Cats are one of the most commonly kept pets all over the globe and in North America and Europe where the majority of our readers live, cats are the second most popular pet just behind dogs.
With so many people keeping a pet cat in the areas where most of our readers live, we constantly see questions from the community about caring for their pet cat.
One question that we have been seeing asking more frequently recently is about how you can cat proof a flat screen TV.
Most questions are based around preventing the cat knocking the flat screen TV over but the most important think that you should be focusing on is keeping your cat away from your flat screen TV.
If your cat is nowhere near the TV then there is no way that your cat is able to pull it over or damage it making this a much better option.
Can A Cat Knock Over A Flat Screen TV?
The most common reason that cat owners want to cat proof their flat screen TV is that they are worried about their cat knocking it over.
It is true that a cat could potentially knock over a flat screen TV but the chances of this happening are actually quite low. The vast majority of cats will not try and climb on top of furniture, let alone a flat screen TV, and will instead stay on the floor where they feel more comfortable.
Even if your cat does try and climb on to your flat screen TV, the majority of them will not be able to reach the top of the TV. This is because most cats are not tall enough to reach the top of a flat screen TV, even when they are standing on their hind legs.
How Do I Keep My Cat Off My Flat Screen TV?
The best way to keep your cat off your flat screen TV is to train them not to go on it. This can be done by using a combination of positive reinforcement and negative punishment.
Positive reinforcement is when you give your cat a treat or some other form of reward whenever they do something that you want them to do. For example, if you give your cat a treat every time they stay off the TV then they will learn that staying off the TV is a good thing.
Negative punishment is when you remove something that your cat likes whenever they do something that you don’t want them to do. For example, if you spray your cat with water whenever they try and go on the TV then they will learn that going on the TV is not a good thing.
You can also use a physical barrier to keep your cat off the TV. This could be something as simple as placing a piece of furniture in front of the TV so that your cat can’t get to it. A large enough indoor pet fence can be enough to get this done too in some cases.
Make The Area Uncomfortable For Your Cat!
If you want to keep your cat away from your flat screen TV then you need to make the area around it as uncomfortable for them as possible.
Depending on the exact setup you have around your flat screen TV, something as simple as a cat detterant mat can be enough to keep your cat away from your flat screen.
Use Cat Repelling Scents!
Another way to keep your cat away from your flat screen TV is to use cat repelling scents. The most popular cat repelling scent is citronella but there are other scents that work as well such as lavender.
You can either buy No products found. that already has these scents in it or you can make your own by adding a few drops of essential oils to a water bottle.
Spray the cat repelling scent around the area where you want your cat to stay away from and they should quickly learn that they don’t like being in that area.
Restrict Your Cats Access To The Room!
Another way to keep your cat away from your flat screen TV is to restrict their access to the room that it is in.
This can be done by either closing the door to the room or by using a pet gate. If you have a cat flap then you can also use that to keep your cat out of the room.
Train Your Cat Not To Jump At The TV!
If your cat is constantly trying to jump at the TV then you need to train them not to do this.
The best way to do this is to use a combination of positive reinforcement and negative punishment as we covered earlier in the article.
Distract Your Pet Cat!
If your cat is getting bored then they are more likely to start climbing on things like your flat screen TV.
To stop this from happening you need to make sure that your cat has enough toys and playthings to keep them occupied.
You should also try and spend as much time as possible playing with your cat so that they don’t get bored.
Fence Off The TV!
If you’re really struggling to keep your cat away from your flat screen TV then you may need to consider fencing it off.
You can do this by using a pet gate or by putting up a physical barrier such as an indoor pet fence around the TV.
Keep The TV At A High!
If your cat is constantly trying to jump at the TV then you may need to consider keeping it at a higher level.
One way to do this is to mount the TV on the wall. Another way is to put it on a tall piece of furniture such as a bookshelf.
How Do I Stop My Cat Knocking My TV Over?
If your cat is constantly knocking over your TV then there are a few things that you can do to stop this from happening. This is usually the best option to truly cat proof your flat screen TV as your cat is not able to knock the TV over an potentially damage it.
Fit Your TV With A Bracket!
If your cat is a risk and can potentially start knocking your flat screen TV over then you should consider fitting it with a bracket.
This will stop your cat from being able to knock the TV over and potentially damage it.
You can buy a TV bracket from most hardware stores or online and they tend to be very easy to fit in most cases. Many of the modern flat screen TV’s will come with a wall bracket or mounting bracket included with your purchase as standard.
Use Securing Straps!
Another way to cat proof your flat screen TV is to use securing straps. These are similar to the brackets but they will go around the TV and secure it to something else in the room such as a piece of furniture.
This will stop your cat from being able to knock the TV over and potentially damage your flat screen TV.
Key Points
Here are the key points from our article on how you are able to cat proof your flat screen TV:-
- Restrict Your Cats Access To The Room!
- Use cat repelling scents!
- Train Your Cat Not To Jump At The TV!
- Distract Your Pet Cat!
- Fence Off The TV!
- Keep The TV at a high level!
Conclusion
There are a number of ways that you can cat proof your flat screen TV. The best way to keep your cat away from your TV is to use cat repelling scents or restrict their access to the room that it is in. You can also try and train your cat not to jump at the TV or distract them with toys and playtime.
