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Suggestions to keep cat out of window sills?

post #1 of 16
5/9/10 at 9:13pm
Thread Starter 
The problem is that our cats enjoy getting into the windows that happen to be located on each side of our TV. To get to them they have to jump onto the TV stand which very much upsets my husband. They also tend to unplug things when they are back there and hubby gets very annoyed if his Xbox or Playstation gets unplugged. The other day hubby tried getting Kiki out of the window and he barely tapped the window and it shattered. It's going to cost around $250.00 to replace. We don't get to choose who does the work...we just get to pay. This made my husband even more unhappy with the cats.

I have tried the plastic carpet protector stuff with the pointy side up, but that didn't deter them at all. I have also tried double sided sticky tape and tinfoil to no avail.

I have no other windows facing that direction that I can offer them. Any other ideas?
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post #2 of 16
5/9/10 at 9:53pm
Try giving them another way to get to the window, like something else to jump from. Cats just love windowsills too much. It's like putting a pie in the window and not expecting someone to steal it .
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post #3 of 16
5/10/10 at 1:11am
I would just move the tv Cats love windows and since it's the only one facing that direction I'd let them have it
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post #4 of 16
5/10/10 at 10:41am
Agree with the above - move the TV if you can. Or just keep the windows closed - our cats don't get up in the window sills unless the window is open - if its closed there is no room for them to sit up there.
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post #5 of 16
5/10/10 at 12:04pm
If you can't move the TV, is there space to provide them with other ways to get up to the window sills? A cat condo? A small cat tree? A rubber maid box? Can the wires BEHIND the TV be covered up with a rubbermaid box with holes cut in it - maybe move the TV out a little bit from the wall, put a tall plastic box down with holes cut in it for the wires - and then the cats now have an alternate way up to the window sills - and no plugs are being unplugged.
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post #6 of 16
5/10/10 at 9:57pm
You might have luck putting objects on the window sill to give them no space up there, but if they like it that much they might just shove them over. I've had luck with that sort of thing keeping my cats off my desk though.

If they like it that much, is there another place you could put the TV?
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post #7 of 16
5/10/10 at 11:53pm
I have to cater any home decor around my cat. Just a part of owning such a creature.
You can try ssscat, it may or may not work http://www.multivet.net/en/products/ssscat/
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post #8 of 16
5/11/10 at 3:06am
Cats do windows. That is like asking a monkey to stay out of a tree.

Your husband does not sound too tolerant of the kitties. That is a shame.

Like the other posters, can you move the tv? It might take a bit of effort and re routing wires, but would restore harmony, hopefully.

I hope you are advocating for the cats. They are only doing what they do.
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post #9 of 16
5/11/10 at 5:49am
I had to smile when I read the header to your post. Good luck with that!

Moving the tv, if you can, is probably your best bet. God forbid they should tip it over and get injured in the process. You can try to make other window spaces more appealing for them in the hope that they "camp out" there instead. I have lots of windows, but my Buddy seems to like the kitchen window (wide sill) the best. It looks out over the driveway (not very appealing, I would think!), but he loves it, probably because it gets a good deal of afternoon sun. And we have sliders too, so he really loves them!



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post #10 of 16
5/11/10 at 6:38am
I am so nervous about my cats falling out the windows that we cut a piece of cardboard that uses up the space at the bottom of the window (probably a little more then half) so that they can't get into it at all but we can still open them. Years ago our Jasmine fell out not once but twice from our second story window and landed in the bushes on the ground floor. She was fine but now I stress when they want to go up there. I make sure all windows are closed when we go out.
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post #11 of 16
5/11/10 at 4:12pm
Thread Starter 
Moving the TV is not an option and I never open the windows. I actually can't get to them well enough to open them they are all but blocked except for kitties to get to. We have wide window sills and I guess they enjoy the sun. They have destroyed the blinds which I have to replace...not to mention the window.

I can't pull the TV out from the wall b/c our living room is very small, and as it is our Great Dane's cage takes up over half.

