Cats are wonderful parts of our lives, and they bring us so much joy and fun. However, they can also be destructive, unintentionally, often due to boredom, frustration, or lack of environmental enrichment and stimulation. They are particularly known for the great dislike that they seem to have of blinds.
While we use blinds to keep out prying eyes or block out light, cats want to have open access to the window, and the blinds are in their way, or they simply want to play with them. Most cats are wily enough to find a way onto the windowsill, anyway, but it isn’t uncommon for this to result in damage to your blinds. Fortunately, there are a few things that you can try to keep your cat from breaking the blinds.
On the other hand, blinds may also pose a significant health risk to your cat, from them getting stuck between slats to more serious injuries from the cord, due to chewing or swallowing parts of the cord, with the risk of causing a gastrointestinal blockage, or strangulation if the cord gets wrapped around the feline’s neck.
The 4 Tips to Keep Your Cat From Breaking Your Blinds
1. Give Them a Window
Setting aside a window in your home that is your cat’s special window can help save your blinds everywhere else. Choose a window that your cat can access easily and that you won’t mind keeping the blinds pulled up most of the time. You can make your cat’s window extra cozy by adding a window perch so your cat can take a nap when they get tired from watching the neighbors.
2. Protect the Blinds
Plan ways to keep your blinds safe. Closing doors to rooms that aren’t currently in use can help protect your blinds by keeping your cat only in areas of the house that people are physically in, so everyone can keep a better eye on the cat. Keeping the blinds slightly raised in windows that your cat can access easily will help protect them, but this will require you to keep track of opening and closing them in the morning and evening.
3. Deter Your Cat
There are a few deterrents you can use to keep your cat away from the blinds. Physical barriers are one way you can deter your cat, whether you’re using furniture or décor to block access or keeping areas of the home closed off. You can also use deterrent sprays or natural remedies near the blinds, like citrus and orange peels, but they may not be as effective, and some cats may try to chew them, which should be avoided. Never use essential oils, as they are highly toxic to cats. These options aren’t feasible for some areas of the home and may not be ideal with small children around. Tinfoil or double-sided tape on the windowsill can also keep your cat away.
One of our preferred scratchers, the Hepper Hi-Lo Modern Cat Scratcher, is a surefire way to keep your kitty out of trouble (or at least away from scratching the things they should not!). It's not only stylish, but it's functional as well. It's made of sturdy cardboard with a durable plywood and metal frame and can be set up in three different ways – high, low, or lower. The different positions encourage maximum engagement, exercise and stretching, and of course, intense scratching (they can throw their whole body into it).
With the Hepper Hi-Lo, your cat gets to have a blast scratching like a maniac, and you don't have to worry about them causing so much chaos or scratching your stuff. There are even replacement cardboard pieces available, so you really can let your cat go to town on this, and know that it will be long lasting. Click here to learn more about this awesome scratcher. At Catster, we’ve admired Hepper for many years, and decided to take a controlling ownership interest, so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!
4. Increase Playtime With Your Cat
By playing with your cat more frequently or for longer periods, you will make things in the house more interesting. By increasing interest and fun indoors, your cat will not want to spend as much time jumping up and down on the windowsill. Allowing your cat to look out the windows is a healthy activity that can stimulate your cat mentally, but playing with your cat and providing interesting toys can stimulate your cat mentally and physically. It also improves the bond between the two of you.
The Easiest Solution
If you’re looking for an immediate solution to keeping your cat from breaking your blinds, the simplest thing to do is raise the blinds. As long as your cat isn’t attempting to jump onto or climb your blinds, opening the blinds high enough for your cat to sit in the window should be a quick remedy. If it’s feasible for the blinds to stay somewhat raised all the time, this could be a permanent solution for your situation. You can even install a valance or small curtain on a tension rod in the lower portion of the window, protecting your blinds and blocking the window without your cat losing access; however, some cats may play with the curtain.
Cat-Friendly Alternatives
- Vertical Blinds: Determined cats can break these blinds by chewing, climbing or batting them, but it’s less likely than slat blinds. These blinds still block your windows, but they enable your cat to slip between the slats without damage. However, the wand controls and cords should be secured as they may pose a safety risk.
- Interior Blinds: Interior blinds are built in between window panels, so there is no direct external access to the blinds themselves. They are controlled in a similar way to slat blinds, but your cat won’t be able to tear them up. You’ll need to make sure any pulls are out of the way, though, so your cat can’t get tangled in them.
- Roller Blinds: These blinds have a solid piece of sturdy fabric that rolls up and down on a pole. These blinds won’t allow your cat to slip between slats, but they will still be able to claw at the fabric and damage it, particularly if thin.
- Roman Shades: Similar in function to roller blinds, Roman shades are made of thick fabric. They are raised and lowered by blind pulls, and they bunch at the top of the window as slat blinds do. However, the materials they are made of make them resistant to being broken by cats. However, the fabric is susceptible to damage from cats, and if they have cords, these should be secured.
- Wood Blinds: Wood and faux wood blinds are typically sturdy enough to withstand the abuse your cat throws at them. They are thicker and more difficult to break than most aluminum and plastic blinds, and if the main way your cat is breaking the blinds is just by jumping up and down on the windowsill, these blinds may be a good solution. However, they may still suffer damage from chewing, scratching, or attacking the cords.
- Interior Shutters: Although an unconventional option, interior shutters can fit in perfectly with many types of home décor, from modern to farmhouse and Cape Cod. They enable you to easily block access to the window with a sturdy physical deterrent. Many interior shutters can be opened and closed like doors, as well as like blinds, so you can shut them across the windows but still provide access to let light in.
No window covering is completely cat-proof, but these options are generally more durable, safer, and less tempting for cats than traditional slat blinds.
Conclusion
Keeping your blinds safe from your cat will take some effort on your part, but it is worth it to maintain your home. If you are in a rental, you may lose your deposit if your cat tears up your blinds. If you own your home, maintaining your window treatments doesn’t just improve the aesthetics of your home, but it also saves you money in the long run. With only a few simple steps, you can keep your blinds safe and keep the environment fun and enriching for your cat.
- Related Read: How to Cat Proof Blinds: 7 Helpful Tips to Try Today
Featured Image Credit By: vicran, Pixabay
The 4 Tips to Keep Your Cat From Breaking Your Blinds
