I may be moving into a high rise apt/condo building soon. This got me thinking about pets in these type of environments. These units, like many others have balconies. I would never leave my dog out on one of thes balconies because it would make me too nervous. However, I was wondering if anyone ever heard of pets falling or jumping from balconies in condos or apts. Is this common? I would think even if the pets were smart enough to sense theres a drop off an accident could still happen. Anyone here live in a a unit that's above 1 floor and give their pets free reign to sit out on the balcony?
If a cat fell, it would survive depending on the height. I was watching a show about this once. They can fall from extremely high places without sustaining injury. They are just scared to jump from telephone poles, trees, and so on sometimes. A dog would die for sure. But both would be smart enough not to jump off on purpose. Though accidents happen.
I agree with you here that they wouldn't knowingly "jump" off. It's pretty dicey though to know how they could come to that conslusion though that the drop off a balcony is fatal. Pets get curious, can get too close to an edge trying to figure it out and that's where I think there would be trouble. I just wouldn't trust putting my pet in that position. So lets say you live on the 10th floor of a condo. Are you trusting their intelliegence enough to let em sit out on the balcony without worry?
Its not very common, but it you might be able to do a little railing modification to help them from getting to close.
My dog loves to sit on the balcony in the summer. We have a pretty large garden but she prefers the balcony. I can't say I've ever worried. I usually don't even attend her there (I prefer the garden). At least with dogs, it's merely a matter of training. Just watch it the first couple of days and if it displays a troublesome curiosity towards the railing (mine has never done), train it to stay away and don't jump up there. Cats on the other hand, they do whatever the heck they want anyway.
my dog fell backwards off the dock.. funniest look I ever saw on that ol hippohead. The day before he had discovered a mantee feeding next to the dock, he could see it, hear it, and smell it.. he KNEW there were seamonsters in the water.. the look on his face told me was remembering that as he fell. I'm laughing so hard remembering it my eyes are tearing. so, can't speak for condos, but docks are fair game to a Shar Pei
In my personal experience, cats are crazy and 'fly' around especially if you spook them. Dogs on the other hand would be more cautious so I wouldnt worry about it as much. Still, I'd put some potted plants or something.
For a dog, you can get metal screening to attach to the railing. But I can tell you from having them all my life - cats are nutty mother****ers. They'll get to chasing a bird and jump right off a balcony or out a window, they don't care. The best situation is to have a screened-in balcony; that way everyone is happy and safe.
That's a great story Marty. Don't know how I missed it last time I looked in this thread. Bout to take this OT though as your manatee comment brought back some great memories a fellow Florida boy would appreciate. As a kid I volunteered at a Seabird Rescue on the 79th St. Causeway. Pelicans would get hooked up at the Haulover pier and fly or swim home to a rookery just south of there. We'd go out to the Mangrove Island, cut down the ones that got tangled in the trees and the people running it would nurse them back to health. Anyway, on to the manatees. The people running the sanctuary lived on a houseboat right there in a little cove. Manatees would come in there quite often. All you had to do was hang a hose over the side of the boat, turn it on and you'd have a manatee right there playing in the water stream for hours. It was like a toy to them and they loved it. You could sit there rub em down and swim with them right there. Today, chances are you'd get in trouble doing that as they enforce the Marine Mammal Protection Act much more stringently but back then it was still pretty lenient. Heck the Marine Patrol had their HQ right there in the same cove and they'd come over and play with them with us. That just wouldn't happen in these times since we've come to the realization that saving our "sea monsters" means keeping them as far from us as possible. Made for some great days as a young kid growing up on Biscayne Bay though.
Depends on the animal too. A friend of mine's cats were always on her balcony (8th floor) and they never jumped off. Since there's no guarantee what your pet would do, I'd rather err on the side of caution and keep 'em off.
My cats yes. Our Chihuahuas NO Not a dog vs cat thing, just in my specific case. These dogs are INSANE.
