The Most Popular Window Coverings for Pet Owners in Charlotte
There’s a scenario pet owners in Charlotte are all too familiar with: leaving your home only to glance behind and see your furry friend’s face in the window as you walk away. For pet owners with certain window coverings, frequent trips to the window might spell disaster, as dogs and cats can make for some of the worst and lasting harm to your window treatments.
So how can you protect against pet damage? The easiest way is to pick a pet-friendly window treatment that can handle even the most excitable pets. We’ve rounded up some of the best (and worst) window coverings for pet owners in North Carolina.
Window Treatments That Aren’t Pet-Friendly
We’ll start by taking a look at which window treatments homeowners with pets should not choose.
Window Coverings With Cords
As is the case with children’s window safety, cords can be one of the biggest issues for pet owners. Dogs and cats alike are known to play with dangling cords, which may result in damage to your window treatment or in some cases, injury to your pet.
Instead, choose a window treatment without cords, such as shutters that fit in the window frame or other window coverings that operate by a bottom-up top-down configuration or are automatic.
Metal Blinds
Photo courtesy Carlos Castro via Flickr (Creative Commons).
Metal blinds are possibly the absolute worst window treatment for homes with pets. Not only do the blinds typically operate via cord, but they’re incredibly vulnerable to damage from even the most well-behaved animals. Dogs or cats peeking through aluminum blinds can warp, bend, or even snap the weak slats, so you’ll have to replace the whole set of blinds.
Fabric Window Coverings
Fabrics may be something to stay away from, depending on your pet and the type of window treatment. Lengthy fabrics like draperies can “puddle” on the floor, making them easy for dirty paws to walk all over. Fabric window treatments also have a tendency to collect pet hair which nullifies any style value they might add. Finally, fabrics can tear, making them perfect targets for cat claws.
Our Recommended Pet-Friendly Window Treatments
Now that we’ve seen which window treatments don’t mix well with pets, we’ll dive into the more pet-friendly window treatments.
Real Wood and Faux-Wood Blinds
Almost all of the problems aluminum blinds have, wood and faux-wood blinds resolve for pet owners. Even if your dog or cat wants to poke its face through the window, sturdier wood blinds can handle more abuse than metal blinds. Plus, their typically wider slats make it harder for pets to get their arms or necks tangled in them.
But, make sure that if you buy wood or faux-wood blinds that you opt for ones that are cordless.
Plantation Shutters - The Best Window Treatment for Pets
If you’re concerned about damage to your window treatments or injury to your pet caused by window treatments, plantation shutters may assuage those concerns. Since they’re mounted directly onto the window, there are no dangling cords or fabric that may cause issues. What’s more, even if your dog or cat is able to climb up, Polywood® plantation shutters are resistant to scratches and incredibly sturdy so damage is almost never a concern.
Plantation shutters can help keep pets happy too. Own a pooch that wants to look out the window as you leave? Shutters can make it easy without any chance of damage. Does the kitten like to have a patch of sunlight to lounge in? Just adjust the louvers and let the light come through without giving up your privacy.
In short, plantation shutters are the best window treatment for homes with pets.
