Prevent High-Rise Syndrome
Cats love sunbathing in open windows, which puts them at risk for “High-Rise Syndrome” — a term vets use to describe falls from windows, balconies, or fire escapes. Falls usually happen when a cat dozes off in a window or gets distracted by a bird, and injuries can include broken jaws, knocked-out teeth, and internal trauma. The odd part is that cats that fall from seven stories or higher often fare better than those who fall from two or three, because the extra distance gives them time to right themselves before landing. With prompt vet care, survival rates are around 90%.
How to prevent it:
- Install snug-fitting window screens and secure them with zinc screen clips. A determined cat can push out an unsecured screen.
- If your windows open from the top, do that. A top-opening window usually keeps the gap above a cat’s jumping height.
- Lay a rolled towel or door draft stopper in any sliding window or door track to shrink the opening below head-width.
- Ask your property manager about installing a “catio:” a floor-to-ceiling enclosure on a balcony made of reinforced chicken wire or mesh, which lets your cat get fresh air without the fall risk.
- Never leave a balcony door propped open, even “just for a second.” Cats can jump roughly five times their own height in a single bound.
Redirect Scratching (Don’t Try to Stop It)
You can’t (and shouldn’t) eliminate scratching. It’s how cats exercise and stretch, mark territory (they have scent glands in their paws), and keep their claws healthy and trimmed. The goal is to redirect it to something that isn’t your security deposit.
How to prevent damage:
- Put a sturdy scratching post or pad next to the furniture your cat already targets — location matters more than the post itself.
- Use a feline deterrent spray or double-sided tape on furniture edges and floorboards.
- Trim your cat’s nails every few weeks or ask a vet/groomer to show you how.
- Citrus scents are a natural deterrent for most cats. A few drops of citrus-scented (cat-safe) spray on furniture can help steer them elsewhere.
Manage Litter Box Odor
Odor control is the difference between a litter box you can live with and one you’re constantly apologizing to guests about. The kind of litter you purchase does most of the heavy lifting in keeping your home smelling fresh. However, there are other ways to ensure that your litter boxes are sanitary.
How to keep it under control:
- Scoop daily, minimum. Twice a day is best.
- Fully empty, wash with mild unscented soap and baking soda, and refill weekly.
- Use a shallow layer of litter. About 2 inches is plenty; more doesn’t help and just gets tracked everywhere.
- Size up the box. Most commercial litter boxes are too small for adult cats; bigger boxes trap less odor and encourage better aim.
- Skip box liners and lids. They trap smell instead of letting it dissipate, and many cats avoid covered boxes anyway.
- Invest in a stainless-steel litter box. Plastic ones might get scratched when your cat is covering its waste, which might trap odors.
- Keep the box away from food and water dishes, and out of reach of kids or other pets.
- Golden rule: one litter box per cat, plus one extra. So, two cats means three boxes.
- Sudden changes in bathroom habits (straining, going outside the box, frequent small trips) can signal stress or a medical issue. When in doubt, call the vet.
Audit Your Houseplants
This one doesn’t make most “starter” cat-proofing lists, but it’s one of the most common reasons for emergency vet visits in cat households. Lilies (including Easter and Asiatic lilies) are severely toxic to cats and can cause kidney failure from just licking the pollen. Other common problem plants include pothos, philodendron, sago palm, aloe, and dieffenbachia.
How to prevent poisoning:
- Cross-check every plant in your apartment against the ASPCA’s toxic plant list before you buy it.
- Keep any toxic plants you already own somewhere truly inaccessible. A top shelf isn’t enough for a cat.
- Offer a pot of cat grass or catnip as a safe substitute for cats that like to chew greenery.
Secure Cords, Blinds, and Small Objects
Dangling cords might seem like a jingly target that mesmerizes your cat for hours. However, they are both a chew hazard (electrical cords) and a strangulation risk (blind and curtain cords).
How to prevent it:
- Use cord shorteners or cleats to keep blind and curtain pulls up out of reach, or switch to cordless blinds.
- Bundle electrical cords with cord covers or conduit, and tuck them behind furniture.
- Do a “low sweep” of any room before letting a new cat have free run of it: hair ties, rubber bands, bottle caps, and string are all swallowing hazards and a leading cause of emergency surgery in cats.
- Keep sewing supplies, especially thread and needles, in a closed drawer. Cats are drawn to string-like objects and can swallow them in seconds.
Lock Down the Kitchen and Bathroom
- Store cleaning products, medications, and essential oils in a latched cabinet. Many essential oils (tea tree, citrus, pine) are toxic to cats even in a diffuser.
- Keep the toilet lid down and trash cans covered or behind a cabinet door.
- Always check inside the washer, dryer, dishwasher, and oven before turning them on. Warm, dark, enclosed spaces are catnip (pun intended) for nap-seeking cats.
- Move sharp knives and toxic foods (onions, garlic, chocolate, grapes/raisins, raw dough) off counters. Cats jump, and counters aren’t the deterrent people assume they are.
Give Them Vertical Space
A bored cat is more likely to get into trouble. Cat trees, wall shelves, and window perches give your cat their own territory above the chaos, which cuts down on counter-surfing, curtain-climbing, and stress-related scratching or litter box issues.
Build In a Safety Net
At the end of the day, no apartment is 100% escape-proof, so it helps to have a backup plan. Microchip your cat and keep the registration info current. Open front doors from movers or maintenance crews are one of the most common ways indoor cats go missing, and a chip is often the only way they make it back home. Keep a recent photo and your vet’s contact info somewhere you can grab in seconds, just in case.
And on days when your door is going to be opening and closing a lot — moving day, apartment repairs, a party with a steady stream of guests — the safest move is simply to tuck your cat into a closed room with food, water, and a litter box until the coast is clear. A little precaution now means fewer “have you seen my cat?” texts later. Originally published by Maria Solova on November 19, 2015.
