Feline fine after falling from 2nd floor

As a longtime cat owner, Nationwide pet insurance member Alyson Mack is well-versed in cat health issues—but she never expected one of her cats to tumble off a balcony.

Having just lost her 17-year-old cat, Isaac, to kidney disease, Alyson was still in a state of grief when she noticed that 16-year-old Penny was missing.

“I have a second story patio that has a railing and the cats like to go out and get some sun,” says Alyson. “That day I opened the door to let them out and when I came back, I couldn’t find her.”

It turns out the gray shorthaired tabby had fallen from the second story without anyone seeing her. The frightening fall earned Penny a nomination for the 2020 Hambone Award.

After searching her entire home, Alyson eventually saw Penny under a bush. Panicked, she ran outside to rescue the injured cat.

“She was limping a little bit, so I immediately took her to the vet,” Alyson recalls. “Since Isaac had just passed, it was a really emotional time for me.”

They rushed to Cote Animal Hospital in San Diego, Calif., where Penny received stellar care from the staff there.

“They did a few X-rays and determined that she wasn’t seriously injured. She was prescribed some pain medicine and was basically fine the next day,” says Alyson.

Alyson is glad she enrolled in Nationwide pet insurance through her employer.

“I had always lived with animals but many had pre-existing conditions so I didn’t know if I would able to be covered,” she says. “Once a policy became available that covered more for my cats, I got it right away.”

Based on this experience with Penny and as a long-time cat owner, Alyson recommends always doing a head count of your pets, just to be sure. “If I hadn’t noticed she wasn’t in the house, it might have taken a while for me to realize she was missing. Always be aware of where they are and that they are okay,” she advises. “And have emergency numbers close by.”