Moving To A High Rise: What To Do With The Windows??

[huxleysmom]

I will be moving to NYC in the summer on the 28th floor of a high rise building. I have been told that it gets really hot in the winter as you can’t regulate the heater and that i’ll most likely want to have the windows open to circulate the air. The problem is as you can see they are huge sliding windows and have no netting installed. Does anyone know how I can Sophie-proof them? There is no doubt in my mind that she will try to see what’s out there and even stand on the outdoor ledge within minutes of moving in and we all know how that story ends.
Thanks for your suggestions.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
Can you have framed window screens made that you could fit onto these windows?

 

[huxleysmom]

Hi!
Can you have framed window screens made that you could fit onto these windows?

I suppose I could as long as they are renters friendly. Whatever I do, it must be totally removable when I move out.
I just contacted a Manhattan shelter to ask them for advice. They must adopt out to people in high rise buildings all the time. Hopefully they can help.

I’m also looking into these two products:

www.flat-cats-usa.com
www.magneticinsectscreens.net

If anyone here has heard/used these products successfully please let me know.

 

[KarenKat]

We had a similar situation - we ended up buying some window screens and attaching them with Velcro. It’s worked really well!

 

[huxleysmom]

We had a similar situation - we ended up buying some window screens and attaching them with Velcro. It’s worked really well!

That’s great news! Thanks for sharing!

 

[danteshuman]

I think it depends on your cat. My boy is super active and would try to climb the screen or jump right into it! Plus many cats lean against screens. So if it was my cat I would have professional screens installed that can survive cat’s claws or I would use the Velcro screen to keep bugs out and install a lattice in front of the window (maybe hanging by hooks. Or a lattice on the lower half velcro’ed right in front of the lower half of the windows (& screens) so you still have a view but so the cat can not get to your improvised screen.

On a side note, why is it that you can not control the heat/AC in your own apartment? Granted I live on the west coast but I have never heard of such a thing.

 

[huxleysmom]

I think it depends on your cat. My boy is super active and would try to climb the screen or jump right into it! Plus many cats lean against screens. So if it was my cat I would have professional screens installed that can survive cat’s claws or I would use the Velcro screen to keep bugs out and install a lattice in front of the window (maybe hanging by hooks. Or a lattice on the lower half velcro’ed right in front of the lower half of the windows (& screens) so you still have a view but so the cat can not get to your improvised screen.

On a side note, why is it that you can not control the heat/AC in your own apartment? Granted I live on the west coast but I have never heard of such a thing.

I have screens where I currently live and Sophie has never tried to climb them. She has on a couple of occasions leaned on them so I would have to figure something out.
It’s an old building so their system is not exactly modern. You do not have control over it. They turn it on and off and you can’t decide how hot or cold you want it. Being on the 28th floor means all of the heat rises to the unit as well so apparently it just gets « stuffy ». My friend who lives in Chicago has the same issue. He also has to have windows opened in the winter. In Chicago!

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

I’m also looking into these two products:

www.flat-cats-usa.com
www.magneticinsectscreens.net

I've not heard of Flat Cats... that looks promising.

But I don't recommend using magnetic insect screens to keep cats inside -- they are NOT strong enough of a closure to prevent a cat from pushing through!

 

[huxleysmom]

I've not heard of Flat Cats... that looks promising.

But I don't recommend using magnetic insect screens to keep cats inside -- they are NOT strong enough of a closure to prevent a cat from pushing through!

I thought so too, but this one has little brackets that you can put along the magnetic strip (you glue them along the window and can put as many as you want) so that if pressure is applied to the net, it stays in place. At least, it’s what they say. I just have to figure out if it’s really strong. Ideally I’d like to find customer reviews for this but no luck so far.
Obviously the windows will only be opened when I am home to supervise her, but an accident happens very quickly so I want a safe option.

