I live on the 4th floor of my building and would like to try building (or most likely buying) a cat ladder so that my cat, who was an outdoor kitty before I inherited her, can live out her days here with me roaming the gardens of Wipkingen...
Does anyone know of a business that would build such a ladder for a 'reasonable' price? I think the spiral katzentreppen are a nice design for something this ambitious.
Of course I need to talk to my landlord, but if it looks nice and does not cause any damage to the outside of the building I'm hoping it will be ok...?
I know it sounds crazy, but I've seen others do it...as long as it is secure I think it would be fine.
Plan B would be to convince my downstairs neighbours to to let me put a smaller cat ladder/staircase on each of the balconies below...but it may be a hard sell.
My link shows you how and a supplier- even if firmly held a cat can still slip, especially if wet or icy, etc- so won't waver from the 'not safe from 4th floor', sorry.
2nd floor would be absolute maximum but possibly ok- have you looked at the design in my previous link.
Personally, and I know nobody is asking for my opinion ... I wouldn't have a ladder above first floor- and would either have an indoor cat- or probybly no cat at all (because I just love them).
I've looked at the link but now I'm wondering about a ramp instead of a ladder?
This could be helpful to the OP as well: I've seen around Lausanne ramps that are flush against the outside wall that zig zag down. Not sure how this would work for fourth floor though.
By the way, are we referring to first floor as the ground floor, or the floor above the ground floor?
Ground floor, first floor, second floor- absolute max imho. Yes, a ramp to first floor is fine, and perhaps to second- depending on building, angle... your neighbours and mainly, your landlord.
Our cat was also an outdoor cat, who feared other cats and ate small animals.
When we moved to a "maisonette" she retired to the balcony for 20 years. She only fell off it once and we found her the next day by the front door. How she knew it was the front door, no one knows.
For her 80th birthday (human years) we got her an elevator and a cat flap. Tragically she died that first day. She took the elevator down to the ground floor to find some mice, and we never saw her again.
Forgive me, but your story is both sad and funny...
My cat also fell of the roof from the 4th floor once already, but still cannot keep herself from the thin piping lining the roof...she's ok, I just think she'd be happier if I could find a way to allow her free access to the outdoors.
Our upstairs neighbours - admittedly retired and with a lot of free time - escort their cat down the building stairs in the morning, and go fetch it at the building door when it wants to get back in. The cat knows the trick, and waits by the building door when it wants to go home.
I hope you find a solution. Not sure how you 'inherited the outdoor cat- but it is the reason Swiss animal rescue will not place a previously outdoor kitty to someone who cannot give safe access to outside. Cats can indeed be very happy indoor if they get used to it from the start, but once the Pandorra's box is opened, it's almost impossible to keep a cat indoor without them becoming obsessed with wanting to escape- which is why it already fell from ... 4th floor (:. If he is really unhappy and you can't move, perhaps it would be the kindest thing to re-home it where it can go out. Good luck.