Cats are the intrepid explorers of the pet world. Every piece of furniture, every window sill, every worktop, it’s all fair game, and there’s no use trying to stop them because they’ll be back up there before you know it.

That’s why, as pet owners, we should try and work with our furry friends by furnishing our homes with cat-friendly products which aid their exploration, rather than inhibit it. After all, curiosity shouldn’t be a punishable offense!

In the spirit of this, the Fraser James Blinds team are here to discuss the best blinds for cats. Enjoy.

Faux-wood Venetian blinds – 4 paws out of 5: Venetian blinds could be the perfect pairing for your little kitten, just make sure you keep the slats angled down not up, otherwise it’s a cat ladder!

The best thing about Venetian blinds is their versatility. You can have them drawn or extended, slats open or slats closed, so you can alter them according to how your cat reacts. Also, as they’re usually made of wood or faux-wood, your cat won’t be able to damage them very easily. Of course, every cat is different, but we think that a set of Venetian blinds with the slats tilted downwards is a match for even the most adventurous of cats.

Top tip: if your cat likes playing swingball with the cords, tuck them behind one of the upper slats and they’ll soon forget about it!

Electric blinds – 5 paws out of 5: No cord for your puss to fiddle with? Sounds purrfect to us! Electric blinds get five paws for this very reason, but do watch out for the fabric.

One of the reasons why cats are so magnetised to blinds is the cords – they just love playing with them. Of course, you can tie them up and tuck them away, but cats are persistent little creatures. The best solution, then? Cordless blinds! While electric blinds are made of fabric, their lack of cords instantly puts them ahead of the competition.

Roller blinds – 3 paws out of 5: Roller blinds might seem like a good idea because they offer nothing to climb up, but the fabric could well become collateral damage if your kitten decides to swipe at something.

Unfortunately, with roller blinds, you have all of the problems that come with fabric blinds, without the benefits that come with cordless blinds. With this in mind, if you do want to go for roller blinds, make sure you opt for the sturdiest fabric possible.

Perfect fit blinds – 4 paws out of 5: Fewer structural elements mean there’s less for your cat to get caught on, so you can keep all toe beans firmly planted.

Like electric blinds, Perfect Fit blinds tend to be cordless, which already sets them in good stead. They also have fewer structural elements and fewer gaps, meaning they don’t offer your cat much in the way of things to latch their claws onto. 

However, like electric and roller blinds, Perfect Fit blinds tend to have a fabric construction, which isn’t ideal. 

Vertical blinds – 1 paw out of 5: If the blinds in any way resemble one of your cat’s favourite toys, then it’s probably a bad match. Unfortunately, this puts vertical blinds on the no-no pile.

Unfortunately, vertical blinds have all of the things that you don’t want when looking for a set of blinds for your cat: fabric elements, dangly slats and cords. 

If these are the blinds that you have currently, don’t despair; you never know how your cat will react to a set of blinds until they’ve spent some time with them. It could well be the case that your cat is completely uninterested in blinds!

Plantation shutters – 5 paws out of 5: Strong, sturdy and more than capable of accommodating your persistent puss, plantation shutters are the clear winners in our eyes.

Plantation shutters are a solid choice (pardon the pun) because they are sturdy and provide very little in the way of things for your cat to claw at. No cords, no fabric – plantation shutters get a perfect score from us. 

Of course, it’s worth noting that plantation shutters might not work in every room or every home, but if you love cats and love shutters, this type of window dressing might just be what you are looking for.

Full infographic available here.

Fraser James Blinds are leading suppliers and installers of made-to-measure blinds throughout Leicester, Coventry and Northampton. From the free home measuring service right through to the installation itself, they will be with you to ensure your bespoke blinds are as unique as the person that uses them. Any questions? Just get in touch.