Window Blinds For Cat Owners

The Best Blinds Suited To Our Furry Friends

Colin The Cat is a feral beast tamed only by the promise of regular meals and belly-rubs, yet still as wild as they come when faced with a blind.

Daisy The Dog wouldn’t care: if the window’s covered, Daisy assumes the window and the world beyond has ceased to exist. Daisy doesn’t care. Colin, on the other hand, knows the window is behind the blind and is set on finding it (and using the blind as a scratching post at the same time).

Homeowners, also known as ‘Butlers’ by the cat community, have to think carefully about the type of window treatments they choose. Obviously, well behaved cats are excluded from this conversation and their owners can use any blind they like. Who’s a clever puddy cat?

To give a hand to those owners with dysfunctional, curious cats like Colin, we’ve listed all the types of blinds and given you a score for each.

Roller Blinds VS Cat

A cat's claws We suppose in theory a roller blind seems like a good idea; there aren’t any slats for the cat to try to climb through. However, cats can claw the fabric whilst chasing flies or stretching. This can leave little holes for the light to shine through. Another thing to consider is the type of fabric which could pick up loose cat fur as it brushes past. You may find yourself cleaning the blind more often than you want if your window sill is a moggie-highway.

If you choose a roller blind, be sure to install the child safety devices as this will also keep the chain out of reach of the cat. We think it will keep the cats away from the window, which is a plus, but it may get spiked by talons in the meantime.

4 Paws Out Of 5

Roller Blinds Get 4 Paws Out Of 5 rating as a blind for cat owners

Vertical Blinds VS Cat

Vertical blinds attract cats Dangling louvres (you know, those lengths of fabric with the weights on the bottom) look like great fun to a young cat, and so vertical blinds aren’t really the best blind for cat owners. Aside from the fact the cat will spend hours keeping the louvres swinging like a never-ending Newton’s Cradle, you’ll have to constantly reconnect them to the chain as it comes loose.

Again, the type of fabric used on a vertical blind can cause cat hair to stick to it, so we recommend using either a PVC based fabric or shaving your cat.

So, unless you’re willing to regularly fix and clean your vertical blind, these are probably the ones to avoid. But hey, vertical blinds are great for plenty of other things - take a look at this blog post!

2 Paws Out Of 5

Vertical blinds awarded 2 Paws Out Of 5

Venetian Blinds VS Cat

Cat's can't damage wooden venetian blinds Let’s just say metal venetian blinds aren’t quite up to the cat’s standards, and it will most likely end up getting bent out of shape after a while. If you can trust your cat to not bend the slats but you think it may be tempted to play with the cords, we recommend going for a child safe chain operation. This consolidates all of the movements of the venetian blind, such as raising, lowering and tilting, into one chain which is easily held out of the way by a plastic hook that holds the chain close to the wall (called a p-clip).

Wooden venetian blinds however, provide a very real solution to your feline problems. They are solid so they won’t bend, no matter how determined your cat is. They are easy to clean and heavier than aluminium venetian blinds so there isn’t much chance of the cat getting between the slats and the window.