How to Stop Cats From Climbing Curtains

After spending weeks getting the perfect window treatments for your place, you discover that your fuzz ball has a new hobby: climbing the curtains. Not only can climbing the curtains tear and shred them, it can actually be a dangerous activity for your beloved pal if he falls or chokes on a string. With a little training, you̵7;ll be able to stop the annoying habit so you and Felix can live in perfect harmony.

  1. The Squirt

    • You see Felix heading over to the curtains and know he̵7;s about to hike up to the top. Start teaching him that curtains can be a little scary. As soon as he lifts a paw to the curtains, squirt him with a spray bottle from across the room. Don̵7;t make a big deal out of it and try not to let him see you spray. He̵7;ll be startled and won̵7;t want to venture over to the drapes anymore. After all, for some reason, he gets wet each time he̵7;s near them. You̵7;ll probably need to work with the spray bottle for several days or weeks until he gets the hint.

    Replacing the Behavior

    • Nix Felix̵7;s climbing routine by stopping him in his tracks. Yell out ̶0;no̶1; or ̶0;hey̶1; when he starts climbing -- just enough to distract him -- and then take him to a place where he can climb. Put him next to his scratching post or multi-level kitty condo. You̵7;re just replacing the behavior you don̵7;t want with one you do want. Sprinkling a touch of dried catnip near the post or putting down a couple treats can make the new climbing spot seem especially rewarding.

    Tie Them Up

    • Kitties are naturally mischievous and often want to be up as high as possible, making that curtain rod near the ceiling look extra enticing. One of the best ways to cure unwanted climbing is to prevent it all together. Use decorative ropes around the center of each curtain panel and fold up the bottom portion every time you leave the house. As long as Felix can̵7;t comfortably reach the base of the curtain, he won̵7;t be able to climb it.

    Give Him What He Wants

    • Because Felix longs to be on top of everything, give him a place to be up high that̵7;s all his own. A tall cat house with a protruding landing pad up top or perch in front of the main window might be enough to curb his climbing behavior. Plus he clearly has a lot of pent up energy, so offer him a variety of cat toys to bat around. Place toys in every room of the house, particularly where you have curtains, giving him something to do to stay occupied. You̵7;ll want to rotate his toys every few days to further curb his mischievous side.