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Cat Proof Car Cover – Do They Exist?

If you have a treasured motor car and have seen cats scratching or messing it up you may be wondering what you can do about it… 

Why do cats mess with motor cars?

Cars are appealing in many ways for your kitty. The hood, for instance, is smooth and warm, making a nice spot to settle down for a nap for a kitty who is outside. During colder months, some cats will even get under a car to be close to the engine heat that is still there for a bit once you’ve left.

When it’s not a matter of heat, it’s a matter of hiding, as the space underneath a vehicle is not as small to your cat but makes them harder to see, something that these smart little predators always appreciate.

What is a car cover?

A car cover is a fabric or plastic cover that is designed to fit over your car to protect it from the elements, from bird droppings, and occasionally from cats that might want to climb on the car for a better look at something or simply a nap on the warm hood.

They also help to keep a car clean once you’ve shined it up, so car covers are a popular accessory for protecting one’s investment in their automobile.

Can a car cover keep cats off of it?

No, a car cover will not physically prevent your cat from getting on top of your car, and some cats may even enjoy the feel of the fabric. What a cover WILL do, however, if it helps to ensure that your kitty doesn’t accidentally scratch your paint job if they scramble from sliding on the smooth surface.

Can a car cover protect your car from scratches?

Yes, a car cover should provide adequate protection from dust, bird droppings, and accidental scratches from a kitty on your car.

You can get one quite easily, as well, with websites such as carcovers.com offering ‘platinum shield’ level protection, which utilizes materials that will protect from UV rays, rain, snow, and yes – from scratchy kitties trying not to fall off of the slick surface of a well-kept car.

What is the best type of car cover for cats?

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The ‘Platinum Shield’ cover is designed with resilient materials which are resistant to bad weather, as well as sunlight and UV exposure. An optional wind strap is even available to help to keep your cover secure.

If you are looking to implement a car cover solution, be sure to check the link as this will give you a real-world example of the kind of coverage that you can purchase through this vendor or another with a comparable quality product.

What other ways can I cat proof my car?

A car cover isn’t the only way to keep your cat or neighborhood kitties at bay. In the sections below we’ve collected a few strategies that you can implement to keep your car safe if you’d prefer not to go with a car cover. Let’s take a look and you can see which you would like to try!

Lock your car in a garage

If you have a garage, then unless your kitty runs in at the last minute when the door is closing, you’ve already got a pretty effective deterrent.

After all, your cat can’t scratch the car if they can’t get to it in the first place, and putting it in the garage will protect you from ALL of the elements, including highly-damaging hailstorms. So, if you have a garage, why not use it? It’s simple and it works.

Train your cat to stay away

While it takes some time, you can train your kitty to stay off of the car, but it’s going to take a lot of treats and patience. Whenever your cat gets on the car, you have to tell them ‘no’ and then call your cat over to you to give them a treat.

Repeat this as necessary and your cat will make the connection – you don’t want them on the car and you will reward them from time to time if they stay off of it.

While you could also try spraying water at your kitty whenever they get on the car as a harmless way of saying ‘this is off limits’, we wouldn’t recommend it. Some cats will be very angry about this and you might lose some of their trust.

Other cats will make a game of sitting on the car as much as possible because they think that you are playing with them or as a ‘dominance tactic’ simply because you’ve said the car is off-limits. As such, it’s better to try positive reinforcement and treats. You won’t risk trust and this method is more effective, anyway.

Motion triggered water sprayer

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Now, we’ve mentioned that spraying your cat to keep them off the car might make them lose a little trust for you, modern technology has given you a way to use water as a deterrent anyway and not get the blame for it.

Motion-sensing sprayers will detect the motion from a roving kitty and respond with a harmless spray that is odorless and non-toxic to your cat.

This works in the house or you can put it on your car in the garage, though you should still use a cover as your cat might scratch the car running away from it! Motion-sensor sprinkler systems are also available that you can install in the yard and this will also keep your cat and others away from your vehicle.

Scatter mothballs near your car

If you are using an exterior carport or your home garage to store your vehicle, then a sprinkling of mothballs can help to keep your cat away. Cats don’t like the scent of them. That said, due to their shape, some cats might actually play with or even ingest one —  so citrus spray is a good non-toxic alternative.

Lay cardboard pieces on top of any car cover

Some cats find car covers quite comfortable, which can end up getting cat fur on your cover and might also require that you remove a sleeping cat from your car every time that you want to use it. A good way to avoid this is to cut up some pieces of cardboard into 3-foot by 7-foot strips.

Lay these out on the cover and most cats will find it to be unsuitable for sleeping there. The cardboard moves around a little, so your cat will assume that it’s an unstable spot and should leave your car alone.