{"id":5913,"date":"2022-09-26T11:29:06","date_gmt":"2022-09-26T10:29:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.englishblinds.co.uk\/blog\/?p=5913"},"modified":"2022-09-26T11:29:08","modified_gmt":"2022-09-26T10:29:08","slug":"are-blinds-dangerous-for-cats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.englishblinds.co.uk\/blog\/geek-central\/are-blinds-dangerous-for-cats\/","title":{"rendered":"Are blinds dangerous for cats?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Small<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

No, blinds aren\u2019t dangerous to cats in the UK today, and it is very hard to imagine a situation in which a window blind of any type could harm a cat in any way; even a cat like mine (Batman, may have mentioned him before) who should be the recipient of some kind of loyalty pass\/frequent flier card for the vet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A lot of the reason why blinds are safe for cats is because they firstly have to be safe for children; the blinds I mean, many cats are quite reasonably not that keen on kids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blinds aren\u2019t dangerous to children because we have laws and safety standards in place in order to assure this. The high benchmark for window blinds and child safety that we follow here in the UK also has the additional benefit of making it exceedingly unlikely that your window blinds could possibly harm your cat in any way either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact (and I reckon that most experienced cat people already have either first-hand knowledge or a sneaking suspicion of this), there\u2019s a far greater likelihood of your cat being dangerous to your blind than the other way around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The short answer to this question then, are blinds dangerous to cats, is \u201cno;\u201d notwithstanding that one cat that could literally do itself an injury in its sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Historically, however, some types of blinds<\/a> could be considered dangerous to cats, and there are some documented and quite awful accounts to be found online of cats hanging from blinds in the past. But before you panic and start tearing your rollers off the wall, please finish this blog post to learn why this isn\u2019t a problem you\u2019re likely to be faced with today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the more anxious pet owners among us, of which I am unfortunately one, I will use this blog post to look in as much detail as possible at any real or theoretical threat or problem a window blind might potentially cause to cats. I will also tell you why modern blinds are considered safe for cats today, while in the past this may not have been the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This will ensure that you have absolutely all of the information you might need to make an informed choice on what blinds to buy<\/a> if you have a cat, and how to keep your cat safe around blinds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please note: the information I\u2019ve put together here to cover every possible answer to the question \u201care blinds dangerous to cats\u201d applies to window blinds<\/a> sold in the UK and installed correctly, and may not apply to blinds sold in other countries with different safety standards and laws than ours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can cats hurt themselves in blinds?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Cat<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

No, or at least, no for 99.999% of cats\/blinds. We\u2019ve been in business here at English Blinds since the 1980s, and in that entire time, we have not had one single report of any sort of incident in which a cat got hurt by one of our blinds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve also never heard of this happening second hand or anecdotally either. (I say \u201cwe\u201d here, as I consulted the elders at Blinds Towers about this, they being the ones that have actually been here since the 1980s, when I personally was still in primary school and could only dream about my lofty future career as a window blinds blog writer.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, a quick Google search to cast my net further afield revealed that there have been a number of documented incidents in the past (most outside of the UK, but this might just be because most people\/cats in the world are outside of the UK) in which cats have hung on blinds. So, that being the case\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are blinds dangerous for cats if the blind has a loop of cord to raise and lower it, and can cats hang on blinds?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Closeup<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This is perhaps the sort of threat or potential threat that is most likely to spring to mind and concern cat owners in terms of the theoretical danger a blind might pose to a cat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, are blinds dangerous for cats if they have cords for operation, and could a cat hang themselves by putting their head through the loop of a blind? No, not if your blind is modern-ish (specifically, bought at any point from early 2014 onwards<\/a>), and so, conforms to the current relevant UK safety standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, any blind that is operated by means of a loop of cord has to have either a P-clip to secure the cord to the wall, or a safety breakaway built in to ensure that it doesn\u2019t pose a hanging risk; this latter being a small fitting placed at a break in the cord as a \u201cweak link,\u201d so the cord will separate under pressure. Many blinds will come with both, and the blind\u2019s cord itself should be no longer than is necessary to operate the blind properly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The P-clip secures the bottom of the loop of the blind\u2019s cord to the wall, so that none of it hangs down loose, preventing a child\/cat\/your husband if you married \u201cthat guy\u201d from sticking their head through it and twisting themselves into an early grave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to the breakaway and how that works, operating a blind in the normal manner should be smooth and not require physical strength, and so won\u2019t cause the breakaway to activate; but if you tug on the cord, or if your children pull hard on the cord, the cord will separate to ensure that it doesn\u2019t form a noose-like loop that could hang or strangle a child (or cat).