How to Catify Your Windows

For many cat owners, finding a way to make their apartment or house more liveable for their kitty is a top priority. And you will already be well aware how much felines love staring out of the window for hours on end watching the world go by and ‘hunting’ any smaller creatures that go by. Well, there are one or two ways that you can improve the experience for them by ‘catifying’ your windows – and these are what we are going to discuss here in this blog post.

Cats can go a little crazy when they are cooped up indoors all day, every day. Even cats who can go outdoors sometimes like the security of watching what is going on from inside the house from time to time. Using one or two simple techniques can make the world of difference to your feline friend. Remember, ensuring that your cat gets plenty of mental stimulation should be a top priority for you. So, let’s look closer at some of the ways that you can ‘catify’ your windows and make them more appealing to your kitty.

Choose the Right Window

Some windows are bound to be more interesting and stimulating than others. So, you should be drawn instantly to those with plenty of sun and lots going on outside. This could include people walking past and cars driving by, but many cats love being able to watch birds flap around outside. If you don’t have much wildlife outside at the moment, you could try hanging a bird feeder as this will bring the feathery friends to you. Alternatively, you could get some plants that attract insects and rodents However, you need to be warier if you have a cat flap and your kitty is a natural born hunter! Otherwise, you are likely to find that the wildlife population starts depleting very quickly indeed.

Make Window Ledges More Accessible

Some window ledges are simply too high for your cat to access easily, which leads to them staring longingly upwards without being able to access the space properly. Or they may try to jump up too high, which can be risky, especially to cats with disabilities or older felines. First, ensure that the window ledge isn’t too cluttered with stuff that is going to get in the way or potentially get knocked over by your roaming kitty. Next, you need to make access easier for them. You can do this with some cat stairs or other building blocks. Some owners like to push up a cat scratching post or climbing frame up to the window as another extension to scale upwards.

Improve the Appearance

Sometimes, the fact that the window ledge doesn’t look particularly appealing can put your cat off from ever wanting to jump up there. You can remedy this by making the area more exciting. Perhaps add in some thick carpet material which feels great to your cat underpaw. A small scratching post is another enticing idea. Or you could hang one or two stuffed birds up around the area. While cats love plants, you may be worried about them being knocked over. So, why not use some fake ones instead. Obviously, you don’t want to do this to all your windowsills as it is not practical, but you could choose one which is solely dedicated to your kitty.

Get a Cat Window Perch

Instead of using your existing window ledges, you could instead invest in a cat window perch. Many of these simply affix to the window using suction cups. There are a couple of major advantages to this. First, they can be stuck on any windows or glass doors. Plus, they don’t need any screws or permanent installation. However, you need to ensure that you are investing in a quality product. First, it needs to support your cat’s weight and be durable enough to withstand your kitty jumping up and down from it several times a day. You should also double check the size to ensure that it is big enough for your cat to lounge comfortably.

Move Your Cat Tree Against the Window

Not all windows have ledges. So, if there is a particularly exciting one for your cat, you will have to improvise a little bit. The easiest solution is to move your cat tree or climbing frame up against the window. Choose one which has platforms big enough for your cat to sit up or lie down as they choose. If you want to make it a real bedroom for your kitty, you could add a soft blanket that encourages them to sleep.

Check out our guide on Cat Hammocks for more info. 

Hang or Make a Shelf

A slightly more complicated solution to the problem of a lack of window ledges is to hang a simple shelf around the area. There are plenty of ready-made shelves available from your local hardware or home improvement store. This will be a test of your DIY skills as you need the shelf to support the weight of your cat. If you add a non-slip surface such as carpet, this helps your cat to keep their balance. If you are feeling especially creative, you could try making your own shelf. Of course, this is a solution for the more advanced DIYers among you. You could even build a few steps leading up to the shelf if you want to give your cat even easier access to it.

Final Thoughts

Giving your cat easy access to a window is one of the best ways of providing them with hours of entertainment. While some of the above tasks may seem to be a little tricky at first, once they are done, they require little or no maintenance, and you are providing your cat mental stimulation without having to do anything else whatsoever. You could even find that you have created a new favorite spot for your kitty – and we all need a place that we can call our very own after all!