Kittens ruining screen

[yomamab]

I really didn't know if I should ask here or on some construction forum how to deal with our problem.  After we lost our one cat in October, we got two rescue kittens in February.  I promised the rescue person we got them from that the two brother kitties would be indoor cats only.  We've been letting them out on our screened-in back porch because they just love it out there.  The trouble is that they like to climb the screens out there and they have one of them partially torn off and my husband has it blocked off so they can't escape.  The trouble is that they are also working on the other screening out there and I imagine that eventually they'll have it all torn off.  I certainly don't want them getting outside.  We live close to a main road and I fear it would be disastrous if they'd get outside.  Our porch isn't anything fancy, just 2x4's and screen fastened to them.  There are 2x4's running horizontally about waist height, which the kittens (they're now almost 8 months old) love to sit on.  They have a cat tree on the back porch (and one in our living room), and they seem to be more interested in climbing the screen than climbing the tree. They especially love to go after bugs and eat them, which are usually hanging on the screen. 

We have been thinking about replacing all of the porch screen anyway (it must be 20 years old), but I don't want to replace it just to have it torn down again.  I gave up scolding the kittens when I see them climbing the screen because that doesn't last long anyway and it's all a person gets done.  I don't have time to do porch vigil all day and night to make sure they don't climb it, and I really don't like scolding them so much.  I can see scolding them for an occasional problem, but this behavior goes on many times a day.  I don't know what to do to make them quit climbing the screen.  If anyone can think of anything, I'm all ears.  Other than this behavior, they are perfectly adorable kittens that we love to pieces, and they just adore each other and love to play together, and they also love their play times with my husband and I and our daughter. 

 

[mjandclyde]

Try putting scratching posts in front of the screen. Otherwise, I don't know what to say. As I figured out with my own, kittens love climbing.

 

[yomamab]

I didn't think to mention that I've already tried that.  I'm just at a loss with these two mischievous boys as far as the screen is concerned.  They really are adorable kittens though and it's hard to be mad at them, but we really do have to replace this screen soon or they're going to escape to the great outdoors, only for kitties it's not always so great for them because of all of the dangers lurking out there including cars, mean people, wandering cats fighting with them, and getting killed by any of the numerous creatures that we have in the area.  We live next to a woods and there is a woods behind us that continues on up the mountain.  Amongst the creatures around here we have fox, opossum (although I don't think they would harm cats unless maybe threatened), coyotes, etc. and we've even had a bear coming here lately knocking over our garbage can that we have sitting on the front porch with bird seed in it (that porch isn't enclosed).  I don't know where else to go to ask someone about this problem.  Thanks for the suggestion though.  I sure wish I were better at problem solving.

 

[di and bob]

Use the heavier 'pet screen' you can get at any hardware store, I replaced my patio screen with it three years ago (did it myself) and despite my cat climbing it at every opportunity   

  it still looks new, I wish I could say that for my other door screens! But really, if you have to replace it, that stuff really works! They will settle down with time, I only have the one 'problem child' now, none of the other 4 climb screens so keep your fingers crossed they will outgrow it!

 

[piano cat]

Yes, if you are thinking of new screens anyway look into pet safe, cat proof screening.  For the windows in my house I find putting a few drops of oil of peppermint (not cheap stuff) on a cotton ball and rubbing the cotton ball on the screens keeps the little monkeys off my screens.  I also put saucers with a cotton ball that has a drop or two of peppermint oil on my dining room table and some other places to keep them off.  I have to refresh once a week.  Oil of orange or just plain orange peel might work too but my cats have gotten used to the orange.

Yeah, mine have lots of permitted scratching places too but bugs, birds and just falling leaves outside the windows attract them to the screens and they get up on the table as a way from one window to another or just to observe from a higher place.

 

[DreamerRose]

I had to replace the screen on my storm door for the same reason. Mingo was shredding it to pieces, and then one night chasing a bug, he went straight through it. I had the hardware store replace the screen with pet screen, and it's great. I've only had the door back a week, but he hasn't put a scratch in it anywhere. Pet screen is more expensive than regular screen, but it's worth it. Someone on the forums said you can buy it on-line, and considering how much you need, it may be cheaper that way. Google "pet-proof screen" and you will find it. It comes in different sizes.

 

[LTS3]

I need to replace my sliding door screen, too. Two problems, though - the door leads to a faux juliette balcony and I live on the third floor. Any ideas on how to replace the screen from inside the room?

I think the door was originally installed using a mechanical lift on the outside and a person inside to guide the door into the opening.

 

[DreamerRose]

You should be able to lift the screen door off the track and then have the screen replaced.

 

[yomamab]

Thanks everyone for your replies and I will look into getting that, but first, I want to mention something that I hope isn't a problem.  My husband let me know that technically they're not tearing the screen as in ripping it but tearing it out from under that strips that keeps it on (and the nails or whatever is holding it on).  I guess with the weight that each cat puts on the screen when it's climbing it and hanging there on it, the screen works its way out from under the strips and before you know it there are gaps where the screen is pulling loose.  So I'm hoping that this pet proof screen you're all talking about won't also come out from under the strips.  If we get new screen and this happens again, I see no other choice but to keep the kittens in off of the porch from then on because we can't afford to keep replacing the screen.  I really hate the idea of barricading them in the house because they really love it out on the porch and spend most of their time out there. 

 

[Norachan]

I have the same problem with my cats climbing up the screens to get at bugs. You're right, even the heavy duty pet-screens can get ripped out of the frames. I got some deer netting, cut into strips wide enough to go all the way around the screen and stitched it together at one side. Now there is a triple layer, deer netting inside and out and bug screen sandwiched between the layers. You also need to secure the netting at the top and bottom. I've used silver coloured gaffer-tape, which is the same colour as the screen frame. This will protect your screen as the cats will try to climb the netting rather than the bug screen itself. 

