Escape Artists

My cats (neutered) are constantly trying to get outside. All of the screens in my windows are shredded, they figured out how to open the windows if it's opened a crack. Their main escape route is the bathroom window because they can squeeze under the bathroom door.
Right now it's not a huge problem because it's too cold to open the windows, but this year I want to try to save on my hydro bill and not use the air conditioner too much.
So how does everyone else deal with escape artists? I'm imagining chicken wire (fire hazard?) or bars on my windows, it's not pretty, but I don't want them outside by themselves. Any suggestions?

To keep my cats from going to kitchen window and constantly being on the kitchen counter to get to it, I decided to put potted plants and knock knaks there so that there was no room for them to stand on the sill, since the original sill was very narrow I cut a piece of wood to lay over top of the original sill an screwed it done. and this created a wide enough sill for me me to clutter, other things you could do is boobytrap the windows you don't want the cat accessing, but leave at least one for the cat which can be left shut put a nice cat padded cat shelf there to help make this the most desirable window to be at , for the other windows put double sidesided carpet tape on the sill, put pop cans with a few pennies in each on the sill arranged in a way that they would get knocked over and startle the cat.

The other option maybe be to to put in a cat door that leads to an outdoor catrun or enclosure http://www.cat-world.com.au/cat-worldenclosures.htm
http://www.just4cats.com/page7.html


A place in Toronto that sells kits or parts to make your own http://www.thecatsden.net/

The last big monster of a cat I had would simply walk up to a screen (the nylon kind) insert one nail and rip it open to go out.:p

I solved this by replacing the nylon with aluminum screens. There was no other solution and it was cheaper than constantly replacing the other kind.

Give your cats a nice perch in front of a window so they can lie there and look out and see the birds etc, and with the aluminum that won't rip, they can also get fresh air (as can you!!) :)

I was going to suggest the same as Lucky,I bought the aluminum-screen mesh at Canadian tire for my patio-door,not for my cats,who go outside with us,but for the raccoons and if the coons cannot rip it,neither will your cats.
I believe it's very important for indoor cats to at least see outside and be able to lie in the sun on a window-sill.

Thanks all, I'll get some aluminum screens next week. Their favorite pass-time is looking out our huge front windows at all the doggys walking by and the stray cats that live across the street.

Awesome to know that they keep raccoons from tearing the screens up too, not that they have been, but there are a lot of them living around here, the babies are always teaching themselves new things.

The outdoor run sounds good too, but I'm not sure it's feesible right now.

Thanks again all.:D

I agree with Chico and Lucky - you have to provide alternatives so they like them more than they like outside. I am lucky (no pun intended to anyone's online name, lol) of late with a meezer and 2 sphynxes who have short hair and little hair so hate the cold tho a hot sumer day is another matter but they will take the stroller just fine, lol But in the past with escape artists, I have patiently (can't emphasize this enuf because it won't happen overnight) changed their minds fom the door to a perch by a window where birds are (but they can't get them... and they know they are too far), entertain them with their own TV and videos.

It's not easy but in the end, it is worth it!