When there is no sense of height. How to prevent cat suicide

Despite the ability to group well and land on their paws, falling cats from a great height is fraught with severe damage, even death. Most often, animals receive such injuries in the spring and summer, when windows are opened in multi-story buildings. Veterinarians have the term “cat high altitude syndrome,” which describes a characteristic symptom complex when animals fall from a height. According to statistics, in Moscow, about 15% of all cat injuries are caused by falling out of a window.

What are the symptoms of serious injury after a fall?

A cat falling from a height of the 6th floor is considered more dangerous than, for example, from the 7th. The animal simply does not have time to group itself in the process and land normally. Falling from the ninth floor and above is dangerous because a fairly high speed develops, and the impact on the ground becomes stronger.

Cats love to sit on the windowsill and watch the world around them.

If an accident occurs, you need to find the animal as quickly as possible. Often owners, without noticing obvious signs, calm down and do not go to the veterinarian. However, even if the cat does not clearly show its poor condition, you should carefully monitor the animal’s behavior and pay attention to all the slightest changes.

Fractures and bruises

Most often, cats that fall from a height have bruises and fractures. Such phenomena are characterized by the following symptoms:

• With severe bruises, hematomas may appear at the site of injury; the cat does not allow the sore spot to be touched.
• Fractures are more difficult to detect - they can be open or closed. When open, the bone comes out, tearing muscle tissue and skin. Such a fracture is dangerous because infection can get into the wound. However, with prompt assistance, the risk to the animal is minimal.
• A closed fracture remains inside and cannot be immediately identified visually. A cat may have a simple crack in the bone, but without proper diagnosis and treatment, such an injury can cause negative consequences.
• A pelvic fracture is characterized by the inability to raise the hind legs.
• Damage to the limbs is noticeable if the animal is unable to lean on them and keeps them in an elevated state.
• With fractures, the limbs are unnaturally rotated, very mobile, and if there are cracks at the site of injury, an inflammatory process appears.

When palpated in the painful area, cats show aggression and try to dodge.

Cats are always trying to find some kind of loophole.

Bleeding

Bleeding can be internal or external. You should pay attention to the following symptoms:

• presence of bleeding from the nose, ears, mouth;
• the presence of serious wounds on different parts of the body;
• an enlarged abdomen indicates possible damage to internal organs and internal bleeding;
• the presence of blood in the urine indicates possible kidney damage;
• blood from the anus can also be a sign of internal organ damage.

Important! If your pet's mucous membranes become pale, it practically does not move and blood flow is noticeable, you should immediately consult a veterinarian.

Traumatic brain injuries

Head injuries are not always noticeable unless they are obvious. The cat may behave quite normally. However, if there are some signs you should be wary:

• problems with coordination, awkward movements;
• limping gait;
• lack of activity, the pet often sleeps and does not want to move;
• presence of aggression, the cat does not recognize its owners well;
• If the condition worsens, it is possible that convulsive manifestations may occur throughout the body or some parts of the body.

Brain concussion

When a concussion occurs, an animal may vomit and gait may be impaired. In most cases, after a fall from a height, the cat is lethargic and does not eat anything and sleeps constantly.

Sometimes cats can just get stuck and get hurt

Prevention: what to do?

Valeria Oleinik, a veterinarian at the 911 clinic, advises closely monitoring the safety of cats, which often like to climb to heights and jump from there. Therefore, before leaving for work, do not forget to check all windows and balcony doors; for greater safety, it is recommended to install window protective nets. If a cat dies after falling from a great height, the owner does not need to blame himself, although it is not easy to survive such a loss. It is important to draw the right conclusions from the current situation and try to eliminate the factors that caused the tragedy.

First aid for falling from a height

What to do if a cat fell from the 3rd floor? Carefully examine the animal and go to the doctor. In most cases, this height does not pose any particular danger to cats.

The cat fell from the 5th floor: consequences, what to do

If a cat fell from the 6th floor, then you need to immediately take the necessary measures and provide first aid to the injured animal. It includes several actions that should be carried out in the first couple of hours after the fall:

• First of all, you need to find the cat and examine it without touching it.
• If the animal cannot move, then you need to try to put something flat under it - a sheet of thick cardboard, plywood, the bottom of a carrier, the head needs to be fixed.
• The pet is immediately taken to a veterinary clinic or taken home, but they try to ensure peace.
• If the cat is unconscious, resuscitation is carried out - the mouth is opened, the tongue is pulled out, the nose is closed with the fingers. Then artificial respiration must be performed through gauze - air is blown into the animal’s mouth. It is important to monitor the movement of the diaphragm.
• Bandages soaked in solutions of furatsilin or chlorhexidine are applied to areas of open damage. If necessary, replace with fresh ones.
• If internal bleeding is suspected, cold compresses may be applied to the cat's abdomen and head.

