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Swisspet Tilting window protection lateral
Tilt windows of death: how to protect your cat
15.7.2025
Translation: Patrik Stainbrook
Cats love to sit in front of windows, even though this can be dangerous. Our four-legged friends can become trapped and sustain serious or even fatal injuries. Luckily, simple and affordable ways to prevent this are easy to find.
Open by just a crack – tilt windows are useful for letting air into your home without a draught. On top of that, the small opening feels like it’d prevent pets from jumping out of the window. But don’t be fooled by this. Windows can become a deadly trap, especially for cats (link in German).
Tilt windows: please no!
The first time this shocked me was when I heard about my relative’s cat who passed away. While trying to climb out of the tilting window, she slipped into the thin gap. In a vain attempt to free herself, she was only pulled further down. The sharp edges of the window crushed organs, squeezed nerve tracts and cut off her blood supply – an agonising death. The very idea is unbearable.
But this doesn’t have to be. You can get protective grilles to protect cats from tilt window accidents. You can install them on the side or above tilt windows. Alternatively, there are wedges you can clamp into the open gap. Cats can catch themselves on one or pull themselves out.
Personally, I don’t tilt the windows at all. Instead, I prefer airing out rooms briefly and thoroughly.
Cross ventilation: not any better without safety precautions
Back on topic, I recently had another fright. Although there seemed to be no wind outside, a strong draught suddenly blew from the bedroom into the living room. Then the windows slammed shut. My cat Jasper raced through the flat, completely terrified. But that’s not why my heart started racing. No, he’d been standing just a few centimetres from the window. If he’d had a paw or his tail there…
In the worst cases, vets have to operate on or amputate crushed or broken body parts (link in German). You can protect your pet from this with window stoppers.
In addition to windows, you should also prevent doors from slamming shut. I set up a doorstop for this purpose. My colleague Pia has a nice selection:
Small effort, big result
As a reminder: even if a cat doesn’t seem like they’d fit through an opening, it can still be dangerous. You should never tilt open windows unless you have safety precautions. And if you’re cross ventilating, always fix the windows and doors. Believe me, the minimal effort is worth it.
How do you secure your windows and doors? Let me know in the comments!
Header image: newsony/Shutterstock
Darina Schweizer
Senior Editor
Darina.Schweizer@digitecgalaxus.chI like anything that has four legs or roots. The books I enjoy let me peer into the abyss of the human psyche. Unlike those wretched mountains that are forever blocking the view – especially of the sea. Lighthouses are a great place for getting some fresh air too, you know?
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