Never ventilate a room this way if you have a cat: pictures show the consequences

Ventilation is an everyday task, but with a cat, it matters how you open the window. The solution below may seem practical, but it is dangerous.

Spring has finally arrived with warmth and fresh air, which we gladly let into our home. Those who have an indoor cat know that they cannot simply throw the window open, as the curious animal can slip out in the blink of an eye. With newer types of windows, it is possible to open them in a tilted position, but this is not safe with a cat. Not even if your pet seems much larger than the gap.

Just take a look at the following selection of images shared by the Cat Division of the Dog Rescue Angel Association, thinking about the safety of our purring pets:

As you can see, many cats attempt the seemingly impossible mission of squeezing through a slightly open window. Some tabbies succeed in escaping, while others end up stuck in the gap. This can result in serious, even life-threatening injuries!

Escape attempts are especially intense during the breeding season from spring to autumn. Even neutered individuals can go wild due to the influence of their roaming and scent-marking counterparts outside.

What should you do so your cat does not slip out through the window?

Since a cat’s shoulder blades and collarbone are only connected by muscles to each other and the rest of the body, this area is much more flexible. Furthermore, their collarbone is much smaller in proportion to their body than ours, which also contributes to their ability to squeeze through very small spaces. Or, as you have seen, attempt to. Because of this, it is better not to leave the window in a tilted position, especially when you leave home. (In our case, there is only 2.5 centimetres between the window frame and the wall. So even if we open it slightly, our cat cannot access it at all. But their paw can still get stuck, so we must be careful.)

The safest option is to install a cat net on the windows and open them fully for ventilation. Your pet will enjoy this too, as they can sniff and observe. However, the net should not be a mosquito net, as cat claws can tear through it in a moment! There are specially designed, tightly woven, stronger types for cat protection—these are the ones to get. (By the way, keeping mosquitoes outside is also recommended, as they can spread numerous diseases dangerous to both humans and animals.)