Cantilever windows can be dangerous!

Vets and refuges have long known it. And now so do many cat lovers. So perhaps we do not need to remind you, but we still think it is worth devoting a page to cats and cantilever windows.

The hinges of a cantilever or tilting window are at its base. So opening the window creates a gap on each side which narrows to a point at the bottom. If your cat tries to scramble out through this opening, he or she can easily slip on the smooth surface of the glass or window frame.
You can probably see what's coming… The results of such a slip really can be fatal. All too often, we see cats which have caught a rear paw in the window and ended up hanging from it. Sometimes the vet is unable to save the paw and it has to be amputated.
When a cat is trapped in this way, it will often panic and struggle to free itself. But this may only leave it even more firmly stuck and exacerbate any wounds. Even worse are cases when the animal is trapped by its neck. That will eventually choke it!