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, cats are far more likely to bat a hanging control cord around with their paws (particularly if it\u2019s swaying in a breeze) than they are to stick their head through it; but either way, a P-clip prevents them from being able to do that, by means of stopping them from putting their head\/paw into and twisting the loop in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to the breakaway, even if your cat was weird enough (or honestly, possessed enough) to stick their head through the loop and spin in circles so that it tightened around their neck, if and when they change their mind and yank their head backwards or otherwise struggle to get free, the breakaway will break and allow them to do that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You only need either a P-clip or a safety breakaway in a blind\u2019s cord to make it safe for cats\/kids, not both features; but many blinds will come with both for added reassurance. For instance, our cat-safe roller blinds come with a P-clip too, even though they have a breakaway built in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can cats hurt themselves in blinds if I don\u2019t fit\/use the P-clip (if supplied)?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Child<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Yes, failing to fit or use the P-clip or cord tidy for blinds that need it totally negates this safety feature unless the blind has a breakaway too, and that could cause the blind to pose a risk to your cat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is really important to note that if your blind came with a P-clip rather than a breakaway, the safety of the blind for your cat, child, stands or falls on you fitting that P-clip and using it as intended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the unlikely event (we double check every blind that we ship to ensure that a P-clip is present with blinds that need it) that a blind comes with the P-clip missing (and doesn\u2019t have a breakaway instead) contact the blind\u2019s seller\/manufacturer immediately to get a replacement, and don\u2019t fit the blind until you have it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are blinds dangerous for cats if the blind has a cord but doesn\u2019t have either a breakaway or a P-clip at all?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Closeup<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Yes, these blind cords could be dangerous for cats if their control cord forms one uninterrupted loop without a breakaway, and isn\u2019t secured with a P clip either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, many blinds made pre-2014 featured a breakaway or P-clip where this would have improved safety anyway, even though this wasn\u2019t mandated in the safety standards at that point; but some older blinds will definitely be missing this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you do have an older blind and this blind doesn\u2019t have a breakaway in the cord or a P-clip fixing to keep it secured to the wall, this could potentially make it a hanging risk for your cat, and I strongly suggest replacing it asap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This does also apply if you bought your blind from abroad and\/or there\u2019s any chance it was imported in a questionable manner\/bought from a dodgy website or shop and so, bypassed the relevant safety standard, for the same reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are vertical blinds dangerous for cats due to their connecting chain?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Closeup<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Vertical blinds are constructed of individual fabric louvres, each of which has a weighted bottom with a little lug on either side, by means of which a beaded chain passes the entire length of the blind to hold the louvres together neatly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have a vertical blind, I guess a cat could theoretically get a paw trapped in the connecting chain that holds the louvres at the bottom of the blind together if they were playing with it and managed to twist the chain around their leg\/foot. I honestly don\u2019t see how personally, but there was a post about it on Reddit, so definitely plausible\u2026 And to be clear, this connecting chain poses absolutely no risk of hanging\/choking, as it doesn\u2019t form loops and is secured to each louvre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the connecting chain is a concern for you (albeit I honestly can\u2019t see it being a real risk), you can actually ask us for your vertical blind to be made without the little lugs on the bottom of each weighted louvre to hang the connecting chain to, which is a request we do get now and then for people who prefer the appearance of vertical blinds without the chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you already have a vertical blind and are concerned about the connecting chain (and don\u2019t trust me when I tell you that I don\u2019t think you need to be) you can also remove the chain yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The connecting bottom chain of a vertical blind is only present at all to stop the louvres from tangling in a brisk breeze, or if the blind is opened very sharply; it\u2019s not integral to the blind\u2019s functionality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are blinds dangerous for cats in any other ways?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Cat<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If I was trying to create an urban legend about window blinds eating cats, the best or rather, only theoretical issues\/threats that I can come up with using my famously vivid imagination are:<\/p>\n\n\n