Do You Get Pet-Friendly Window Blinds?

We all love our pets and laugh at their antics. I bet your cat looks cute when it sneaks behind your window blinds so that it can look outside.  Then you find yourself not laughing so much when you realise that the Venetian blind slat that it was leaning on is now all bent and damaged! Your lovely living room doesn't look so nice when the blinds are down because all you can see are scratched or broken slats.

Another common complaint we get at Forth Blinds from pet owners is that their cord for moving the blinds up and down is broken again because their cat has been pulling it and playing with it. 

Dogs can cause damage too!  They aren't as likely to play with the cord or hang from slats but they can damage blinds when squeezing behind them to get to their favourite place at the window.

So if you are fed up with looking at your scratched, broken or damaged blinds but still want or need blinds on your windows, what can you do? No blind is completely pet-proof but we can recommend the best types of blinds for homes with pets.

3 Best Pet-Friendly Types of Blinds

1. Roller Blinds

Roller blinds are always popular and are our top recommendation.  They are often the cheapest option and can be made in thousands of colours and patterns so there is always a style that will suit your home.  

They are best for homes with pets as they can be made in a strong, hardwearing material that can't be easily scratched or marked. You can also choose a material that is easy to wipe clean so that you can remove paw marks.

The blind can be easily rolled up out of reach of your pet.

If the blind is down, they have no slats that can be easily bent and broken. Therefore, if your cat or dog does squeeze behind them they will not easily break.

If you do have a cat, a cordless blind is recommended. There are various cordless options from Perfect Fit blinds for uPVC windows to automated blinds.

2. Perfect Fit Blinds

We can highly recommend Perfect Fit blinds for homes with uPVC windows and doors. They have been designed to fit into your window frame so there are no gaping spaces which is a fantastic benefit in itself. However, this design also comes with no dangly cords for your pet to play with and break.

Suitable options for homes with pets would be a roller or pleated Perfect Fit blind. There is no space for a pet to squeeze behind so if you do like them to be able to see out you will need to leave one blind up a little.  

3. Vertical Blinds

A vertical blind is like a Venetian blind but the slats are vertical rather than horizontal. The slats tend to be wider than a Venetian blind.

In theory, a pet could still play with a vertical blind slat, however, they aren't so easy to bend or break as they are vertical and a cat can't hang from them or lean on them in the same way as a Venetian blind. 

You can replace marked or damaged slats without having to buy a whole new blind.

A pet is most likely just to walk behind the blinds and sit in their favourite place.

When you go to buy new blinds, choose a local company with great reviews that you can trust.  Then explain your situation and what damage your cat or dog has done in the past. The experts at the blinds company will be able to suggest the best blinds for your home.  If you are keen to have Venetian blinds, they might suggest Faux Wooden Blinds that are more sturdy than a normal wooden or aluminium Venetian blind.