Important! Arbitrary use of medications and self-treatment is not allowed. Such measures often lead to negative consequences.

After a fall, you should not move the cat intensively, try to feed or drink it, try to straighten dislocations or apply a splint, or tilt its head back.

If a kitten falls from a height, the owners do not always know what to do and are often lost. When your baby falls out, you need to see a doctor very quickly. Kittens have a less developed immune system and body as a whole; a small loss of blood will negatively affect their condition.

Absolutely forbidden

There are a number of actions that can greatly harm a cat after a fall and negate all future efforts of doctors to save the cat.

1. Apply splints and bandages for spinal injuries. This can lead to dangerous displacement of the bones, leading to irreversible consequences.
2. Try to bring the cat to consciousness by shaking and shaking your pet, kissing her and hugging her to you.
3. You should not forcefully try to feed or water your furry friend.

If outwardly there are no wounds, injuries, or injuries, then it is worth closely observing your pet for several days. If her behavior has not changed, she has not become lethargic, apathetic or aggressive, she still eats as well as before the fall, and copes with her needs normally, then there is no particular reason for concern. Except that the owners need to think about how to prevent the danger of falling for their pet.

There must certainly be special nets on the windows so that the kitty, carried away by playing with a butterfly or other insect, does not fall down in the excitement of the chase.

If changes are observed in the behavior, habits, or mood of the animal, consultation with a veterinarian is simply necessary. You may need to do an X-ray and ultrasound of the cat so as not to miss serious injuries and complications after them.

What diagnostic methods are needed in a clinical setting?

A cat pees on the bed: what should the owner do?

In veterinary clinics, first of all, a thorough diagnosis is carried out. It allows you to identify all damage - visible and invisible - and select the most appropriate treatment. To make an accurate diagnosis, the following examinations are used:

• general blood and urine tests;
• X-ray examination of the chest to determine fractures and bruises of the ribs, lungs and other organs;
• X-ray of the spine, bones, joints, hip to exclude fractures;
• ultrasound examination of internal organs to determine the condition and presence of damage.

If necessary, the doctor will prescribe additional examinations that will help determine the cause more accurately.

If necessary, place an IV

First aid

In any case of a fall, remember that your first and foremost goal is to get your pet to the veterinarian. You should not even try to feel for possible fractures or dislocations on your own. The main difficulty that the owner will have to face? – the need for proper transportation of the animal, which will prevent additional trauma.

It is important to take a fallen cat to the veterinarian as soon as possible

As you might guess, a regular cat carrier, especially one with a soft bottom, is completely unsuitable for an injured animal. The cat’s body needs to be fixed as accurately as possible to prevent the displacement of possibly broken bones. Ideal for hard surfaces:

• bottom of the carrier;
• plywood sheet;
• cardboard;
• processed wooden board.

Determining the cat's breathing

If you find your lost pet conscious, there is no need for this procedure. However, if your pet shows no signs of life and lies motionless, the severity of its condition should be determined. There are two ways to recognize a cat's breathing:

1. By observing your pet's chest. If it moves, it means oxygen continues to circulate.
2. Using your own cheek, which you need to press to your pet’s nose in order to feel the exhaled air.

Before performing artificial respiration, you need to make sure that there is no artificial respiration.

Before thinking about artificial respiration, you should check the animal's pulse. If it is absent, this emergency measure will not help, since a preliminary heart massage is necessary. If a pulse is detected, you can begin artificial respiration.

We do artificial respiration

Before starting the procedure, make sure that your pet's airways are not blocked, and remove any obstructions if necessary. The next steps are:

1. Place the cat on its right side and fix it in this position.
2. Cover both the animal's mouth and nose with your mouth at the same time and take two deep breaths lasting five seconds. If this instruction is followed correctly, the animal's chest will begin to rise and fall.

   Do not exhale too intensely and measure your strength

3. Within one minute you should perform about fifteen breathing movements.
4. Exhalations should be accompanied by pressure on the animal's ribs to stimulate lung function. In our situation, pressure can be omitted due to possible rib fractures.

