Charity warns cat owners about tilted open windows
The Scottish SPCA has warned pet owners to be cautious following the death of a cat in Edinburgh which became trapped in a window left tilted open.
A resident of Redhall Drive spotted the ragdoll cat hanging from the window and called the animal welfare charity on Monday.
The cat had struggled to such an extent she had no claws left and suffered severe spinal damage.
She was put to sleep by a vet.
Animal Rescue Officer Connie O'Neill said: "This was a very tragic case.
"The pressure being wedged put on her lower half was so severe that she was left with serious spinal damage and there was no way she would have been able to recover from her injuries.
"It was impossible to open the window fully to free her as the only way of doing this was to fully close it first. In the end the only way she could be removed was for the local fire and rescue service to use great force to push the window open further.
"Her owners are currently on holiday and someone had been looking in on her every day.
"They are aware of what happened and, understandably, are extremely upset.
"This is not the first time we have been called to an incident where a cat has become trapped in a tilted window and they are often left with severe injuries such as a broken pelvis, crushed bladder or spinal damage.
"We are urging owners to ensure the safety of their cats by closing their tilted windows when their cat is home alone or fitting safety guards which are readily available."