How to protect dolls from cats?

Beware of cats trying to steal wigs... That's the only trouble I've ever had with my resin minions and the local furballs.

One of mine used to firmly believe that skin mohair wigs in particular were put on Earth just for her to hunt. If I left a mohair wig sitting around where Juno could reach it, she'd stalk it, pounce it, and then bolt off under the bed or the sofa with the wig in her mouth, mewing like she'd caught the best mouse ever. She never actually tried to pull a wig off of any of my dolls, but if it was just sitting there on the table? Totally fair game in her opinion.

The solution in that case was just not to leave unattended wigs where she could get to them.

That said, I do keep my dolls behind glass (I have a set of Hemnes glass-door cabinets from IKEA for them-), but that was done to keep the dust off more than to keep Mei, my current cat, away from them. In general, none of my cats ever seemed to take much notice of... or interest in... the dolls themselves.

 

Also beware if you plan to set your dolls on a shelf, especially one that's higher up. I ended up having to hide the shelf with a bit of fabric to prevent any ideas sparking in my cat.

 

I've heard of people getting things like this to protect from dust and pets.
http://www.amazon.com/Master-Lighthouse-acrylic-figure-exhibition/dp/B00FG1VYCG

...just uh, not that model in particular cause holy biscuits 400 dollars >_>; There's usually some decent sized unlit ones in the $20+ range, rather than this monstrosity of a money sink. I just couldn't find any other image right off the bat that demonstrated what I meant. .-.;

http://www.amazon.com/Collection-tr...UTF8&qid=1452397231&sr=1-3&keywords=doll+case this was what I was thinking of, but this one is only 12inches so it might not be large enough depending on your doll size. There's bigger ones but of course the price will go up with size. I see a 16 incher in the related for a few dollars more.

For multiples, if you live near an Ikea a Detolf might be a decent fit; glass cabinet with removable shelves so you can anything from a 1/12 to a 1/3 in there, but it's 69.99 and if you don't live near an Ikea (like driving distance) the shipping is murder on the budget. they probably have other glass door furniture that'll work too.

The cheapest solution to space ratio is rather...not pretty to look at and I use it to store stuff when I'm painting and they need a safe place to dry, rather than for displaying the dolls in my room.
I have something like this: Plano 4-Shelf Storage Unit, Light Taupe - Walmart.com
and I cover it with something like this: Husky 10x25 Clear Sheeting, 3.5mil - Walmart.com

 

I have cabinets galore in my new house. Seeing them was one of the reasons I went for the place. Not all of them are glass fronted but they do keep the cats out and that's my primary reason for liking them. Basically it comes down to kicking the one cat out of the room so I can can take my dolls out and play.

My little boy Siamese is nicknamed "4 footed wrecking crew" and "hellion" among other things. There is no working around Loki. He is the most aptly named animal on the planet. :P My other cat she's older and for the most part mannerly when it comes to my dolls, but he's the total opposite. Everything in the house is a potential toy for him. He's hyper, ultra curious, and mischievous to the point where it's exhausting sometimes.

I have a brochure from the people who made the cabinets in my house. I'm seriously thinking of asking them to come back so they can put glass in some of the cabinets that don't have it. They seem reasonable and I don't like the doors on some of the cabinets anyway. I would not mind a change. The cabinets are already there. They just need to be adjusted for doll display usage...

 

My cats like to destroy things, so right now when I'm not using my dolls they stay in their boxes or in a glass display cabinet in my mom's house. When I move finally my plan is to get a glass cabinet from ikea so my dolls can be on display without risk of them falling due to curious kitties.

 

I would think glass cabinets would be a good method. Personally my cats and dogs aren't allowed upstairs, which is where my room is, and regardless, I've always had a habit of keeping my door closed. So my animal friends don't usually get a chance to encounter my dolls.
I think that's the only way I will feel entirely okay about it, because I like to have my dolls out, on shelves or on the headboard of my bed. So I need a room where my animals aren't allowed (at least not without supervision) but if you don't mind cabinets then I would go for that. Especially glass ones so you can have your dolls on display, but still protect them.

 

As someone with more cats than sense: glass cabinets are absolutely going to be your friend. Either the aforementioned Ikea makes, or check local thrift stores for a second-hand curio cabinet (the huge antique corner piece I keep my dolls in I actually got from the local humane society's thrift store because it matched another piece of antique furniture I had - it's a beautiful piece that just happened to be perfect for my doll too!) I'm blessed with mostly well-behaved cats, and even years back when I was living at home with my mom (who also has more cats than sense, so there was a lot of cats...) I actually left my doll sitting out in a chair on my nightstand and it was never an issue, BUT I wouldn't gamble with the cost of a doll if your cat is even remotely known to be trouble.

I have two five-month-old kittens now who get into everything. Dolls stay in the cabinet.

