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High Rise Syndrome in Pets

Posted on March 22, 2017 by Michael Moll

Is High Rise Syndrome in Pets a real thing???

YES- In fact it is a very real and very dangerous thing. This is a term used by Veterinarians, it came from the number of injuries and deaths of pets (especially cats) that fall from balconies, windows, and fire escapes.

Pets often end up in these situations after having been startled. It also happens when pets jump or lose their balance on a ledge of a balcony, fire escape or window. Pets trying to catch bugs and not properly judging the dangers/height of their environment has been another leading cause of this condition.

Unfortunately, these pets suffer severe injuries or death and therefore prevention is key! A couple things you can do to prevent this from happening:

Make sure there is a strong and secure screen on your window
Open the window from the top instead of the bottom (if possible)
Don't leave pets unattended with access to a balcony
Be careful when playing indoors, if screen doors or windows are open and a toy goes through, your pet will likely go after it
Avoid training your dogs to relieve themselves on pee pads on the balcony

dog hanging out of a window