Below we tell you how to properly give a heart massage to your pet.

Heart massage for a cat

Cats falling from a height - treatment in the clinic

After sterilization, the cat asks the cat: is this normal and what to do?

After research and diagnosis, suitable treatment is selected. At the first stage, the cat is given special sedatives to relieve the state of shock and relieve the animal from stress. Severe nervousness leads to disruption of the functioning of all organs.

If necessary, surgery is prescribed to eliminate internal damage. In case of fractures, the bone tissue is connected and plaster is applied.

If you have a traumatic brain injury, you may need to use a ventilator.

The animal is prescribed a number of suitable medications that will help rapid recovery, and droppers with medicinal solutions are placed. The cat's condition is monitored daily.

For fractures, plaster is applied to the damaged areas

Fractures in cats

Among the most common car injuries in cats are fractures. These may be multiple fractures of the limbs or spine, combined injuries of bones and soft tissues. Regardless of what damage the animal received, the first and most important task of the doctor in this situation is to stabilize the general condition of the patient.

First of all, it is necessary to use pain medication for a cat in case of injury, since severe pain in combination with general stress and the resulting injuries can lead to irreversible consequences. Owners should remember that not all traditional humane pain relief remedies are suitable for a pet. There are a number of drugs, the use of which is strictly prohibited in cats, as they can lead to poisoning.

After providing first aid and a complete thorough examination of the animal, a decision is made on subsequent treatment. Often you may encounter a situation where treatment will take place in several stages, since the animal’s body is not able to withstand the stress associated with anesthesia and surgical manipulations.

Consequences

If a cat falls from the third floor or lower, then in most cases there are no serious consequences. The animal is in shock for a while and then lives a normal life.

If you jump from the sixth, seventh or higher floors, the risk of serious damage increases significantly. The consequences of a cat falling from a height are immediate and secondary.

The first group includes arrest of the respiratory process and heart, serious blood loss, and shock.

Secondary consequences arise after some time. These include inflammatory processes in internal organs, impaired functioning of the kidneys and liver, infections entering the wounded surface, and blood poisoning.

With correct and timely assistance, negative consequences rarely occur.

Important! It is necessary to quickly take your pet to the hospital to reduce the risk of developing malfunctions in the functioning of organs and systems.

If you don't have access to a veterinarian

It is not always possible to quickly deliver a pet to a specialist to diagnose its condition. But, despite the fact that this is the most correct solution, you can help your cat at home, not forgetting that it is not a complete replacement for visiting a veterinary clinic. Home measures will only help the cat hold out until you find a specialist.

A fallen pet must be calmed down and given feline painkillers if available.

Many veterinary clinics provide a home visit service for a specialist. This option is very useful for people who are far from clinics or are unable to transfer their animal.

You can alleviate your pet's condition in the following ways:

1. First of all, give the cat a sedative. In a state of severe stress, he may simply not feel pain, thereby aggravating his difficult situation. Fitex and Stop-stress are suitable as sedatives.

   Fitex will help the cat recover

2. Stop using painkillers even if you see that your cat is suffering. Most likely, your medicine cabinet will not have special painkillers for cats. Human medications can do more harm than good.
3. Treat open wounds with an antiseptic to prevent infection.

   If your cat has open wounds, treat them with antibacterial drugs.

4. Do not attempt to fix fractures without proper knowledge. Placing your pet on a hard surface is enough to get him to the doctor;
5. If your cat begins to bleed heavily, secure it with a tourniquet to avoid extensive blood loss;

It is also allowed to apply cold to the fracture sites.

How to prevent a cat from falling out of a window

Cats love heights, so they don't feel much fear. The result is often falls and serious injuries. It is possible to protect an animal from such a situation by following safety rules:

The safety of the animal depends on the owner

• If the animal likes to sit on the windowsill, then it is recommended to take care of durable mosquito nets that can withstand serious pressure.
• Nets should also be placed on the balcony to prevent the possibility of falling from it.
• When leaving the apartment, be sure to check all the windows; in the absence of the owner, cats become even more curious.
• If your pet experiences falls from the bed, cabinets, or other places while sleeping, you should contact your veterinarian for an examination. Perhaps this is a sign of some disease.

If a cat falls from a height, then in most cases the fault lies with the owner. Inattention and absent-mindedness lead to similar consequences. The injured animal is carefully and quickly taken to the hospital for diagnosis and selection of the most appropriate treatment. Following preventive measures will help avoid accidents.

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