Cats in places without screens on windows?

[Kris]

So, we are planning to nomad-retire abroad (six months here, a year there...), at least until we find our perfect place.  We're taking our indoor cat with us.  She has really never been outside, and though she has her claws, she is small -- about the size of a six month-old kitten. 

I find myself worrying quite a bit about the fact that in most places we live, there won't be screens on the windows.  I'm afraid she'll wander off and get hurt or killed, or that she'll fall or jump out and seriously injure or kill herself.  I know this isn't an expat community, but have any of you transitioned to a place where the windows just opened to the outside?  Can you talk me down off the ledge (ha)?

[MishMash]

We lived in an apartment with no screens...and a porch...both of mine fell/jumped off in the year we lived there (one was dumb enough to do it three times, he learned to open the back door)...2 story fall and neither one of them somehow got injured, the smallest of my two is 5lbs, my tiny girl...the male is 19lbs and he was the one dumb enough to do it three times.  They also rather liked clawing their way onto adjacent balconies and sitting there screaming in horror that they couldn't figure out how to get back.  Just try to live on a 2nd story and not higher and I don't think it would be too much of an issue injury wise.

In regards to wandering off, we move, a lot, and Houdini has got NOTHING on our little cat.  She wedges into tight corners behind doors for hours...just waaaaaaiiiiting until it cracks open to run out.  Our last move, we weren't in the house 2 hours and she took off...I had a stroke since "she didn't know where she lived"...bull honkey...she came back four hours later, dead mole in mouth all proud to bring us her first housewarming present.  I'm more worried now about other people hurting her then I am of her getting lost.

[math-ya]

Make/ buy screens. I do it all the time, costs about ten bucks each, and they have kits to make them the perfect size. I have to use the old school metal screens b/c my cat rips right thru those nylon ones

[Daley]

Make/ buy screens. I do it all the time, costs about ten bucks each, and they have kits to make them the perfect size. I have to use the old school metal screens b/c my cat rips right thru those nylon ones

This is one option, but for the time, hassle and cost, it's just as cheap and easier to buy some of these down at Home Depot and take them with you knowing you can most likely keep using them no matter what size the window is instead of leaving them behind as a sunk cost:

W B Marvin Adjustable Window Screens ($5.48-7.33)

We've used them in the past, the construction is solid, and the screening material is metal. If you keep everything tight enough putting them in when you open the windows, they sat reasonably solid enough that our cat rubbing against posed no threat of it falling out, either... and ours is probably at least 2-3 times the size of yours.

That said, you mentioned the words abroad, expat and cat. If you're staying in the US with this lifestyle, ignore this, otherwise... do keep in mind that international travel with a small furry loved one can be quite taxing due to quarantine restrictions. Like, you would probably just get your cat back in time for you to move again type of situations. Rebel Spy had a rather long topic on this issue for himself and his wife a few months back, and there were some passionate responses made regarding the subject (I think you participated in the thread, in fact). It might be better to have a trusted loved one look after the kitty until you find out where you want to re-root yourselves and then go through the quarantine process once for everyone's sake, including the cat's.

[Kris]

Make/ buy screens. I do it all the time, costs about ten bucks each, and they have kits to make them the perfect size. I have to use the old school metal screens b/c my cat rips right thru those nylon ones

This is one option, but for the time, hassle and cost, it's just as cheap and easier to buy some of these down at Home Depot and take them with you knowing you can most likely keep using them no matter what size the window is instead of leaving them behind as a sunk cost:

W B Marvin Adjustable Window Screens ($5.48-7.33)

We've used them in the past, the construction is solid, and the screening material is metal. If you keep everything tight enough putting them in when you open the windows, they sat reasonably solid enough that our cat rubbing against posed no threat of it falling out, either... and ours is probably at least 2-3 times the size of yours.

That said, you mentioned the words abroad, expat and cat. If you're staying in the US with this lifestyle, ignore this, otherwise... do keep in mind that international travel with a small furry loved one can be quite taxing due to quarantine restrictions. Like, you would probably just get your cat back in time for you to move again type of situations. Rebel Spy had a rather long topic on this issue for himself and his wife a few months back, and there were some passionate responses made regarding the subject (I think you participated in the thread, in fact). It might be better to have a trusted loved one look after the kitty until you find out where you want to re-root yourselves and then go through the quarantine process once for everyone's sake, including the cat's.

Thanks for the response.  Yes, I'm very much keeping in mind the quarantine issue, and am keeping a close eye on restrictions. I refuse to go anywhere where I would actually have to PUT my cat in quarantine (I understand that some places will require you to "quarantine" your pet in home, which is fine).  And I'm also very worried about how stressful it might be for her, so we'll just have to play it by ear.  I'm considering a "practice" plane trip with her in advance of our FIRE date to see how it is for her.  I can't bear the thought of leaving her behind, but I know that if worse came to worst and she just absolutely couldn't handle it, a good friend of mine who cat sits for us in her home would be absolutely THRILLED to have her. 

[arebelspy]

I'm glad to hear you're planning this out Kris. I wish our travel plans were more like that.  :)

Rebel Spy had a rather long topic on this issue for himself and his wife a few months back, and there were some passionate responses made regarding the subject (I think you participated in the thread, in fact).

[Kris]

I'm glad to hear you're planning this out Kris. I wish our travel plans were more like that.  :)

Rebel Spy had a rather long topic on this issue for himself and his wife a few months back, and there were some passionate responses made regarding the subject (I think you participated in the thread, in fact).

Ha!  Yeah, I'm looking forward to it, but I am worried about our cat.  We will definitely make sure to slow down how often we change places if she turns out to be really bad at travel.  I would feel better if she was a big old tom, though, because I just can't see her as being able to defend herself outside.  Maybe I'm underestimating her, though, because she's so cute and fluffy.  Kitty sexism?  ;-)