I'm a first time cat owner. Back in February I got two kitten sisters which have just turned one year old in August. Both are very sweet and I love them but the orange one of the two is always up to some mischief.
For the first few months I always closed the door to the kitchen because I didn't want them roaming around and potentially climbing on stuff or touching stuff that might hurt them. I was no longer able to do that once summer started however because I live in an apartment, right under the roof of the building, with no air conditioning. So summers are absolutely horrible and I need to open the window in the kitchen to get a proper draft going.
In late july, I finally got a nice (expensive) fly screen installed. I had to get something special for inside the kitchen window, not outside because, as the title says, my kitchen has a slanted wall with a window and opens outwards.
For the last month the cat did not care at all about the fly screen, she and her sister were always just sitting on the kitchen table and watching the field outside or look at the birds flying by. But about a week ago, she became OBSESSED with climbing up the counter. I would always catch her on it when I walked by the kitchen. She would even jump up as I was cooking or washing dishes. I always shoo'd her away but that doesn't stop her from doing it when I'm not looking.
I have provided a sketch of my kitchen and the window, to show what she's doing (I don't wanna post a photo)
Yesterday, I walked by the kitchen and saw that the cat had ripped out part of the fly screen, squeezed her body through it and stood on the roof. And ever since that moment this little monster sees it as a challenge to rip at the fly screen when I'm not looking and try to get to the window (which is closed on but still). The problem is that she has easy access because my kitchen counter is just long enough for her so she can sit on it and rip at the screen to get through. I even bought a cat net today, installed it over the fly screen and 3 hours later half the screen was ripped out again.
I'm at the end of my rope. I don't know what to do anymore. I don't have the money to buy any expensive fixtures or a new, more sturdy fly screen. She doesn't care about tinfoil or stick tape. Blocking things off didn't help either, she still got through somehow.
Does anyone have any idea what I can do stop this cat from trying to kill herself? I know I shouldn't be scared, she's a cat, even if she climbs out the window onto the roof, she'll probably be fine but I am TERRIFIED she's going to slip and fall. I live on the third floor. I don't want her to get hurt.
And I also don't want her to destroy that expensive fly screen.