 

[maggiedemi]

My cat Maggie fell out the window a few years ago. She pushed the screen right out. Luckily our house is just one story.

 

[huxleysmom]

My cat Maggie fell out the window a few years ago. She pushed the screen right out. Luckily our house is just one story.

That’s what I am trying to avoid. Clearly a fall from the 28th floor would not end well for Sophie. I have read awesome reviews for the Flat Cats screens, including people saying their cats climbed the screen and it didn’t move an inch. The creator of the product just answered my email to ask for a picture of the window to see if they could custom something for it. Fingers crossed it’s possible. I am technically not allow to use any stickers in the apartment, but I may have to just do it anyway and hope for the best!

 

[danteshuman]

Sometimes it is just worth loosing part of your deposit.

 

[Jem]

If you're applying a "sticker" to the metal or vinyl, it will come off. Not allowing people to use stickers is probably so people don't ruin and peel paint off the walls. And even if the glue from the "sticker" does not come off when you peel off the velcro or whatever, use this. It works well to dissolve glue residue.

 

[Jem]

What if you only open each window no more than 2 inches, and to stop your cat from being able to open them further, have a few pieces of wooden dowels measured and cut to the length of the rest of the window that you put in the bottom track. Kinda like those stoppers for sliding patio doors. For our patio door we used a cut hockey stick. I'm I explaining myself?????

 

[Purr-fect]

Generally apt windows have stops on them so that they cant be opened more than a few inches. This is done so kids cant fall out.

 

[LTS3]

Command hooks and their adhesive are totally renter-friendly I'm not sure if Command makes any sort of removable tape that would work on a window screen but you can take a look: Products

What if you only open each window no more than 2 inches, and to stop your cat from being able to open them further, have a few pieces of wooden dowels measured and cut to the length of the rest of the window that you put in the bottom track. Kinda like those stoppers for sliding patio doors. For our patio door we used a cut hockey stick. I'm I explaining myself?????

Or use this on the window to allow it to be open a bit but not enough for a cat to push the window open further and squeeze through: Door Buddy The adhesive is really strong and there are instructions on how to remove it should you need to in the future. The strap is adjustable so you can slide the window open as far as you want.

Do other people in the building have pets? What about young kids? What do others in the building do to keep pets and kids safe when the windows are open? Have you asked the landlord for suggestions?

 

[huxleysmom]

What if you only open each window no more than 2 inches, and to stop your cat from being able to open them further, have a few pieces of wooden dowels measured and cut to the length of the rest of the window that you put in the bottom track. Kinda like those stoppers for sliding patio doors. For our patio door we used a cut hockey stick. I'm I explaining myself?????

That is an option for sure and definitely what I will do if I am not comfortable with anything else I can find.

 

[huxleysmom]

Generally apt windows have stops on them so that they cant be opened more than a few inches. This is done so kids cant fall out.

These bad boys get wide open! By New York laws the building is obligated to install window guards for people with children, but these are just horizontal metal tubes that are too far apart to stop a cat from falling through.

 

[huxleysmom]

Command hooks and their adhesive are totally renter-friendly I'm not sure if Command makes any sort of removable tape that would work on a window screen but you can take a look: Products



Or use this on the window to allow it to be open a bit but not enough for a cat to push the window open further and squeeze through: Door Buddy The adhesive is really strong and there are instructions on how to remove it should you need to in the future. The strap is adjustable so you can slide the window open as far as you want.

Do other people in the building have pets? What about young kids? What do others in the building do to keep pets and kids safe when the windows are open? Have you asked the landlord for suggestions?

This looks interesting. Thank you.I’ll definitely check it out. I don’t know anyone in the building. They install window guards for kids but they are too big for cats and won’t work. I will contact the building super and ask him what others have done before, that’s a good idea.

 

[danteshuman]

You can also open the window a small crack the cat can’t fit through and put a square fan in your window to pull more air in. I think you will need to run the AC in the Summer though.