How To Prevent Pets From Scratching Window Screens

Owning a cat or dog has many benefits. There is the companionship, the cuddles, and the endless personality and entertainment, just to name a few. But cats and dogs can also do quite a number on your home if left unchecked. These animals can even ruin your window screens if you aren’t careful. If you have a pet who has destroyed one or more household items, you are probably wondering how you can prevent your pets from scratching your window screens.

In order to prevent your pets from scratching window screens, consider using double-sided sticky tape along the window sill, or installing a barrier between the pet and the window. You might want to keep the vulnerable windows closed when you aren’t home, and use a spray bottle to negatively reinforce the animals when they scratch. You can even purchase deterrent sprays to keep pets away from the windows.

If you have recently noticed your dog or cat has started to scratch your window screens, don’t panic. You are one of many homeowners who have faced this irritating problem. Luckily, there are many ways you can mitigate or completely stop this scratching from happening. All of these remedies are easy fixes you can do yourself. Many of them cost very little money, which is another plus. Keep reading to find out all the top ways to keep your pets from scratching your window screens.

One way to help keep pets, particularly cats and small dogs, away from your window screens is by using a home office tool you might already have. Double-sided sticky tape is a popular method used to help keep small pets’ paws away from areas they don’t belong.

You can put this double-sided sticky tape on the window sill, or an area the pet would have to stand in order to scratch the window screens. These pets don’t want to get stuck, and the feeling of tape pulling on their fur is certainly less than desirable. Best of all, you can’t really see this tape, so it is a barrier that won’t sacrifice the aesthetics of the room. Just make sure you remember the tape is there, so you don’t get anything stuck that you don’t want to have stuck.

Another option is to accept defeat, to a degree. In some cases, it is inevitable that a dog or cat will scratch a particular window screen. Maybe it’s a large dog who can reach an upper-screen window. Or perhaps it is an outside porch screen in an area your cat frequents.

Either way, you can remove and change your window screens to stronger options to help mitigate damage. Several types of insect-protecting coverings are stronger than typical mesh screens. This material is more expensive than standard screens, but it is more durable, and can endure more wear and tear.

It also might be a good idea to give your pet something different to scratch or play with. The fact is, your pet might actually be scratching the screen out of boredom, or because it wants something to scratch and play with.

If you have a cat, consider buying a nice scratching post, and placing it far away from your window screens. As far as dogs and other pets are concerned, toys that stimulate a pet’s senses are always a good idea. These methods use distraction — if you give pets a better option, they won’t even think to scratch the screens and damage your windows.

If your pets seem to attack one or two windows in particular, the best option might be to keep the window closed more often. Or at the very least, you might want to consider opening the window just a couple of inches.

Opening the window a crack or a fraction less than normal will still allow plenty of airflow, but it will prevent your pet from having enough access to cause any damage. This is a great option for anyone whose pets only scratch a window by a bed or in an area with easy access.

If you keep catching your pet in the act of scratching your window screens, there are some ways you can train the dog to break the habit. One method many pet owners use is the spray bottle technique.

Any time your pet scratches the screen, you can spray a mist of water at it. Dogs and cats don’t like being sprayed with water, but it is harmless to do so (at least many dog owners seem to think so). In most cases, after a couple of sprays, your pet will be deterred from scratching the screen — at least when you are around.

With the modern times we live in, it should not come as a huge shock to learn there are sprays to help solve this very problem. If your window screens are suffering because of your pet’s scratches, consider a scratch deterrent.

There are several sprays on the market that use smells and tastes that humans don’t notice but dogs or cats dislike. Spraying any area the pet is known to scratch is likely to keep that pet away from that area. These sprays are relatively inexpensive and worth a try.

It is easy to look right through a window screen and not think twice about it. They often get little consideration, until something is going wrong. But when your pet is scratching your window screens, you will want to address the problem immediately and try one of several methods to stop this issue.

Try double-sided tape, closing problematic windows, or placing a barrier between the pet and the window. You can consider a deterrent spray to keep pets away. Try getting the pet a scratching post or toys as a distraction, and make sure your pet is getting enough play time and exercise.