Cat proof Window blinds?

salemwitchchild

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Puff has totally annihilated our blinds. Their the plastic kind you get at walmart. Anyone know of different type of shades that are not as easily destroyed? Puff keeps poking his head through them which makes them break off. He was hanging from them this morning because he was attacking a fly.
Needless to say they need to be replaced very soon. But with what? If I buy the same thing they'd certainly have the same fate. What other alternatives are there?
 

gingersmom

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Inexpensive options? None.

Expensive options: Many.

I really like the window blinds that are made from real wood - they give windows a classy look, IMO. But you have to go to a window coverings specialty place.
 

arlyn

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None are cat proof, but some are cat resistant

I agree with wood, but vertical would also work.
The only blinds that really are cat proof are the kind that are between glass panes on new windows.
 
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salemwitchchild

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What about bamboo ones? I'm looking on ebay. The cheapest I've saw wood blinds for are $60. Considering we rent and the blinds would have to stay when we leave I think hubby won't go for that.
 

arlyn

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Bamboo are more easily destroyed than vinyl.
I would say look for vinyl or aluminum vertical blinds.
 

littleraven7726

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We rent, so we've replaced plastic blinds with plastic ones. My favorite are vertical blinds--they can be closed but the cat can still get in and look out. I've never had to replace those. Our favorite apartments have had them.

One of our windows has plastic horizontal blinds, so I always keep them open a minimum of 3.5 inches. We also got panel curtains for that window, so the blind is down to 3.5 inches, but we can still close the curtain 99% of the way (leaving a small opening for kitty at night). This is what we do. After many sets of demolished blinds, it works best for us.

My cats are masters at mangling blinds. I still remember Nabu cramming himself through the middle of one set, just to make a point (I was watching him). I couldn't be mad, I was laughing too hard. My cats even started messing up my MIL's metal ones when we lived there. So I think horizontal blinds are just bad.
When we own our own home, we won't have them.
 

mskitty666

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Definitely always leave an opening for kitty to see out. We rent as well and the first thing we did was raise the blinds all the way up then hang our curtains. The cats always have access to the windows and we always have privacy. If you decide to get curtains make sure to leave gaps until they learn where the parts are. Also many rental communities require window coverings to have a white background.
 

pinkrhinos4

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Originally Posted by SalemWitchChild

Puff has totally annihilated our blinds. Their the plastic kind you get at walmart. Anyone know of different type of shades that are not as easily destroyed? Puff keeps poking his head through them which makes them break off. He was hanging from them this morning because he was attacking a fly.
Needless to say they need to be replaced very soon. But with what? If I buy the same thing they'd certainly have the same fate. What other alternatives are there?
If you have an Ikea over there.. you can get wooden blinds, they are the best because they wont get destroyed
They are at reasonable price.
 
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salemwitchchild

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Originally Posted by mskitty666

Definitely always leave an opening for kitty to see out. We rent as well and the first thing we did was raise the blinds all the way up then hang our curtains. The cats always have access to the windows and we always have privacy. If you decide to get curtains make sure to leave gaps until they learn where the parts are. Also many rental communities require window coverings to have a white background.
See that would be the logical thing to do. When I realized Puff liked to watch out I put the blinds up about 4 inches so it was just above the back of the love seat where he sits. Problem is my husband is a vampire wannabe.
So he closes it on me! Therefore resulting in the destruction. Once Puff broke one end I just said forget it! Now the whole bottom is torn up and he's started jumping on the top to catch flies. I'm sure eventually he'll tear the whole thing down. The vertical blinds sound like the right thing to get. After all they will have to stay here. The wood blinds do look and sound awesome but they are just too expensive for something we won't be able to keep if we should ever choose to move.
 

littleraven7726

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Originally Posted by SalemWitchChild

See that would be the logical thing to do. When I realized Puff liked to watch out I put the blinds up about 4 inches so it was just above the back of the love seat where he sits. Problem is my husband is a vampire wannabe.
So he closes it on me! Therefore resulting in the destruction.
My hubby was the same way...until we had to replace several sets of blinds. It finally got through.
I think once he realized how expensive blinds are to replace, he stopped doing that. It was easier to leave them open 4 inches for Nabu to get in than keep forking out the money for blinds. Especially since we rent.
 

katl8e

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I agree with the wooden ones. My parents have these and they have withstood four dogs, including a Great Dane.

My cats have broken several sets of plastic ones and when I buy my own house, I'm going with shutters.
 

calico2222

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I'm thinking about getting wooden shutters for the bedroom. Those are the only blinds mine have destroyed because they are down all the time. The rest are left half way up just for the cats
. My uncle has vertical blinds and they stand up great to cats. They are expensive if you have the custom made, but he went to Target or K-mart (one of those stores) and got patio door vertical blinds for 1/2 the cost of custom ones then just cut them down to fit. If you need to leave window covering in the house if you move, why don't you just invest in cheap walmart ones right before you move and take the good ones with you? Or, better yet, put the destroyed ones back up. Does the lease say they have to be in good condition?
 

EnzoLeya

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The vinal vertical blinds!!!!! That's what we have and there is no way the kitties could destroy them. They are individual peices so the kitties jumping into them will do nothing to them. Nor will a kitty jump on them because there is nothing to hold on to.
 

EnzoLeya

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Originally Posted by SalemWitchChild

See that would be the logical thing to do. When I realized Puff liked to watch out I put the blinds up about 4 inches so it was just above the back of the love seat where he sits. Problem is my husband is a vampire wannabe.
So he closes it on me! Therefore resulting in the destruction. Once Puff broke one end I just said forget it! Now the whole bottom is torn up and he's started jumping on the top to catch flies. I'm sure eventually he'll tear the whole thing down. The vertical blinds sound like the right thing to get. After all they will have to stay here. The wood blinds do look and sound awesome but they are just too expensive for something we won't be able to keep if we should ever choose to move.
lol, mine too!!!! I tease him about that all the time and every time I open the blinds he makes a hissing sound
The vertical ones I posted about above work great!!!
 
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