Not the most beautiful solution, but I've found that the older cats don't bother trying to climb the screens, it's only the two youngest ones. Hopefully your boys will calm down as they get older.

 

[piano cat]

 
I have the same problem with my cats climbing up the screens to get at bugs. You're right, even the heavy duty pet-screens can get ripped out of the frames. I got some deer netting, cut into strips wide enough to go all the way around the screen and stitched it together at one side. Now there is a triple layer, deer netting inside and out and bug screen sandwiched between the layers. You also need to secure the netting at the top and bottom. I've used silver coloured gaffer-tape, which is the same colour as the screen frame. This will protect your screen as the cats will try to climb the netting rather than the bug screen itself. 

Not the most beautiful solution, but I've found that the older cats don't bother trying to climb the screens, it's only the two youngest ones. Hopefully your boys will calm down as they get older.

Can you give a link to show what you mean by deer netting?  And maybe a photo to show how you did it?  While my oil of peppermint trick above does work, so did the orange peel.  And the orange peel effect wore off.  I wonder if your idea might be one we could adapt if the peppermint oil wears off.  Gee, makes the house smell nice though, the peppermint.  

 

[detroitcatlady]

I'm sure this is probably not the best looking solution, but this is what I would use

windowscreen-2.jpg

• detroitcatlady
• May 29, 2016

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

i have two little female kittens, both 10 months old now. we have no screened porch, but have used the 'pet grilles' that @detroitcatlady posted a pic of over the outside part of my windows -- there's regular screening behind it.

for your screened porch, i'd suggest considering hardware cloth. it's not inexpensive, but it's a more permanent solution. you could either have the regular or pet screening on the outside of the hardware cloth (so your little boys would climb the hardware cloth, and not the screening), or the opposite way (with the regular or pet screening on the inside, but your boys could still climb the screening).

here's a great post by @LisaHE, which has a photo of her 'veranda' with her two cats enjoying it, and also gives lots of great details about the screening and hardware cloth layers used for it -- http://www.thecatsite.com/t/303961/cat-enclosure#post_3835726

 

[lisahe]

 
Thanks everyone for your replies and I will look into getting that, but first, I want to mention something that I hope isn't a problem.  My husband let me know that technically they're not tearing the screen as in ripping it but tearing it out from under that strips that keeps it on (and the nails or whatever is holding it on).  I guess with the weight that each cat puts on the screen when it's climbing it and hanging there on it, the screen works its way out from under the strips and before you know it there are gaps where the screen is pulling loose.   So I'm hoping that this pet proof screen you're all talking about won't also come out from under the strips.  If we get new screen and this happens again, I see no other choice but to keep the kittens in off of the porch from then on because we can't afford to keep replacing the screen.  I really hate the idea of barricading them in the house because they really love it out on the porch and spend most of their time out there. 

It sounds like you have a problem with the spline not staying in the track, right? Be sure you use the largest size that will comfortably fit in the track, with the screen, otherwise it will come out too easily. (A spline roller helps insert it the spline snugly over the screen, within in the track.)

Quote:

for your screened porch, i'd suggest considering hardware cloth. it's not inexpensive, but it's a more permanent solution. you could either have the regular or pet screening on the outside of the hardware cloth (so your little boys would climb the hardware cloth, and not the screening), or the opposite way (with the regular or pet screening on the inside, but your boys could still climb the screening).

here's a great post by @LisaHE, which has a photo of her 'veranda' with her two cats enjoying it, and also gives lots of great details about the screening and hardware cloth layers used for it -- http://www.thecatsite.com/t/303961/cat-enclosure#post_3835726

I agree about hardware cloth. We used metal hardware cloth on the veranda and it's very sturdy. I love the "pet grille" idea, too!

I also highly recommend Petscreen: it's very thick stuff and almost ridiculously durable. I insisted on it because our cats are climbers, too. Oddly, they don't climb the screen veranda much. (Or maybe we just don't catch them? Though I doubt it: they brazenly climb curtains when we're in the room.) That said, they do love to put their paws up and pull. So far, no damage; they haven't even pulled any loose, probably because the spline is so tight in the track with the screen. (Knock wood and all that!)

Good luck, yomamab!

 

[DreamerRose]

Clerk at the hardware store told they have bars that screw into the frame that will keep them from bursting the screen.

 

[piano cat]

What is that?  That's a very pretty grid.

 

[detroitcatlady]

 
What is that?  That's a very pretty grid.

It's a metal grate that is on the outside of some doors and windows on my house. Originally meant for security but I've found they also have other uses like keeping the cats from pushing on the screens or damaging them

 

[yomamab]

So much has been going on here that I didn't get around to posting an update. My sweet mother has offered to have a contractor do our back porch for us (the screen anyway).  We bought the pet proof screen at Home Depot a few weeks ago and will have this guy put it on when he's not so busy with people who are ahead of us.  He can put on some kind of strips on the outside that don't need to be painted, but of course I will still have to paint the boards on the inside of the porch.  I also plan on painting the ceiling, wall against the house, and the floor; however, since I garden for butterflies, that takes up so much of my time that I'm not sure when all of this work will take place.  Thanks all for your help in giving advice for my problem with the kitties tearing the screen.  I just hope that they don't pull the new screen out like they have this old screen. Hopefully, when they get out of the kitten stage, they'll outgrow the screen climbing.  I love them dearly, faults and all, and don't regret adopting these two rescues.  They're so comical and entertaining, and I can't picture our lives without them.