Cats and window coverigns - HELP!

Hi everyone,

I have three cats, all indoor and all with their claws (my first cats with front claws). They have destroyed almost all my metal and plastic window blinds (don't get me started on my furniture!). I now have some of those temporary paper blinds on a number of my windows and they of course are destroying those.

I have a limited budget but does anyone have some suggestions on the best types of window coverings for when you own cats? What can withstand their assaults best?

Thanks

Kathy

The only thing i have ever seen to stop this type of assault is pretty spending. It is a double paned window with the blinds between the panes! Invented by a cat lover no doubt. My blinds have a nice little square taken out of them, courtesy of the cats.

The furniture problem is relatively easy. Make a trip to a goodwill store, get an older sturdy armchair and make that the designated scratching post for your cats. It works well and keeps your other furniture intact. Also tall and sturdy cat condos and scratching posts work well-

I don't know. They have lots of scratchign posts and boxes and houses. They will scratch the furniture by choice even with getign yelled at and sprayed with water adn prised when thy scratch what I want them to scratch. And one likes wood furniture. Sigh. That hurts.

I was wondering if roller blinds stand up better or perhaps shutters though that will be expensive.

Oh and I also bought the Feliway plug in and have been using that. Doesn't seem to cut back on their scratching.

I have always had luck with plastic vertical blinds. Easy for the cat to get behind, and easy for the blinds to drop back in place once said cat is done.

I agree that the plastic ones hold up better to the kitties' antics. Raising them during the hours that the cats spend the most time in the windows might help too. One big reminder to everyone with blinds is to be very careful with the strings. I live in an apartment where someone tied them all together at the bottom. Once, Willow jumped out of the window and got caught. I turned around and saw her hanging there, with her neck against the knot at the bottom. Scared me to death! I used masking tape on all of the strings for the blinds so that there wouldn't be any area big enough for her head to fit through.

Have you read the Behavior section (click the Behavior button at top of the page) and read the article on problem scratching.

Maybe a lemon scented air freshener in the windows to repell them?

I have plastic blinds and cotton curtains in my room, and I haven't had a problem with the cats. The heavy drapes in the living room are the ones that get abused all the time. (I think because there's such resistance in the fabric. It would probably feel the same as scratching a chair or couch.) I like the plastic blinds and cotton curtains because they're cheap. It was around 10 dollars for the blinds and 15 for the curtains per window, so if they do get distroyed I won't panic about the cost to replace them.

I also agree with Hissy. My computer chair (an old wingback) is the only scratching post the cats will use in my house, and they leave the rest of the furniture alone.

You might also want to try reading this thread (click here).

If the scratching is really out of control, you can try softpaws (www.softpaws.com) to blunt their claws so they can't damage furniture (they'll still be able to break your blinds, though) while you train them which surfaces are acceptable for scratching. If you're interested in trying the softpaws, try calling around to different vets and groomers - some sell them and can apply them for you the first time, to show you how to do it.

For the blinds, I just keep mine pulled all the way up (be sure to tuck away the strings for safety) and use lightweight, cheap curtains on the windows.

Dakota has been merciless with my blinds. Most of them are open now. And most have some sort of bend and/or bite marks. My windows are double pained...it was funny when I first closed that 2nd pane and left blinds up. She learned pretty quick that she couldn't launch herself onto the window with blazing speed.

It's a good thing my mother works at Lowe's. I can get a discount on new blinds if I don't renew my apartment lease.