The Most Popular Window Treatments for Pet Owners in Sacramento
There’s a scenario pet owners in Sacramento know all too well: leaving your house only to look behind and see your four-legged friend’s face looking at you as you leave. For pet owners with certain types of window coverings, frequent trips to the window may mean trouble, as pets can make for some of the worst and lasting harm to your window treatments.
So how can you prevent pet damage? The simplest way is to pick a pet-friendly window treatment that can stand up to even the most excitable pets. We’ve rounded up some of the best (and worst) window coverings for pet owners in California.
Non Pet-Friendly Window Coverings
First, let’s take a look at which window treatments pet owners should avoid.
Corded Window Treatments
Similar to window safety for children, cords are one of the biggest issues for pet owners. Both dogs and cats are known to play with dangling cords, which can mean damage to your window treatment or worse, injury to your pet.
Opt instead for window treatments without cords, such as shutters that fit in the window frame or other window treatments that feature a bottom-up top-down configuration or are motorized.
Metal Blinds
Photo courtesy Carlos Castro via Flickr (Creative Commons).
Metal blinds are probably the absolute worst window treatment for homes with pets. Not only do they usually operate via cord, but they’re extremely susceptible to damage from even the most gentle pets. Dogs or cats poking their heads through aluminum blinds can warp, bend, and even snap the thin slats, which means you’ll need to replace the entire thing.
Fabric Window Coverings
Depending on your pet and the style of window treatment, fabrics may or may not be something to avoid. Long fabrics like draperies can “puddle” on the floor, which makes them easy for dirty paws to stain. Fabric window treatments also usually end up collecting pet hair which nullifies any style value they might add. Lastly, fabrics can tear, making them perfect targets for cat claws.
The Most Pet-Friendly Window Treatments
Now that you’ve seen which window treatments don’t get along with pets, we’ll dive into the more pet-friendly window coverings.
Real Wood and Faux-Wood Blinds
Many of the problems aluminum blinds have, wood and faux-wood blinds fix for pet owners. Even if your pet wants to peek through the window, sturdier wood blinds can stand up to more abuse than aluminum blinds. In addition, their wide slats make it more difficult for pets to get tangled in them.
But, make sure that if you choose wood or faux-wood blinds that you opt for ones without cords.
Plantation Shutters - The Most Pet Friendly Window Treatment
If injury to your pet or damage to your window treatment has you worried, plantation shutters may reduce those worries. Because they mount directly into the window frame, there aren’t any hanging cords or fabric that can cause trouble. What’s more, even if your pet is able to reach them, Polywood® plantation shutters are scratch resistant and extremely durable so damage is almost never a concern.
Plantation shutters keep your pets happy too. Have a dog that likes to peek out the window as you leave? Shutters can let it do so without much risk of damage. Does your kitten like to have a patch of sunlight to lounge in? Just tilt the louvers and let the light come through without losing any privacy.
Simply put, plantation shutters are the perfect window treatment for homeowners with pets.
