Window coverings are one of those home décor items you want to invest in for the long run. Your cat might think differently. Risking your feline friend getting too cozy with the edges or tangled up in the cords is definitely something you want to avoid. Does that mean that cat needs to hit the road? Of course not! Fear not cat lovers, you’ll be happy to know that there are cat proof blinds that will keep your blinds intact and your furry friend safe.
Just like no two kittens are the same, cat proof blinds are available in different styles and materials. To help you choose the purr-fect blinds and shades for your home, we’ve scratched together a guide to choosing the best cat proof shades that are both stylish and pet-practical.
What Are Cat Proof Blinds?
Cat proof blinds, also known as cat friendly blinds or blinds cats can’t destroy, are window coverings designed to withstand the curious claws and playful antics of our felines. These durable blinds are made to withstand common cat interactions. These may include:
- Scratches and tears on fabric or slats
- Bent or misshapen blinds from climbing or playing
- Cords that can tangle around cats, posing a safety risk
- Shredded or frayed edges from persistent scratching
- Stains or odors from cat urine or spray marking
Bless those curious critters. There are more challenges to keeping your blinds and cats apart then you might expect! Fortunately, there are blinds that are built with durable materials and features that discourage cats from damaging them. Cordless window coverings will also keep your pet safe from potential hazards.
Whether you call them cat proof shades, cat safe blinds, or pet proof blinds, these window treatments offer a stylish and practical solution for households with meddlesome kittens.
The Benefits of Cat Friendly Blinds
These pet proof blinds offer a practical solution to the challenges of maintaining beautiful window treatments in a household with cats, allowing you to enjoy the best of both worlds.
- Protect your window treatments from scratches, tears, and other cat-related damage, saving you money on replacements and repairs.
- Keep your cat or kitten safe from the dangers of dangling cords, which can pose a risk of entanglement or strangulation.
- Maintain a stylish and cohesive look in your home with durable, cat proof blinds that complement your décor and architectural style.
- Enjoy peace of mind knowing that your blinds are designed with your cat’s safety and your home’s aesthetic in mind.
- Spend less time and effort cleaning and maintaining your blinds, thanks to the durable, pet-friendly materials.
- Provide a comfortable and enriching environment, with window coverings that allow them to safely observe the outside world.
Cat Friendly Window Treatments
Cordless Blinds
Cordless Blinds eliminate the traditional dangling cords that can pose a risk to curious cats. These blinds operate using a spring-loaded or tension-based system, allowing you to raise and lower them with a simple push or pull. This cordless design keeps your cat safe from entanglement and creates a cleaner, clutter-free look for your windows. Clutter-free so you won’t have to be critter-free!
Motorized Blinds
For the ultimate convenience and cool factor, motorized blinds are a great choice for cat owners. These high-tech window treatments can be operated with a remote control, smartphone app, or even voice commands through smart home systems. Motorized Blinds allow you to adjust your window coverings without manually handling them, which can be helpful if your cat likes to stake out the window sill. They are also naturally cordless, making them a safe choice for households with cats.
Beyond just pet-friendly features, Motorized Blinds offer a range of benefits for homeowners. They can be programmed to open and close on a schedule, helping to regulate your home’s temperature and save energy.
The Best Blinds for Cat Owners
Enough about function. Which style should you go with to keep your home and kitty purring? When selecting the best blinds for your home, cat owners should look for durability, ease of cleaning, and resistance to damage. Here are my top three choices for pet owners.
Best window treatments for cat owners, compared
| Product | Why it works for cats | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Faux wood blinds | Durable, scratch-resistant, easy to wipe clean | Windowsill perchers and scratchers |
| Roller shades | Flat surface, fewer edges to claw, low-maintenance | Minimalist, low-snag window coverings |
| Cordless cellular shades | No dangling cord to chew or play with, soft surface | Households prioritizing safety and insulation |
| Motorized blinds | Removes cords and wands entirely | Cats that actively play with cord and wand controls |
Faux Wood Blinds
Faux Wood Blinds are excellent for anyone seeking a durable and timeless window treatment. Made from composite materials, these blinds mimic the look of real wood while offering superior resistance to scratches and humid areas. The smooth, wipeable surface of Faux Wood Blinds makes them easy to clean in case of any cat-related messes.
Roller Shades
These streamlined window coverings can operate with a simple cordless mechanism, minimizing the potential for cat-related damage. The sleek fabric of roller shades provides fewer edges and surfaces for cats to claw or play with, making them a low-maintenance choice for pet-friendly homes. Choose between a light filtering or room darkening fabric to give your pet more privacy (or not).
Venetian Blinds
For those who prefer a classic look, Venetian Blinds are a stylish and sturdy choice. This can refer to any blinds with horizontal slats in various materials. More specifically, for pet owners, this includes aluminum and PVC, which are both durable and easy to clean. The tight, overlapping construction of Venetian blinds makes them resistant to cat claws and helps maintain their shape over time. Not our top pick, but a great choice regardless.