TheBodyVolcanic's solution is theoretically ideal; but if you're anything like me, my cats rule my life and there is no "cat-free" space. High shelves are usually a haven for the climbers, so I wouldn't put any dolls high in hopes of keeping the cat away - that practically makes them a target. As for clothes, wigs, etc, I would definitely store those in a sealed container, because wigs are absolutely a target (small furry thing!) and clothes become a comfortable nap pile.

 

I have two cats, both about 5 years old now. I got my first BJD when they were 3. It did cross my mind that they may be mischievous. However so far they have been very good and show no interest in my dolls. This means that my Dolls sit on a shelf. It also might be because there is no room for them to jump on the shelf either as they do like to jump on top of clear spaces.
My two cats do like feathers however and one of my new dolls is coming with a feather headdress so I'm going to have to be extra cautious.

Other than that, if your cats are being a bit destructive, maybe get them some more toys to play with to help with that excess energy.

 

Nthing the "put them behind glass" suggestion! We have an Ikea HEMNES shelf, with 20+ SDs on it. Love it.

Here it is the day we assembled it (it's a lot more neatly organized now that we have them on stands!), with the furry monsters sitting around it.

​

 

Well, I don't know if this would work for everyone but I personally treat my dolls like their 'alive' when my cats are around them, I overreact accordingly when one of my cats tries to attack or even disrupt my dolls (please know I do not strike or shout at my cats but simply use a disapproving tone and clear body language of my concern for the doll).

I often have my dolls sit on my lap while I'm watching TV or other activity and gently but firmly refuse any attempt my cats make to sit on my lap while the dolls is there, I also talk in the same affectionate way to my dolls as I do with my cats so they realize by my tone that this object is something I care for greatly.

The best way I keep my cats from seeing my dolls as a potential play thing is by having my dolls sit on the couch next to me and encouraging my cats to sit in the dolls lap instead of mine, apparently my cats will take anykind of lap they can get, whether it's big or small, living or not

 

Those Hemnes cabinets really are nice for the price, they come in a couple of different sizes and colors, and all but the center shelf are adjustable. Here's the link: HEMNES Glass-door cabinet - black-brown - IKEA.

And my "downstairs" set (Two of the wider ones, with a narrow one between them):

 

I'm lucky enough to have a room for my dolls & figures that the pets are not allowed in. But if didn't, and if I didn't have room for glass cabinets, I'd probably keep my dolls in their boxes. It would be awesome to get an old trunk and fit it out for doll storage, too.

 

I'm very fortunate, in that my cat, as evil as he can be, leaves the dolls alone and has for the entire time I've owned them. (He'll occasionally lay next to or on one that's on the couch, if I'm working on clothes, but he stays off the shelves.) Though, to be fair, I also know his proclivities, and therefore avoid any animal fibers that might attract him (no mohair wigs in this house). So I just use the Plano shelves linked above, but completely open and exposed.

However, I also have two puppets made of wood and rabbit fur that he would chew to death if he could get to them; I keep them on a particular high shelf I know he can't access, and he's never been allowed to get close enough to them to know what they smell like, so he's left them alone for years. I'm still concerned that he'll one day "discover" them, though. (And I'm not sure I could properly replace them, because they're no longer handmade the way these two were.) Eventually, they'll probably get either a high wall-mounted shelf (I used to keep my dolls on one of these), or a glass-fronted shelf to protect them better.

 

I had this cabinet when I moved into the room. It sits under an awkward stair well in my room, which happens to be the one part of my room hardly touched by light. I have a cat with a history of eating barbie doll feet but not resin so far. He is much older now. My MAIN concern is my dog. He whips his tail around like Indiana Jones. He's knocked over many things before. He smacks that thing against metal, trees, cars, people, faces. He doesn't care what he smacks with it and damn it's painful. Same goes for his nose, he will shove it in business not his own. If you bring home a package or grocery bags, you could hold them over your head he's still going to leap up and shove his nose on it. No stopping this boy. Then he will also lick EVERYTHING. So this cabinet is what keeps me relaxed. If I ever leave the room for more than a bathroom break, I just put my doll in there and close it up. Then take him out again when I return. Usually I would just leave him on the desk laying down if the pets were outside but. If you're worried about cats perhaps get a drawer under your desk? (unless they open drawers) So If you leave you can open a drawer with a pillow in it. set the doll in, close it and come back later. But it's still close by to the desk.
Least that's my suggestion for temporary security.

 

Luckily my little furballs couldnt care less about my dollies. Maybe try confining the dollies to a cat free room? Or if the cats run the house, like in my apartment, a cabinet like what has been suggested works nice too. Maybe a shelf that is too high for the cats to jump onto?

 

A glass cabinet has too been my saving grace around my little furballs. I currently have 3 cats and a big akita. None of them have shown any interest in the dolls so they are safe.. but when they are out and I'm messing around with them they are prone to a playful paw swatting at a string on an outfit, or being casually nosed at as they bomb a photoshoot. One of my cats looked like it was considering biting my dolls hand but I stopped him in the act. Another time a doll got knocked over by a fluffbutt who decided to rub against it. For the most part tho my cats haven't ever really bothered with my dolls.