Cat scratches on screens

kozhi

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We have two 9 yr old, neutered outside cats that we resqued from an abandoned house when they were about a year old. We live in the country - they hunt on the property, don't roam far, and are well fed. One of them scratches on the screens outside our kitchen window - he first began doing this whenever it was time to eat (obviously he was telling us he was hungry). But it seems that more & more he does it at random times. He has never come in the house, so I don't think that's what he wants. Also, he is the shyer of the two, and it's only been in the last year or so that he's even let us get very near to him (they were both obviously abused as kittens and it took a long time for them to stop running from us whenever we would go outside). He's already ruined one set of screens which I just had replaced - now he's started on these. Does anyone know of anything that I could put on the screens, or on the sidewalk under the screens, to deter this cat, and that will last more than a few minutes?
 

lotsocats

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You can buy a plastic shield or pet bars to put up over the screens. These would be the best protection for the screens.

Also, you can put potted plants or other barriers on the ground in front of the window so that he can't leap up into the window.

You can spray with a citrus scented spray, but being outside, the scent will likely fade away too quickly.

Finally, you can replace the screen with a heavy-duty pet screen. This pet screen material worked wonders in my old house...my cats would do flying leaps onto the screens so they could catch the moths at night...once we put up pet screens, we never had another tear or hole.

I want to commend you for capturing and neutering these previously unloved cats and for giving them a safe place to live.
 
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kozhi

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Thanks lotsacats for the quick response and multiple suggestions to my problem. The heavy-duty pet screen sounds very promising and I think I might try this.
 

debra myers

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Kozhi - How wonderful that you rescued these two loveable boys! Big thumbs up to you for doing that!

We use plexiglass over one screen area that our critters seem to scratch at - it fixed out problem - but as it was only on the lower 1/2 of the door, it did not affect our ability to get fresh air. I think that the pet screen is the way to go for you and the guys!
Good luck - how about a pic or two of these guys for us to drool over? PLLLLLEEEAAASSSEEEEE???????
 
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kozhi

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Thank you debra myers for another good suggestion. Sorry, I don't have a picture available - we usually only taken videos of the outside animals. If I can "capture" both in a quiet moment, I'll try to get one though.
 
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