, 2017 6:05 am **Posts:** 213

Clare&magic · **Joined:** Sat Oct 31, 2015 9:44 pm **Posts:** 707

Yes I trim both of their claws, this is actually a picture of Magic on here at the moment, he never jumped up on it until I put the rope.

They have no problem hanging on as I don't trim the nails too short just take off the sharp tip.

CMYKjill · **Joined:** Tue Sep 23, 2014 6:38 pm **Posts:** 1838

Grace fell from the ceiling once. I put cat clouds up to the cut out in the wall above the ceiling and she races up there at night before settling down for bed. She stands on her hind legs and leaps up the walls toward the ceiling making screeching noises as she slides down. She can get pretty wound up there. She also lays down on the shelf and reaches to the popcorn ceiling underneath to scratch it and make noise. Well one night she was doing that and she reached around too far and her back end went over her head and she flew off into the air. She grabbed at the cat tower on the way down, but she landed on the tile floor on her feet. I jumped out of bed and ran to her. She must have had the wind knocked out of her as she stayed on the floor for a bit shocked. I fussed over her and then she came round and seemed perfectly normal. It all happened so fast. She stil reaches around to paw at the ceiling, but with more caution than before. I guess lesson learned.

Sherry · **Joined:** Thu May 23, 2013 2:21 pm **Posts:** 9217

Cats need to keep their feet on the ground, like humans! LOL

Donna741 · **Joined:** Wed Feb 05, 2014 9:03 pm **Posts:** 1048

I love the sisal on the banister - great idea and it looks cool too!

Falling from loft

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