Windows are a cat’s television. Build your kitty a simple but stylish “window seat” so he can watch the outdoors in comfort.

Cats love watching what goes on outside, whether it’s birds in the back yard, a tiny bug on the screen or a dog sauntering by on the sidewalk. For cats who do not have the luxury of their own personal window box or bay windowsill to lounge on, a homemade “window seat” may be the perfect solution. You can keep indoor cats entertained for hours by replacing your home’s narrow windowsills with cat shelving. The wider ledges create cat friendly lounge areas so your feline friend can survey the outside world in luxury.

My family converted eleven windowsills in our home into kitty window seats. The original sills were removed and replaced with wide boards, curved at the ends for safety.

The new ledges were painted to match the window frames, so they blend in well with the surrounding decor. At first glance, they appear to be regular windowsills.

It did not take long to construct these seats. Our cats immediately and happily jumped up on them, and now enjoy full views of the front yard, back yard and street.

Why a window seat?

  • Wider ledges prevent napping cats from falling off.
  • Cats can easily stretch out.
  • If you are tired of removing cat hair from your upholstery, window seats are a wonderful alternative. Our indoor cats prefer their window ledges to any comfy chair or couch.
  • Watching outdoor activity stimulates a cat’s brain.
  • The shelves offer a healthy form of exercise as cats jump up and down. (If you have an elderly cat that can’t jump as high, a low living room window is also an ideal spot for a window seat.)
  • The ledges can safely support more than one cat.
  • On sunny days, cats enjoy using window seats to bask in the sun.
  • Cats instinctively perch up high and will often choose your highest chair back or bookshelf to rest on. Window ledges offer them these same height advantages. Cats can supervise household activities while perched on the ledge. Your cat will soon learn that the seat is a safe area, one he won’t be chased away from. He’ll spend hours lounging and catnapping on it.

If you are unable to build a window seat for your cat, a simple alternative is to push a table up against the windowsill for his viewing pleasure.

You might think installing window seats for your cat would be detrimental when selling your home, but the opposite is true. When well built and painted to match surrounding trim, the ledges are aesthetically pleasing and will be very useful to new homeowners. If they don’t have cats, they can use the shelves to display plants or ornaments. If they do have cats, they will be thrilled to find a home specially customized for their feline friends!