Pet-friendly blinds and curtains: what holds up
No blind is dog proof or cat proof, but cordless control, wipeable fabric and tidy hems help. Here is how to choose blinds and curtains for a home with pets.
Pet friendly blinds are the ones that limit what a pet can chew, snag or tangle in, and that are easy to wipe clean. No blind is dog proof or cat proof, so the goal is to reduce the risks: choose cordless or motorised roller blinds with no chain, keep hems and base rails out of reach, and pick fabrics you can clean without a fight.
In short
- Choose ZeroGravity cordless or motorised roller blinds so there is no chain to chew, bat or tangle.
- Smooth coated roller fabrics wipe clean with a damp sponge. Open weaves are more likely to catch a claw.
- Finish curtains just off the floor (5 to 10 mm short), not touching or puddled.
- Sheers are hand wash only and blockout curtains cannot go in a washing machine, so plan the cleaning before you choose.
- Fit curtain tracks and blind brackets exactly as the installation guide for your product says, especially if your pet climbs.
Pet friendly blinds start with the control
Chains and cords are the first thing to check, for children and pets alike. A hanging chain can be chewed, batted or looped around a paw or neck, so the aim is to remove it or keep it short and out of reach.
| Control | How it works | With pets |
|---|---|---|
| SunBoss chain | Chain drive; the safety device supplied stops the chain forming a loop over 220 mm | Keep the chain short and out of reach. Fine for a room pets rarely enter |
| ZeroGravity cordless | Spring-balanced, lifts by the base rail, holds at any height; up to 3 m wide by 3 m drop | No chain to chew. The base rail is within reach if lowered |
| Motorised | Rechargeable battery, hardwired or C-Bus; remote or smart hub | No chain. Keep the remote and charger out of reach |
| Curtain wand | 910 mm or 1520 mm wand, or none | A wand can be chewed; choose no wand if your pet will mouth it |
Note: No blind is pet proof. Supervise young animals, keep hanging items out of reach and follow the installation guide for your product so everything is fitted securely.
For more on comparing the options, read our guide to roller blind controls, or see cordless roller blinds directly.
Roller blinds in homes with pets
Roller blinds are the easiest blind to keep pet friendly, because a blind rolled fully up leaves nothing hanging and a lowered blind wipes clean.
Fabric. Blockout roller fabrics are polyester with an acrylic coating, so they wipe with a damp sponge and dry. Dust with a soft cloth first, avoid abrasive or solvent cleaners, and do not roll the fabric up while damp. SunScreen is a woven fabric. As a general rule, smoother coated fabrics tend to shrug off a paw better than an open weave, but a determined claw can mark any fabric.
Colour. Pale fabrics show paw marks and dark ones show hair and dust, so a mid tone forgives both. Ultra Grey and Elegance Warm Grey are options, but order free samples and compare them in your own light.
Height. A blind rolled fully up is out of reach. If your pet is a climber, roll the blind up when you go out.
Views. If your dog barks at passers-by, Light Filter obscures the view while letting in daylight. Silhouettes may show at night when the room is lit. See light filter roller blinds for the colours.
Venetians, vertical blinds and panel glide
Venetian blinds are easy to wipe, but slats can bend if a pet pushes through to look outside. A wider, heavier slat such as timber or fauxwood tends to hold its shape better than a thin metal one, though none is bend-proof. Tilt the slats open or raise the blind rather than letting a pet squeeze between them. Aluminium and fauxwood venetians both suit kitchens and bathrooms. See aluminium venetian blinds.
Vertical blinds and panel glide hang close to the floor, so tails, paws and noses brush them. Vertical vanes swing when touched and can be trodden on. Choose a stack side that parks the vanes or panels away from where your pet walks, and keep the bottoms clear of the floor.
Plantation shutters have no hanging fabric and no chain, which is one reason some pet owners choose them. Claws can still mark the blades, and PVC shutters are for interior use only, so keep hinges and metal parts dry. Our plantation shutters range includes timber and PVC.
Curtains and pets
Curtains collect hair, drool and dirt, so the hem and the care rules matter most.
- Hem. A hem just off the floor (5 to 10 mm short) stays cleaner and is harder to tug. Touching skims by up to 5 mm. Avoid puddled, which adds 20 mm of fabric that collects hair and dirt on the floor.
- Care. Sheers: vacuum gently, hand wash only in warm water, no bleach, rubbing or wringing, and drip dry by the hooks in the shade. Blockout curtains: no washing machine, professional wet clean is recommended, or hand wash at up to 40°C, and never tumble dry. Iron on the fabric side only.
