How To Keep Cats Off Window Sills? – Methods That Always Work

Cats love to sit at the window and look out.

But, if you don’t want it there, how to keep cats out of windows?

Here you can find a few proven methods to keep your beloved cat away from the window sill. Try some of them!

Why Do Cats Love Looking Out Windows?

Many cats like to sit on the window sill and look outside, so does it really mean they want to go outside? Actually, it doesn’t.

Many times, they are just happy to sit on the sill for hours without making a move. Well, cats are crepuscular, they are active both day and night. Also, their vision is much better than humans, so they can notice something outside when we can’t see anything.

There is research that claims that 84.3% of the cats (out of 577) looked out windows for a total of 5 hours or less per day. As we said, cats have better vision, and a wider peripheral visual field of 200 degrees and they sense movement in poor conditions better than we do.

Maybe your cat stares at birds, enjoying the cool breeze and smells or the sun’s warmth. They can relax as they watch nature and all other things going on outside. Plus they love elevated spaces.

However, you might not want your cat sitting on your window sill some creative methods will keep your cat away from the sill.

Why Keep Cat Away From Window Sill?

Cats are animals with strong hunting instincts. As soon as they see a bird flying around, they will try to grab the bird. Or they will just want to explore the world out of your house. Meaning they can fall off and get injured. That’s the main reason why keep your cat away from an open window. Also, they can lose their balance while sleeping.

If you leave your window slightly open, your cat can get stuck in the window gap.

When it comes to the closed window, people have various reasons for that. Some of the most common are:

• the windows get dirty
• the curtains get furry
• cat scratches the curtains
• cat knocks your things down on the floor

11 Methods For Keeping Your Cat Off a Window Sill

There are some things you can try to keep your cat away from the window sill.

• Put Up Window Blinds – Or if you already have them, close them, so when the cat jumps on the window sill, he/she won’t see anything.



• Make The Window Unreachable – That works if the window is high and your cat uses a seat or table to reach the tall window sill. Remove the chair or table and it’ll become impossible for your cat to reach the sill.
• Put Up a Window Perch – If you don’t want to take away your cat’s favorite activity, you can set up a cozy window perch next to the window sill.



• Use Cat Window Guards – One more product you can purchase in a store and use to prevent your cat from jumping through the window if you leave it open. Just consider the window screen is firm enough so that your cat can’t destroy it.



• Use An Irritating Smell – Cats don’t like strong smells, especially citrus smells, so use that to your advantage. Spray a good amount of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar on that area. These smells are unpleasant for your cat and it’ll avoid them.
• Use Duble-sided Tape – When the cat jumps on the window sill and double-sided tape, they will hate that sticky feeling on its paws. Leave the tape there for a while, that should discourage a cat from climbing the window still.
• Place Small-sized Potted Plants – Or you can place herbs like mint on your window sill. The plants will occupy the entire sill and there will be no place for your cat. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean the cat won’t jump there, but you can try.



• Put a Rough Carpet Runner Along The Sill – That will make a window sill an uncomfortable place for your cat, it won’t sit there if it isn’t comfortable.
• Fix A Window Mesh – There is a protective mesh that you can install on your window. They will protect you from insects and protect your cat from falling.
• Put Foil On Window Sill – This budget-friendly option includes aluminum foil. Aluminum foil produces a noise that cats don’t like and isn’t comfortable for them to walk on it.
• Water Spray Bottle – Cats don’t like water. So, when you see your beloved cat trying the climb up the window sill, just grab a  spray bottle and spritz her.

What To Do If All Methods Don’t Work?

It is a bit cruel to forbid your cat from its favorite activity, especially if you live in a flat where the cat doesn’t have access to the outside world.

As we mentioned above, you can place window perch. It is usually made from soft material which is very comfortable for your cat.

Also, consider setting up a cat tree in front of an interesting window. A high tree with multiple platforms will be can be a great viewing station for your cat. This will keep your cat safe and allow her to engage with the outside world.

If you have to deal with a stubborn cat, then maybe all methods you can imagine won’t help. In that case, keep the window closed and secured.