# Safe to let cat on balcony?



## Esanders323 (Aug 31, 2014)

I recently adopted an adult cat from a local shelter. The shelter had a couple of outdoor cat enclosures, and she loved being outside. I live in a second story apartment and have a small balcony. The balcony doesn't really have any edges, and she doesn't really every seem to jump much. The highest I've seen her jump is on a chair. 

Do you think it is safe for me to let her on the balcony if I'm out there with her? I've also considered getting some wire to put around. I but a large mesh dog kennel, but she doesn't really like to be in it outside. 

I'll include a picture of my balcony.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Unless it's completely enclosed, I wouldn't. Cats will see a bug - or even a bird in the distance - and forget all about where they are.

The other risk you take is her wanting outside all the time. My friends who have done the "balcony" thing have all regretted it.


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

You can get bird netting and put it all around. I have that on my upstairs balcony railing. My little Polly fell 8 feet but thankfully landed right on top of Coco one day! I was right there but it happened SO fast I could not stop it. Even if you are outside with her, anything can happen and FAST so better to be safe! I almost had a heart attack and now she doesn't want to leave the foster room.

Bird netting from Home Depot. You can do it, they can help.
Bird-X 14 ft. x 45 ft. Dalen Products Netting 3/4 in. Polypropylene Mesh-BN-4 at The Home Depot

Also, I SO agree with Marie73! She will BEG to be let out not on your terms but hers and she won't relent. Once outside, it's REALLY hard to get them used to being inside all the time. Best not to even start.


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

If you put up netting, I'd make it go all the way up, not just to the top of the railing. You might think she'd never try to jump up or over it, but as marie and marcia have said, you just never know. 

I used to let my girls out on my small balcony, also second floor. The one who was an indoor-outdoor cat before I adopted her never wanted to come in. Now I have a screened-in porch, and she can be maddeningly stubborn if there's something really interesting out there. It's really aggravating when I'm in a rush.


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## Mandy and Ellie (Oct 22, 2013)

I wouldn't recommend it without some sort of netting or protection. I follow a cat on Instagram who frequented his balcony often, but one day got spooked by a dog and flew over the balcony, dropping twenty feet. Luckily his injuries are treatable, but still scary and shows that even the most intelligent cats can get spooked and just run without thinking.

Also, if you don't want the netting to go all the way up past the railing, you can make it a 45 degree angle at the top toward the inside. If an angle is coming sharply toward a cat, it won't jump up. 

Here's an example on a fence:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Catproof-Your-Yard/


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## NOLAKitties (May 30, 2013)

Unless it has a netting it's not safe. I thought Ponyo knew better. I was wrong. I left her alone on the balcony as usual when she fell off from the balcony one day. I heard her meowing loudly and found her crying holding on for dear life on a rather tall plant (much taller than me). I can't imagine if she fell of straight to the ground.


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## Jenny bf (Jul 13, 2013)

Living in Dubai we are a city full of high rise apartments. I cannot begin to tell you how many accidents happen with cats being killed, seriously injured or at the cets for treatment due to falling off balconies. There is a wrong preception that cats have some amazing talents for landing properly and safely, but they also are not very height perceptive and if distracted by anything to chase they do move fast and in a second an accident could happen. So I would say if you are going to go ahead with letting her have the use, it might be best to make you balcony a full closed in catio type structure so then you can leave her there, even with you safely. We live on the 32nd floor so, when we are on the balcony we sit opposite the doorway which has a reinforced flyscreen door as well as the proper sliding door. We pull this across and the cats sit the other side so they get the breeze or heat or both and the smells but not actually out on the balcony. They seem fine with this and will just go to sleep there.


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

As others have said, many cats once outside, prefer to be there even on a balcony where they can see birds fly by or pigeons land. There's a term vet's use for cats that decide to go over the balcony "high rise syndrome". As a breeder I had a kitten I had sold to an apt. dweller "go after a bird" one day.....his injuries with lungs pierced by ribs were so severe he had to be euthanized. The gal was heartbroken and I was sad and mad. I had warned her not to let him on the balcony, but she thought she knew better. Unfortunately he lived up to the name she had given him....."Bouncer".  Don't do it.

High-rise syndrome - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## Arianwen (Jun 3, 2012)

I'd be very nervous on a balcony without netting and I'm from somewhere where outdoor cats are normal.


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## Artiesmom1 (Jan 28, 2014)

My balcony is so similar to yours! I live on the second floor..I was very hesitant about taking him out at first. But he has been really good about it!
Artie only goes out when I am there with him. I watch him like a hawk! I tried a collar and leash--not good for him, afraid of choking him; then a harness and leash--he hated the harness..
Artie is so accustomed to me being out with him, that he does not move from the balcony doors without me. He waits for me to go out. He will not go out alone.
He will only stay out for a bit. If we are really enjoying it, he stays a bit longer. But he knows when I say something like," Artie go in?" "Let's go in". Artie is right by the slider waiting for me to open it so he can go in. 
I think he likes to go out just to check things out. He usually ends up sitting under my chair. That is his favorite spot. 
ARtie is an older guy..10 years old now. I adopted him 2 years ago. So it has only been over the 2 years (2 summers) that he has gone out.
He is not as wild about playing as a younger kitty would be. When he goes anywhere near the railings, I make a loud noise, like "EHHHH! NO..." he puts his ears down and goes under my chair..But it does not happen often. If he was not as tame as he is now, I would never take him out without a leash.. Now it is ok.. he knows his limits and he know I watch him constantly...:kittyball


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## sheiladoreen (Jul 11, 2014)

I'd put the cat on a leash/harness or do the full net enclosure. I'd prefer the leash/harness as it implies that they'll need constant supervision (ideal) but that might not be what you're after.

Our cats are big jumpers so they wear breakaway collars. You can't attach a leash to it as if they pull it will just snap off. We got them into harnesses. They hated the harnesses at first, but they're totally fine with them now. We did lots of "training sessions" which involved putting the harness on, giving a treat, and then distracting them with play/pets so they forgot they were wearing it. Eventually they realised that harness=treats and love PLUS allowed to go outside and now they start purring when they see me pull it out.

The only thing I don't love about the harness and leash is that I have to follow them around. I sit outside on the patio set and they tangle themselves in the chair legs/table so I have to watch them like a hawk. On a balcony this wouldn't be as much of an issue- you could even put up a hook to latch the leash on to.


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