Which blinds can cats not destroy?
Durability comes down to two things: a surface claws cannot grip, and a material that will not bend or tear. Faux wood and vinyl win on both counts, since the hard, slick slats give nothing to hook into and wipe clean of fur in seconds. Aluminum minis sit at the other end, because a determined cat bends the thin slats into an origami mess that never straightens out.
Fabric behaves differently. A roller shade has no slats to climb and most cats simply duck underneath it, though a stretching cat can leave pinholes in a lightweight fabric, so choose a tougher weave. Vertical treatments handle cats surprisingly well, because a cat pushes between the vanes and they swing right back into place. Better still, a damaged vane replaces individually instead of forcing a whole new blind. Shutters are the most cat-resistant of all, with no fabric, no cords, and nothing loose to bat at. Compare vertical blinds and shutters if your cat is especially determined.
One material to skip: woven wood and bamboo. The texture reads like a hanging scratching post to most cats.
How do you give a cat a window without sacrificing the blinds?
Most window damage is a cat trying to reach the view, so giving them a legitimate way to see out solves the problem at its root. Designate one window as the cat’s window and leave it bare or fit it with a treatment you can raise fully from the bottom, then cover the rest of the house normally.
A top-down/bottom-up shade is the elegant version of this trick. Lower the top for light and a view up high, keep the bottom closed for privacy, and the cat gets a sunbeam without touching the fabric. Adding a perch or a sill cushion at that window makes it the preferred spot. Our top-down/bottom-up options work well for this, and mounting shades inside the frame stops a cat squeezing behind the fabric to get at the glass.
How to Keep Cats Out Of Blinds
Even with cat proof blinds, some felines may still be tempted to play with or scratch at your window coverings. Here’s are a few ideas that may prevent your cats from tampering with your new blinds to protect your investment.
Offer alternative scratching surfaces
Cats have a natural instinct to scratch, so providing them with dedicated scratching posts or pads can help redirect their claws away from your blinds. Try placing scratching posts near your windows to give the cat a convenient alternative. Something that’s not your blinds, like sisal rope or corrugated cardboard.
Use double-sided tape on blind slats
Sneak some double-sided tape along the edges of your blind slats to deter their curiosity. Cats hate a sticky surface. They’ll soon learn to steer clear of the taped areas. Obviously, we suggest for tape that won’t harm your cats or the surface of your blinds. Replace when necessary.
Install window perches or shelves
Giving your cat a designated spot to perch and watch the world go by can help keep them away from your blinds. They love to get high. Install a window perch or shelf near the window, making sure it’s sturdy and secure. This will provide your cat with a comfortable vantage point and reduce interest in other, blinds-related things.
Use pet-safe deterrent sprays
Find a pet-safe deterrent spray. These sprays have smells that are often unappealing to pets, like citrus or menthol. Always follow the product instructions and test the spray on a small, inconspicuous area of your blinds first to ensure it doesn’t cause any damage.
Trim your cat’s claws regularly
Keeping your cat’s claws trimmed can help minimize damage to your blinds and other household items. Regular trimming also helps prevent painful snags or tears that can occur when a cat’s claws become too long. We recommend consulting a veterinarian or professional groomer first.
The Best Cat Proof Blinds for Your Home
When it comes to choosing the best cat proof blinds for your home, durability, safety, and style are key. Cordless or motorized products are a must! At Blindsgalore, we offer a wide selection of cat proof blinds to suit every home and budget. Browse our cat proof blind options today and discover the perfect window treatments for your home.
Ready to cat-proof your windows? Browse our faux wood blinds or order up to 10 free samples to test durability before you buy. Love your view.
Faux wood, vinyl, and shutters hold up best, since hard slick surfaces give claws nothing to grip and will not bend. Vertical treatments also do well because vanes swing back into place and replace individually.
Yes, better than most people expect. A cat pushes between the vanes rather than climbing them, and the vanes fall back into position. Individual vanes can be replaced if one gets damaged.
Skip lightweight aluminum minis, which bend permanently, and woven wood or bamboo, which most cats treat as a scratching surface. Long corded lifts and puddled fabric are worth avoiding too.
Cordless or motorized is the safest choice, since a dangling cord is both a toy and a tangle risk for a cat. Cord-free lifts also remove the part cats damage most.
Faux wood blinds and roller shades hold up best against cat scratching. Faux wood resists claw marks better than fabric, and roller shades have a flat surface with fewer edges for cats to grip and claw.
Yes. Dangling cords are a strangulation and chewing hazard for cats and other pets, not just children, which is part of why cordless and motorized options are the standard recommendation.
Fabric-based window treatments like roman shades are more vulnerable to claw snags than faux wood blinds or roller shades, so households with active climbers or scratchers may want a harder-surface product for cat-accessible windows.
Yes. Motorized blinds remove the dangling cord and wand that cats are often drawn to play with, reducing both the safety risk and the wear on the product.