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Nothing feels better than opening the windows on a warm, sunny day to let in the fresh air. But your good vibes can quickly vanish when your indoor cat starts scratching and climbing the window screen. Not only is your feline’s bad action damaging to the screen, but it can also be very dangerous. What if the screen breaks and your kitty gets loose? Or worse, what if they get stuck or fall out?
Understanding your feline friend’s behavior will help you establish a method to stop it. Here’s why cats climb window screens and how to keep them from doing it.
Why Do Cats Climb Window Screens?
A cat may scratch, paw, and climb at window screens and curtains for a variety of reasons, including:
- Their love of elevated spaces and desire to climb higher
- Natural curiosity
- Attempting to get to a bird or another type of prey animal outside
After you establish the cause of your cat’s window screen climbing, it’s time to put an end to it once and for all, in order to keep your kitty safe. Here are five proven methods.
The 5 Ways to Keep Cats From Climbing Window Screens
1. Environmental Enrichment
If your cat enjoys scratching and climbing the window screen, it’s possible that they feel bored or frustrated, or they are intrigued by the texture of the screen. Cats love to observe the world around them, especially through a window. It gives them the opportunity to activate their natural hunting and stalking instincts. Some cats may actually try to get out of the window through the screen. Scratching is also a very important behavior for cats and they should always be able to express it safely and on a daily basis, using cat scratchers.
By enriching your cat’s environment, adding window perches, cat scratchers, high resting areas, interactive toys, puzzle feeders, or even considering setting up an outdoor secure catio, your cat may feel more fulfilled and less up to mischief.
2. Use Positive Reinforcement
Never punish your cat for climbing on the screen, as this will have a very negative and often lasting impact on their behavior and even health, causing them fear and sometimes aggression, irreparably harming your bond and relationship.
Instead, focus on redirecting their behavior to something else, such as playtime, and reward them promptly for desirable behaviors. If your cat is calmly sitting next to the window and looking outside, reward them with tasty treats straightaway. Do the same when they choose to leave the window area and settle somewhere else, which they will start to associate with a reward. This way you are training your kitty to spend less time near the window screen and more time in other areas of your home by using positive reinforcement training techniques. You can also offer them catnip toys, as it’s a well-known fact that most cats love catnip!
3. Use Stronger Mesh or Special Pet Screens
No matter what you do, some cats may still try to climb or break out through the window screen. In that case, make sure it’s sturdy and secure, so it cannot break, double it up if required, fasten from the outside using nails and screws, and consider keeping the window only slightly open, from the top, rather than the bottom. However, make sure your cat isn’t trying to get their paws in that window opening, as they could get injured.
4. Put Down Sticky Strips
Place double-sided tape or Sticky Paw strips on your windowpane and screen. Cats don’t like the sticky sensation on their paws and will avoid that area of the home.
5. Set Up Physical Barriers
If your cat can’t access the window, they’ll be less likely to climb the screen! Block your windowsill with heavy books or other large items to block your cat’s path.
As another option, if you're looking to give your cat something exciting, we know of an awesome scratcher that both encourages play and doubles as a stylish modern furniture piece. The Hepper Hi-Lo Cat Scratcher is designed with a curved shape for dynamic movement, is built to last with safe and sturdy birch plywood and thick cardboard, and offers three height options to ensure your cat enjoys the exercise, elevation, and excitement they crave ... and, it's affordable!
At PangoVet, we've admired Hepper for many years, and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!
Final Thoughts
Curious kitties love spending time in the window. However, if your cat’s climbing becomes an issue, try one of these five proven tricks. Or, you can simply shut the window!
Looking for more information on cat behavior? Try this article:
Featured Image Credit: Piqsels
