Cats, Nets and Solutions please!

[BookWorm45]

Hello All

Our lovely kitten (about 5.5 months) has discovered the joy of sitting on a windowsill, watching a passing bird / plane / moth and then leaping up at it to catch it. This means that the net curtains we had in our bedroom are now looking quite shredded and full of holes and ladders. He's also managed to pull the whole net curtain down twice.

Now I am not a huge fan of net curtains BUT - our bedroom and livingroom windows are big bays, looking out on to the street. I definitely want something there for privacy. When we have no net curtain there, it's possible to walk past on the street and see quite far into our house - I don't like the idea of people able to stare in and see me relaxing (aka lying on the sofa watching a box set in my dressing gown.

Has anyone tried alternatives like window film - and if so, did the film survive any kitten attacks ? I am a bit concerned that if I put window film on, it will end up with claw marks up and down it as he continues to leap to chase aeroplanes.

We can't fit shutters due to the shape of the bay so they're not an option. Any other ideas ?

If you put window film up he probably won't see the birds and planes?

Ah I might have misunderstood, I thought with window film the person (or cat) inside can see out ? therefore birds / planes would be visible ?

I haven't ever had window film before so I may have got this wrong.

Dunno about window film.
I can confidently say whatever you put up will come down if the clawed one likes playing at the window.
Cheap sheer panels (eBay or Amazon cheap) until he decides on his main area of destruction and fingers crossed he doesn't find a more expensive outlet for his pats!

I forgot to say, here is an example of the plain window film I was thinking of:
alternativetonetcurtains.co.uk/

Of course plain film will be a great place to show off claw marks.... We also might go with your idea Queef about plain-and-throw-out-every-time-destruction-is-too-extensive.

Are our furry overlords in league with Big Curtain Makers to force us all to keep buying more nets / voiles / curtains ?

I have window film on one window very near the road and I cant see out. it's in a bamboo pattern

That is interesting oldraver. It really hadn't occurred to me that window film meant people inside can't see out.

I suppose what I am hoping for (if it exists) is something where I can see out but people can't see in... and also where it's cat proof. This may be too much to ask for !

You can get patterned window film with gaps that allows you to sort of see out but not really for people to see in.

I used to have the same large bay and had a wide band 60cm wide placed 15cm up from sill so I could see legs but no faces!

There is also mirror film you can get. I don't know if you can see out through that?

You can get one way film so you can see out, think it's mirrored/reflective on the outside.

My pair are a nightmare for this! I didn't solve it but did velcro the nets flat to the window frame so now it takes 2 seconds to put them back up 😂

You have your nets I have trashed Venetian blinds 😂

My brother had these: www.velken.de/spionspiegelfolie-silber-verspiegelt/ . We are in Germany but I’m sure there is something similar in Britain.

I had this with a cat and I was in a terrace so my Livingroom window was on the street.

Solved with a different type of net curtain, sort of thicker, almost crocheted, she still made holes but they were not as visible.

www.dunelm.com/product/macrame-cafe-net-tab-top-curtain-fabric-1000021063?defaultSkuId=30019541&branchCode=0590

The film looks good but is it expensive?

Hi and just in case anyone else has a similar problem...... My solution so far is to use a wicker folding screen that goes in front of the window. The screen is white, doesn't go up to the whole height of the window (about 5 ft 5) so lets light in but retains privacy.

I had (stupidly) thought that the wobbly nature of the screen would put off our kitten and he wouldn't want to climb up it. How wrong I was. But at least it is more robust than the net curtains that he has shredded.