Indoor cats - please forgive dumb question...

[HappenstanceMarmite]

...I'm assuming windows can never be open for fear they will jump out? Apologies if I'm being dense Yes I know I am, but I've always been a dog person. I know dogs. But I've recently become enamoured of Ragdoll cats because of the descriptions of their placid and loyal characteristics.

Anyway, to the indoor cat issue. What do you do re windows and doors? I live in a second floor flat. I can't have one can I? 😐

There are a lot of ways of cat-proofing windows. There are companies that specialise in it, which I'm sure Google will help you with.

Our rescue homes cats to flats. If the windows seem to be a risk then we require they are made safe before the cats arrive. The main problem though is balconies, which are very dangerous.

Try Flat Cats.

Heavy duty mesh that the cats can't really get through, yet surprisingly un-noticeable from the roadway. Uses strong Velcro, so no damage to the window frames. Made my life bearable this hot summer

Unless you have a very placid animal, "curiosity killed the...." is a very true saying, potentially. How open plan is it? We shut crazycat out of the bedroom in the summer and open those windows.
An elderly rescue cat may just happily lie in the sun however...
I've seen the flat cats recommendation before - definitely my plan for next year.

It depends on the individual cats as well. I have 2 cats in a first floor maisonette. Cat1 has zero interest in the outside world. Windows and doors can be open all day, she might suspiciously sniff the air through the front door for a few seconds but quickly heads back to the comfort of her sofa, so there is really no danger of her escaping at all. Cat2 is a doddery old man who does like to go out and sit on the balcony, and totter around the rooftop below/shed rooves/neighbours balcony that he can access from my balcony. I've made sure by placement of plant pots/barriers he can't get to the outside of the railings, but has a safe route he can use to get to the prime rooftop sunbathing spot. The rest of the day he can reliably be found sleeping on my bed.

I'm not sure Id have a young, adventurous cat in this flat though. Too much risk of them jumping up to windowsills or over railings. My two are content homebodies who don't feel the need to explore much or push every boundary.

No such thing as a 'dumb question' on here. Happenstance.

I like/need to sleep with a window which is - at least - not completely closed. Luckily, I've always lived in old houses with sash windows so I could do both that - open just enough for some ventilation - and have cats. I don't reckon a cat is going to try seriously for eg a 1inch gap.

What kind of windows do you have?

Thanks for your input so far. I've heard that Ragdolls are particularly suited to indoor life. But I'm picturing a fortress arrangement where no window can be opened unless it is covered in netting or similar. I can't imagine people live like this, but I started this thread to find out how people with indoor cats make it work, without having an air-sealed environment.

Please keep sharing your experiences.

Mine go into the garden. I have all the windows open as apart from the lounge window. They don't/can't climb into window sills. Fatty will sit poking her head out of the lounge window if it's open but rarely jumps out. They also don t try to go out the front door so don't worry to much about that. Depends on the breed of cat. Mine are Persians so really aren't bothered by the great out doors.

Mine's an indoor cat but purely because he refuses to go out. If it's possible for a cat to have agoraphobia, then mine has it.

The only danger he would be in if he lived in a 2nd floor flat would be injuries caused by running away from open doors and windows.

The one drawback to a permanently open window was not the cat getting out but a baby bird getting in. In my last house, some stupid young starling made the mistake of squeezing in one afternoon and woke up Oneago who - as far as I knew - was not only a peaceable sort but had never before seen a bird in his life.

Total mayhem ensued. I managed to scoop the cat from mid-air as he bounced between walls, flung him into the hall, shut the door and opened the window fully, and went for a stiff drink. By the time I returned, the bird had gone.

I guess that that's not a normal occurrence, though.

We have had cats in flats for years - windows open - and have never had a problem. They aren't stupid and we have never ever had a cat fall out of a window!

Cats do fall out of windows though, and from balconies. It's great you haven't had it happen yet, but that's kinda like saying don't bother wearing a car seatbelt, I've never crashed my car.