- Track. If your cat climbs curtains, a ceiling-fit track means the curtain hangs from ceiling height. Fit it following our curtain installation guide.
- Wand. Choose no wand if a dog will chew it.
If you prefer curtains with pets, consider sheer curtains for the daytime and a blockout layer that you can take to a professional wet cleaner. Blockout curtains can shrink by up to 3 per cent, so follow the care label.
Sunny spots and pets that stay home
Pets pick the sunniest spot in the house, and that spot often moves with the sun. A SunScreen or Light Filter blind softens the glare on that spot while still letting daylight in, and a Blockout blind gives you a darker room when you want one.
If your pet stays home while you are out, a battery motor with a compatible smart hub can lower or raise blinds on a timer, or at sunrise and sunset. That is a convenience, not a safety system. Do not rely on any blind alone to keep a pet comfortable in hot weather: shade, water and airflow matter more.
What suits which pet situation
| Situation | Good choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Puppy or kitten that chews | Cordless or motorised roller, rolled up when unattended | No chain, nothing dangling |
| Cat that loves the windowsill | Face-fit roller, raised when not needed | Keeps the sill clear and hardware above reach |
| Dog that barks at the street | Light Filter roller | Obscures the view but lets in daylight |
| Big dog beside a sliding door | Curtains just off the floor, or panel glide parked to the side | Hem or panels stay out of the walking path |
| A shedding pet | Coated roller fabric | Wipes with a damp sponge |
Mistakes to avoid
- Leaving a chain hanging at pet height. Choose cordless or motorised, or keep the chain short and out of reach.
- Choosing puddled curtains. They collect hair, dirt and drool, and they are easy to tug.
- Ignoring the care label. Blockout curtains cannot go in the washing machine, so a muddy paw print is a job for a damp cloth or a professional clean.
- Skipping the installation guide. A climbing cat can pull a poorly fitted track or bracket down, so fit everything as the guide for your product describes.
Set-up checklist
- Choose cordless or motorised control for any room your pet uses.
- Fit brackets and tracks following the installation guide for your product.
- Finish curtain hems just off the floor.
- Keep the sill and the space behind furniture clear, so a pet has no easy route up to the blind.
- Keep remotes, chargers and wands out of reach.
- Check your fabric sample in the room your pet actually uses, at the time of day they use it.
The same no-chain thinking applies to children's rooms, which we cover in blinds and curtains for nurseries.
Cleaning up after pets
- Roller blinds: dust with a soft cloth, wipe marks with a damp sponge and dry, and never roll the fabric up wet. See how to clean roller blinds.
- Venetians: wipe the slats, working along their length.
- Curtains: follow the care notes in the curtains section above.
Questions
Are cordless blinds better for homes with pets?
Yes, generally. ZeroGravity cordless and motorised roller blinds have no chain for a pet to chew, bat or get tangled in. Keep the base rail out of reach if your pet is a climber.
What are the most durable blinds for pets?
No blind is pet proof, but roller blinds in smooth coated fabric wipe clean with a damp sponge and have nothing dangling. Keep any blind raised off the floor and away from reach.
Will my cat scratch roller blinds?
Cats may claw any hanging fabric. Rolling the blind fully up when you are out, choosing a smooth coated fabric over an open weave, and keeping the sill clear all reduce the risk.
Should curtains touch the floor if I have a dog?
No. A hem just off the floor (5 to 10 mm short) stays cleaner and is harder to tug than a hem that touches or puddles.
Are venetian blinds a good choice with pets?
They can be, but slats can bend if a pet pushes through to look outside. Tilt them open or raise the blind rather than letting a pet squeeze between slats.
Build a cordless roller blind
Choose a ZeroGravity cordless roller blind and see the price as you enter your measurements.
Keep reading
BlindsChain, cordless or motorised: choosing roller blind controlsChain, cordless or motorised? How each roller blind control works, what limits apply and which suits a bedroom, nursery, home theatre or wide window.
Care & cleaningHow to clean roller blinds without damaging the fabricThe safe, simple way to clean roller blinds while they hang: dust, damp sponge, dry. Includes what to avoid and how to handle grease, chains and brackets.
Room ideasBlinds and curtains for nurseries and kids' roomsCordless blockout blinds, cassettes and curtains for a nursery, with practical steps on chains, cot position and colours that still work as your child grows.
