Windows provide an endless source of amusement for cats. Whether it’s looking out at the world below them, swinging on curtains like they’re a less glamorous type of chandelier, or turning your blind cords into their personal plaything, the possibilities are endless.
Although your cat’s occupation of the no man’s land that is your windowsill might not bug you at first, they may eventually let their destructive tendencies take over and turn to scratching and tearing curtains, or even just maliciously blocking your view of the sun.
Another window sill invader may come in the form of your neighbor’s annoying feline, who decides it’s more than appropriate to sit on your window sill and peek into your house at all hours of the day, meowing loudly as they do so.
If you’ve just about had enough of your cat claiming your windows as a sovereign territory or outside cats jumping up and down in an endless mockery of your inability to stop them, this list of ways to end the tomfoolery is a full-on battle plan.
1. Go Ultrasonic
Like humans, high-pitched sounds that don’t seem to come from anywhere specific also annoy cats. Thankfully, a cat’s hearing is so sensitive, you can bother them with ultrasonic sound and never even hear it yourself.
This is great if you’re trying to keep your cat off your window sills, especially if it seems like your cat has a favorite window.
Simply place the sound machine on the window sill your cat seems most enamored by, direct it towards the path your cat usually chooses to approach from, and let the device do the work for you.
Ultrasonic sound devices have been used to keep cats away from gardens, yards, or even specific rooms of the house. The device emits a piercingly annoying sound when a cat comes near it and triggers its motion sensors. However, due to the ultrasonic falsetto tune being made at a unique frequency, you won’t be able to hear a thing. Your cat, on the other hand, will likely evacuate the area posthaste.
2. Stick to the Classics
Okay, I know some people will call me a cat-hater for this one, but a spray bottle has been an effective method of feline negative reinforcement for decades, so it has to work.
Honestly, how traumatizing can a spritz of water actually be compared to having your cat turn each of your window sills into its personal throne room?
Just fill a clean, empty spray bottle with water and aim it at your cat whenever it goes near a window. Cats aren’t afraid of water, but like anyone who just got their hair done, most really don’t like the effects of being drenched.
As long as you don’t try to shower your cat with water and only use the spray bottle as a deterrent, not a form of punishment, the use of this method should not negatively affect your cat’s behavior or temperament. I’m all for one or two sprays, but don’t go overboard and try to terrorize your pet.
It may take several tries until the cat understands the point and ends its window sill crusade. Still, most of the time, spraying your cat with water is a harmless way of getting it to understand that certain behaviors are unacceptable.
Bonus points for leaving the spray bottle on the window sill to really make sure your cat avoids it at all costs.
If, by chance, your kitty is one of those few freaks who love water, the rest of this list is for you.
3. Stink the Place Up
No, I don’t mean make your house reek just to keep your cat away from the windows.
In fact, many of the scents humans find incredibly pleasant will horrify most cats. The best known of these smells include:
- Citrus: Don’t we all just love the sweet smell of orange or lemon? Well, we might, but cats sure as hell don’t. Just sprinkling a few drops of lemon juice on your inside or outside window sills should be more than enough to make any cat detest the thought of coming near them. Using dried peels should also do the trick.
- Use a few drops of essential oil dissolved in water: The smell of lavender is a powerful cat deterrent, although it is crucial to dilute it with a lot of water as high concentrations could make your cat sick.
- Freshly ground coffee: Cats don’t like the smell of fresh coffee grounds, so, although it may not be a very pretty look, placing a bowl of coffee grounds on your window sill could be enough to keep them away.
4. Become a Plant Mom (or Dad)
Not only is packing your window sills with potted plants a trending aesthetic, but it could also make it physically impossible for your cat to get onto it.
If you’re using plants to keep indoor or outdoor cats away, make sure you fasten them securely to the window sill as the little fiends will not hesitate to bump them off.
As an extra deterrent, choose plants like lemon thyme, lemon balm, rosemary, and curry plant to ensure your cat avoids the window sill at any cost. Cats hate the smell of all these plants and herbs, and although they may have a pleasant scent for humans, your pet will most likely not go anywhere near them.
5. Anti-Cat Hot Sauce
The chemical capsaicin is found in most hot peppers. The chemical is also hated by most cats.
One of the best options, powdered cayenne pepper, contains a high concentration of capsaicin and acts as an excellent cat deterrent.
Just mix half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper with a bit of water, and spray it onto the window sill. If that seems like too much effort, even just sprinkling some cayenne pepper or chili flakes on the sill should be enough to make your cat and any outside cats inhabiting your windows steer very much clear.
6. Use Cat Repellent
There are hundreds of commercial cat repellents on the market. Each differs in branding and ingredients but follows the same general mechanism: they contain products that cats really hate the smell of.
Most pet stores will stock non-toxic cat repellent sprays that you can apply liberally to your window sills, then sit back and relax in the knowledge that Mr. Whiskers isn’t going anywhere near your windows for the foreseeable future.
7. Human Scarecrow
Alright, I’m not trying to start a debate on the ethics of scaring your neighborhood cats off your windows, but sometimes scare tactics may be the only method currently available to you.
The best way to scare an outdoor cat off your window sill is by running towards them, clapping your hands, and making loads of noise. It may not be effective in the long-term but could temporarily remove these annoying kitties from their perches.
I will warn you, though, that it won’t be more than half an hour, and they’ll be back unless you implement one of the other options on this list.
8. The Tinfoil Man
One interesting decor idea that can keep cats permanently off your window sills is aluminum foil.
If you’ve ever watched funny cat videos on YouTube, you’d have noticed most felines hate the stuff and can’t stand their feet touching it.
Cover the entire window sill in tin foil and observe as it suddenly becomes the one place your cat refuses to touch or sit on. The sound and sensation of tin foil on their feet are incredibly unpleasant to cats.
If you’re worried that guests may think you’re trying to avoid an alien abduction, you can always remove the foil when someone visits you.
9. Double Sided Tape
Double-sided or masking tape was initially used to stop cats from scratching furniture.
Eventually, some cat owners figured out that using strips of tape can help keep their cats off window sills, tables, counters, and the like.
Whether it’s double-sided tape or masking tape, sticky side up or down, the material creates a weird feeling on the bottom of your cat’s feet, and they won’t stick around to prolong the sensation.
10. Alternate Lodgings
If you’re looking for a kinder, less deterring way of keeping your cat away from your windows, why not just provide it with alternate places to sit and ponder the meaning of life?
Window sills are usually warm, sunny, and high up. Provide your cat with an alternative that offers these three things, and it’s likely with some training, they will never care to intrude on your windows again.
As an added attraction, sprinkle some catnip on your cat’s new perch to make the place more inviting and encourage them to use it more often.
11. The Obvious Answer
Alright, I‘ve left the most obvious, least creative option for last. If you’re really not looking for a novel way to get your cats off your window sills, the easiest way to prevent their occupation is to make these surfaces as inaccessible as possible.
Cats are great at jumping on windows, and everything else for that matter, so make sure you remove anything that may be helping them make their ascent to their perch of choice.
You can also cover their usual spot in pebbles, cactuses, or anything else that looks pretty and can be securely fastened, so they don’t get turned into high-velocity projectiles.
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