Kittens vs curtains - ingenuity required

[Attenborough]

We're looking after four kittens (and their mother) - they're 6.5 weeks old and have just discovered the joy of climbing curtains. I've had kittens in the house before, but not since spending quite a hefty sum on really nice curtains for our sitting room window and door from John Lewis. They touch the floor, so are irresistible to tiny claws.

They climb everything at the moment, so I have throws over the few bits of furniture that they could harm, but I have no idea how to stop them ruining my curtains. I've taken one down, but really don't want to live without sitting room curtains until the kittens go in a fortnight's time.

Any cunning ideas?

Put water in a spray bottle and squirt them every time they touch the curtains. I had to do this with my cat who liked jumping up on the worktops. She soon stopped. When I say squirt I mean have it on a fine mist setting.

Ah, we have done that before with bad cats (biting/clawing meanness) but never just for high jinks. I think of it as the nuclear option, so it hadn't occurred to me. Hmm.

I'd just take them down for the 2 weeks tbh.

I don't think you have any hope of curtains remaining intact