I guess I'll just keep trying to find a way to keep them out. They have plenty of other spaces to climb and hide in and I let them in my oldest daughter's bedroom to lay in the sun. I don't really know what the attractoin to these particular windows is, but it must be pretty good.
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post #12 of 16
5/11/10 at 4:49pm
Do they have easy access to any other windows? If they really like these in particular, I would make it easier for them to enjoy the window without destroying things. You can place boards around the cord area of the TV, also gathering them so they aren't loose and distracting. build a ramp to the window and maybe a window perch, leave an area where the curtain is slightly open for them. It's a shame your husband is so annoyed at the kitties, all for his gaming. Shattering a window is a bit extreme, it takes more then a tap.
I really suggest creating a happy solution for both
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post #13 of 16
5/13/10 at 6:56am
Hmmm... I don't understand how it is that the cats caused the glass to break in the window??? Could you explain that to me? Sounds like the glass had a flaw in it. You can also get a power strip and cover that up or use a length of pipe insulation to bundle and wrap the power cords so they are less likely to pull them out of the wall.

Are the blinds mini-blinds? Horizontal instead of vertical? Yeah... cats will damage those. See if you can get verticals that move independent of one another at the bottom. That will make it easier for the cats to get in and out and they are less likely to destroy them.

Why does it bother hubby that the cats jump on the TV stand? Sounds like he is not very fond of the cats.
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post #14 of 16
5/13/10 at 3:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by AddieBee View Post
Hmmm... I don't understand how it is that the cats caused the glass to break in the window??? Could you explain that to me? Sounds like the glass had a flaw in it.
Her husband went to tap the glass to scare kitties out of window and it shattered.
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post #15 of 16
5/13/10 at 8:12pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by AddieBee View Post
Hmmm... I don't understand how it is that the cats caused the glass to break in the window??? Could you explain that to me? Sounds like the glass had a flaw in it. You can also get a power strip and cover that up or use a length of pipe insulation to bundle and wrap the power cords so they are less likely to pull them out of the wall.

Are the blinds mini-blinds? Horizontal instead of vertical? Yeah... cats will damage those. See if you can get verticals that move independent of one another at the bottom. That will make it easier for the cats to get in and out and they are less likely to destroy them.

Why does it bother hubby that the cats jump on the TV stand? Sounds like he is not very fond of the cats.
The mini blinds "are" horizontal. Sadly we are required to have them in the windows. They make all the housing units look "uniform".

Hubby doesn't want scratches on the TV stand nor for our plasma TV to be knocked off during their up and down jumping movements. I must say I don't cherish the idea of it being broken either.

No, he isn't overly fond of the kitties. He tolerates Whisper more than Kiki. Especially since Kiki started attacking our 2 year old without provication. I never leave her alone with the animals, but the other day the baby was crawling up onto the couch and Kiki was lounging on the top of it and out of nowhere she bit and scratched the baby. Needless to say hubby was not pleased.
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post #16 of 16
5/14/10 at 8:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by marinewife05 View Post
The mini blinds "are" horizontal. Sadly we are required to have them in the windows. They make all the housing units look "uniform".

Hubby doesn't want scratches on the TV stand nor for our plasma TV to be knocked off during their up and down jumping movements. I must say I don't cherish the idea of it being broken either.

No, he isn't overly fond of the kitties. He tolerates Whisper more than Kiki. Especially since Kiki started attacking our 2 year old without provication. I never leave her alone with the animals, but the other day the baby was crawling up onto the couch and Kiki was lounging on the top of it and out of nowhere she bit and scratched the baby. Needless to say hubby was not pleased.
I can understand about the TV - not cheap to replace. I don't recall, did you try double-sided tape and all those other aversives to jumping on that surface?

Wow... attacking the toddler. Hmmmm.... This came on all of a sudden? Never gone after the baby before? Hmmmm. Sounds like Kiki is afraid of the toddler or the toddler is startling her and she responds badly. Are you sure the baby hasn't pulled her tail or something and Kiki remembers? Not blaming the kid, of COURSE ... just wondering....

Maybe you have to "reintroduce" the baby and Kiki. Give Kiki treats in the child's presence. Take the baby's clothing and rub the smell on Kiki or put the baby's blanket under Kiki's food dish so she associates the child's smell with good things. I am sure you teach your child how to interact with animals. Feliway or Bach's Rescue Remedy may help ease any anxiety Kiki is feeling that might be causing her to lash out. If I can think of anything else, I will post back.
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