Umm I can't help as we have roof directly outside our windows, so the cats can and do climb out of windows quite safely. The greatest height they have is about first floor level to ground when they get to the edge of the roof, which one can easily jump. The other doesn't try, and if he jumps onto the roof will meow until we let him climb in a window.
Our cats do go out, but don't go far - maybe because we kept them in for the first six months.

My mum has an indoor Ragdoll ,he is 15 and has never shown any interest in going outside ,she has windows open and if it's really hot he might sit near one but he isn't a climber . I don't know if it's because he's never been out but he is extremely intolerant to temp changes and has to have heaters / radiators on from the slightest chilly spell . She keeps the back door open all summer for the dogs and has a half door into the kitchen which is always kept shut ( he doesn't co- mingle with the dogs) and he's never attempted to go over the door ,which he would be capable of .

I can't imagine people live like this

Cat owners do all manner of weird stuff for their cats. It's the miaow combined with 200 different types of pleading looks that manipulate you.

Thank you all for your responses. Am seriously considering a Ragdoll now. Would have to get into a routine of only having windows open to the ventilation/lock setting and/or shutting the cat out of rooms whilst the room is being aired with fully open windows.

When I had dogs (in a house, not flat) I still had to be careful about the front door. So it's just getting back into that habit of checking before opening doors and windows I suppose.

Honestly OP - just have a good look at Flat Cats (linked up thread). For your cat's safety and your peace of mind. I have something similar on a few of my windows and it really isn't very noticeable - you can't tell from outside unless you know it's there, you can barely tell from inside. It also has the added bonus of keeping wasps, bees and flies out.

They aren't stupid and we have never ever had a cat fall out of a window!

You may not have dementedma, but our clinic sees at least two a week, and those are the tip of the iceberg (ie the ones that aren't killed outright).

The window proofing is very commonly used and not particularly obtrusive as the above poster said.

My neighbour across the road actually asked me when I was going to get it fitted, having mentioned to her I was getting Flat Cats screens. I pointed out that it was already in place, hence why my windows were wide open - it really is that unobtrusive from outside.

As a pp said keeps the insects out as well as the cats in, and you can still get a fair breeze through them .

Excuse me, a cat thread without a photo?

This is Buttercup the Tabby Seal Ragdoll. She has the free choice to go outside and tbh she's not keen, but we gave up never opening windows her first year so... She much prefers indoors and won't ever go out in winter or if it rains.

By the way she also missed the memo about all Ragdolls being placid, she's as feisty as any other cat we've had. But gawjus obvs.

Quick hijack. It wouldn't have to be a pedigree cat. Rescues will have cats (eg with hearing loss that have to be kept in.) And some Ragdolls do go out. And enjoy it.

Sorry to bring such a downer on the thread, but I had a cat a few years ago while living in an apartment, who had an accident from a 3rd floor window and sadly died. The vet did everything he could, but her veins had collapsed and she sustained liver damage from the way she landed. He told me that he gets a lot of people that assume all cats will land on their feet, but so many factors can change this, the height and angle they fall from and the area they land on etc. I have a friend who keeps a cat in her apartment and has child-proof windows (for both the kiddies and kitty) that will only open a few inches but still let air circulate...

Anyway hope this helps and you and your new puss have many happy years together

I have a ragdoll in a flat..my windows open from the top as well as normally (double glazed) So I can I pen them without him getting out - not that he would! He goes in my balcony and sits out there but has never tried to get off it (lucky as I am first floor!) Here he is:

I can open them that should say!

Thanks everyone. And lovely to see your Ragdolls 😊 I will take a look at FlatCats too. Will start a new thread if/when I get my Ragdoll!

Another vote for FlatCats. I have them in my upstairs windows. They're very resilient, and Little M uses it as a velcro wall, flinging himself against it, grabbing onto it with his claws.

Bloke who makes them is very good with communications etc., and you can have them custom made to fit.