Question about removable window screens

We are moving in a month to an apartment in a big, old house. I believe the windows on the place are still original, and there are no screens/storms at this time (I'm hoping the landlord adds them soon!). Just basically the glass windows that slide up and down. I think some also open out.


I have to get into the apartment again before I can really figure out solutions for the cats, but my mom has mentioned getting the portable screens that you can get at the hardware store that just sit in the window and are held in by the pressure of the window being pulled down on top of it.

My concern with these are....what if the cats leaned against these? Would it be possible for them to push it out? And then if they did, would the window just slam shut, and possibly on top of the cat? I have no experience with older windows....I'm guessing maybe they hold themselves in place so that "slamming" doesn't occur. But, are the screens held in place tightly enough that they wouldn't come out if leaned/pushed against?

I know there are a bunch of other options, but I will have to wait until April when the current tenants move out to really take a good look at the place and all the little details you don't think about upon initial viewing!

We had an apartment that was similar quite a few years ago. We just had to wait for the LL to put screens on. My experience with those screens you can buy at the hardware store was that they were kind of a "reinforcement", not supposed to be the screen themselves. My friend who had them used them in front of the fabric screens she had. In fact I'm thinking of picking up a couple for myself now, since our house has fabric screens.

Yes, there are tougher screens meant to deter pets.

The issue of the windows slamming down is one just as likely to hurt a human as a cat (as my knuckles found out once). If the windows aren't staying in place when opened, you should get your landlord to fix them.

Most of the old houses around here have counterweights in the window frames. It's basically a heavy weight that attaches to the window by a rope. Said rope then goes over a pulley and disappears into the window casing where the counterweight is hidden away. When the counterweight is attached, the window stays open on its own. Over time the ropes tend to fray and break though, so you won't know until you check out the window. There are lots of possible workarounds, but until you take a good look there are so many variables it would be hard to suggest any solutions.

they sell screens that also have a metal in front of the screen..its not going to let much air in but bettter then nothing. they are about a foot tall. also look into putting a window fan in if its just for fresh air...could leave fan off and put up a chair/cat tree for cats entertainment purposes. my cats got over the fear of fan a week after moving into the house i lived at before(built in 30s and only a few trustable screens)

Originally Posted by Grogs

Most of the old houses around here have counterweights in the window frames. It's basically a heavy weight that attaches to the window by a rope. Said rope then goes over a pulley and disappears into the window casing where the counterweight is hidden away. When the counterweight is attached, the window stays open on its own. Over time the ropes tend to fray and break though, so you won't know until you check out the window. There are lots of possible workarounds, but until you take a good look there are so many variables it would be hard to suggest any solutions.

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I lived in a house built in 1884 that had these types of windows when we first moved in. Some of the windows were extremely easy to open and close, and others got sticky. I would worry about putting a screen insert on a window that was easy to open and close, as you can just barely touch it and it goes up, letting the screen fall out.

You could ask the landlord to put a normal screen into a frame for some of your windows. It would be safer that way.