Cat people: window treatments?

[Becky]

DH and I are in the process of "freshening up" the living and dining rooms in our house (if only I could pick out a paint color!). When we moved in 8 years ago, we put up roman shades for privacy and light filtering (not actual darkness). Although I continue to love the look, they're really not the right choice for active people who have pets, an old house, and are not Martha Stewart. In particular, the cats have done a number on the ones that hang in their favorite windows as they push around them to gaze outside. I've considered faux wood blinds, but Auric has been known to go through a slatted blind, rather than around it. If he breaks an expensive blind, I will be forced to eat him.

Please give me your ideas for simply-styled, easy-to-clean, cat-resistant window treatments. Many thanks!

[Bethany1]

Not really sure I have an answer. In my huge front window I have sheer curtains in the middle with heavy curtains on the side. They move the heavy curtains out of the way to sit on the end tables to look out. I don't have window sills for them to actually sit in as the house wasn't designed that way but they love the side windows open and enjoy the breeze.

I have roller blinds in my bedroom which helps. I just roll them up and they can look out all day.

But if you are looking for shades that stay down all day to filter the light, I don't know of an easy answer.

[jessmarimba]

I have roller blinds on the windows they can't get to (no sills, or no nearby furniture). The rest either have nothing or heavy washable drapes. Blinds with any kinds of cords can't be used at my house!

[OakLeaf]

What about vertical blinds? I don't have cats, but any animal would be hard pressed to climb the inexpensive plastic vertical blinds that we have. They might bat the ends around, but no more than the wind does if we open the window without retracting the blinds.

[Becky]

Thanks for the feedback so far. I should add that we have radiators with large wooden covers under each window. The cats looooooooove to sit on the covers, warm their butts, and gaze outside. Because of the radiators, I'm leaning away from drapes.

Roller blinds might be an option. Any suggestions for quality blinds that clean up nicely?

[lph]

I can't help but think, every time I see this thread title, how much the sight of a cat improves any window

Sorry, that wasn't much help.

[Bethany1]

I got mine at JCPenney. Mine had to be custom fit to the window, but they are easy to clean. Just don't get fancy fringe..my cats like to eat it. I know they weren't cheap (not terrible either) but they work great since they actually go all the way up to the top and it's been about 4 years since I've had them.

Yeah, I wouldn't want curtains around the heaters. You could put a really nice valence (sp) on the top to finish up the look if you use blinds of some kind. I have a cheapie lace one from Wal-Mart over my kitchen sink so the window doesn't look bare and the cats sit on the fridge to look out.

[Becky]

I got mine at JCPenney. Mine had to be custom fit to the window, but they are easy to clean. Just don't get fancy fringe..my cats like to eat it. I know they weren't cheap (not terrible either) but they work great since they actually go all the way up to the top and it's been about 4 years since I've had them.

Yeah, I wouldn't want curtains around the heaters. You could put a really nice valence (sp) on the top to finish up the look if you use blinds of some kind. I have a cheapie lace one from Wal-Mart over my kitchen sink so the window doesn't look bare and the cats sit on the fridge to look out.

I didn't think to check there- good idea! I like the idea of the valences to dress up the room, and I love the mental image of the cats sitting on the fridge!

[badger]

I'm in the exact same boat as you. The vertical blinds I have have this 1' strip of dark band at the bottom where the cats have rubbed against to access the windows.

I'm going to get the cheapest plastic vertical blinds because they have a smooth, flat surface that you can wipe rather than the faux-fabric type material I have now that won't relinquish the fur and collect dirt. I've also taken off the links at the bottom that keep them together - they were coming out and looking so ratty and unkempt. It's hard to keep a clean home when you have pets!

[Possegal]

I can't help but think, every time I see this thread title, how much the sight of a cat improves any window

Sorry, that wasn't much help.

My favorite part of the end of my work day is when I pull up in front of my house, I see my two kitties sitting on the back of the love seat and looking out the window. They are a floor above me, but when they see me, they sit upright quickly, and usually then go running down to the door. I love that sight!

I just have really nice mini-blinds in most of my windows. I pull them up in the daytime, sometimes just enough for a cat to fit in them, on nice days much higher. They don't seem to bother them when they aren't pulled up, but they are a good quality and I don't think I'd notice. The basement has plastic ones in them (there when I bought the house) and I noticed bits and pieces on the floor not long after getting these two cats a year or so ago. I finally noticed that there was a nice chunk of area where there are now no pieces of blinds. And that space just so happens to be about the size of a cat and about the height of a cat sitting on the ledge. Good thing those blinds are cheap and those cats are cute!

I have these in my bedroom and they get way dirtier than I thought they would. I wouldn't do them again and look forward to replacing them actually. http://www.nextdayblinds.com/product_savannah.asp

[indysteel]

In my former house, I had white one-inch wood blinds in all of the windows. Most of my windows were floor to ceiling more or less, and I would raise the blinds just high enough for the cats to see out. I dusted them with a Swiffer duster every couple of weeks.

We have drapes and sheers in our current house. Thankfully, the cats leave them alone. There are several windows that they can look out that have no coverings on them. We have a small table in front of another window that is the near-constant perch of one of the cats. She parts the sheers so that she can look out. Like Possegal, seeing her sitting there as I/we come home is a joy. She likes to roll around and paw at the window when she sees us.

[spokewench]

I have blinds in all my windows - but I have to admit, I HARDLY EVER put my blinds down unless I am getting dressed in my bedroom, etc. So, it is not a problem. My cat sits in my front bedroom window and those blinds are always up unless someone is staying over and sleeping there. And, he goes in the back window but again, I just don't pull my blinds closed much. Usually if I do, it is at night and the cat really doesn't go up on the windowsill in the evening; only once it is light.

[Maye]

At home I have white wood blinds and in their preferred windows I usually leave the blinds up.

Oh Becky, please don't eat Auric the cat ;-)

[Becky]

Thanks for all of the feedback! It sounds like blinds are worth a try with the terrible twosome. Leaving the blinds/shades up or the windows uncovered isn't really an option due to the amount of foot and vehicle traffic on our street.

I love seeing the kitties in the window when I come home. Auric will sit at the window nearest the driveway and yowl when he sees the car or bike! (Yep, he's our troublemaker.)

[Koronin]

Can't really help. The mini blinds we had at the old house the cats destroyed. They went right through them to get into the window and those ended up broken. With drapes they just move move them with their claws, so we ended up with claw holes (tiny holes, but they were there) in the area where they moved them so they sit in the window. This house we have the larger wooden type "mini" blinds which the cats haven't messed with.