FacebookTwitter
Hatrack River Forum   
my profile login | search | faq | forum home

  next oldest topic   next newest topic
» Hatrack River Forum » Active Forums » Books, Films, Food and Culture » Cat Flaps

   
Author Topic: Cat Flaps
TheBlueShadow
Member
Member # 9718

 - posted      Profile for TheBlueShadow           Edit/Delete Post 
We recently adopted two cats from our local humane society. They're doing well and have adjusted but I'm having a problem. During the day the bedroom door is left open so the cats can go about as they please, but at night I'm used to closing my door. One of the cats wants to sleep in my bed and I have no problem with that but leaving my door open all night is driving me crazy.

Anyone have any experiences with cat flaps and can recommend a good kind for an interior door?

The tabby at 10 months weighs 8.4 lbs and the other mostly siamese at 4-5 months is over 6 lbs.

Posts: 96 | Registered: Sep 2006  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Elmer's Glue
Member
Member # 9313

 - posted      Profile for Elmer's Glue   Email Elmer's Glue         Edit/Delete Post 
What is so bad about leaving your door ajar?
Posts: 1287 | Registered: Apr 2006  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
ketchupqueen
Member
Member # 6877

 - posted      Profile for ketchupqueen   Email ketchupqueen         Edit/Delete Post 
It can let a good bit of light in even in a dark place; it can also let a draft in. I can see how someone not used to it could not like it. I used to have to sleep with my door closed (now I have to sleep with it open.)
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Elmer's Glue
Member
Member # 9313

 - posted      Profile for Elmer's Glue   Email Elmer's Glue         Edit/Delete Post 
Any door should work.
Posts: 1287 | Registered: Apr 2006  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
scifibum
Member
Member # 7625

 - posted      Profile for scifibum   Email scifibum         Edit/Delete Post 
I don't like sleeping in closed rooms. By morning the atmospheric funk is almost palpable.

But there was a time when I slept with the door closed; I was a teenager and needed the illusion of privacy. (I still can't believe my parents let me put a locking doorknob on my room. They probably jimmied the lock when I was away.)

Posts: 4287 | Registered: Mar 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
ClaudiaTherese
Member
Member # 923

 - posted      Profile for ClaudiaTherese           Edit/Delete Post 
Is this a rental place, or do you own it? Installing a pet door requires you (at least, for all I've seen) to cut into the door.

If you don't want to cut into the door, you might have success with rigging up a blanket that you can hang over the doorway, on the side opposite where the door opens. Leave the door propped open just a bit, and the cat can easy slide past the fabric.

Posts: 14017 | Registered: May 2000  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
The Pixiest
Member
Member # 1863

 - posted      Profile for The Pixiest   Email The Pixiest         Edit/Delete Post 
quote:
Originally posted by Elmer's Glue:
What is so bad about leaving your door ajar?

It's not a door if it's ajar.
Posts: 7085 | Registered: Apr 2001  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
TheBlueShadow
Member
Member # 9718

 - posted      Profile for TheBlueShadow           Edit/Delete Post 
We own the house. The problem is that my door leads directly into the living room. Which is fine until someone decides they want to be awake and doing something. Then I wake up.

For that reason, I'd rather not hang up a blanket. If there were a hallway or something it wouldn't be such a big deal, but then I wouldn't have much of a problem to begin with.

I think I'll just have to take a leap of faith. Some of the reviews of pet doors talked about how the solid doors could catch a cat's tail and then the cats would refuse to use them. I know how finicky they can be and I was wondering if anyone had/knew any similar issues or problems to look out for.

Posts: 96 | Registered: Sep 2006  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Elmer's Glue
Member
Member # 9313

 - posted      Profile for Elmer's Glue   Email Elmer's Glue         Edit/Delete Post 
I don't think the solid door would be a problem. My cats all used them just fine.
There are soft plastic doors that work well but all the ones I have seen are clear so light getting in your room might be a problem.

Posts: 1287 | Registered: Apr 2006  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
BlackBlade
Member
Member # 8376

 - posted      Profile for BlackBlade   Email BlackBlade         Edit/Delete Post 
The cat door option should be fine, cat's are pretty smart.

Why can't people who want to do noisy things in the living room just shut your door if it's open?

Posts: 14316 | Registered: Jul 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
TheBlueShadow
Member
Member # 9718

 - posted      Profile for TheBlueShadow           Edit/Delete Post 
quote:

Why can't people who want to do noisy things in the living room just shut your door if it's open?

Eventually someone will forget about the cat and it's just easier to let the cat get in and out on its own, no?
Posts: 96 | Registered: Sep 2006  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
BlackBlade
Member
Member # 8376

 - posted      Profile for BlackBlade   Email BlackBlade         Edit/Delete Post 
quote:
Originally posted by TheBlueShadow:
quote:

Why can't people who want to do noisy things in the living room just shut your door if it's open?

Eventually someone will forget about the cat and it's just easier to let the cat get in and out on its own, no?
*snaps fingers* ah.

Yep, seems like the pet door is your best bet.

Posts: 14316 | Registered: Jul 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
dean
Member
Member # 167

 - posted      Profile for dean   Email dean         Edit/Delete Post 
I had a cat door on my bedroom when I still lived at home. We had the soft-plastic kind of door. We trained the cats to use it, by nabbing them and pushing them through a few times. After that, they went through by themselves and never seemed to have a problem with it. It really didn't let in much light either.
Posts: 1751 | Registered: Jun 1999  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Starsnuffer
Member
Member # 8116

 - posted      Profile for Starsnuffer   Email Starsnuffer         Edit/Delete Post 
I'd think the soft flap would be better to avoid any possibility of cats' tails being stuck. It's not like a perfect seal is important between your living room and bedroom (unlike if it were a door to outside).

quote:
Originally posted by The Pixiest: It's not a door if it's ajar.
Our definitions of door must be vastly different... [Razz]
Posts: 655 | Registered: May 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
T:man
Member
Member # 11614

 - posted      Profile for T:man   Email T:man         Edit/Delete Post 
quote:
Originally posted by Elmer's Glue:
What is so bad about leaving your door ajar?

Besides thieves?
Posts: 1574 | Registered: May 2008  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Elmer's Glue
Member
Member # 9313

 - posted      Profile for Elmer's Glue   Email Elmer's Glue         Edit/Delete Post 
Most of us have our bedroom doors inside a house.
Posts: 1287 | Registered: Apr 2006  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
T:man
Member
Member # 11614

 - posted      Profile for T:man   Email T:man         Edit/Delete Post 
Yes but if the cat can get outside after passing through that door then the door obviously leads outside.
Posts: 1574 | Registered: May 2008  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Elmer's Glue
Member
Member # 9313

 - posted      Profile for Elmer's Glue   Email Elmer's Glue         Edit/Delete Post 
And if chickens had lips they wouldn't be chickens.
Posts: 1287 | Registered: Apr 2006  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
T:man
Member
Member # 11614

 - posted      Profile for T:man   Email T:man         Edit/Delete Post 
What are chickens?
Posts: 1574 | Registered: May 2008  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
JennaDean
Member
Member # 8816

 - posted      Profile for JennaDean   Email JennaDean         Edit/Delete Post 
We used to have a cat door - the solid kind - and it made a fair amount of noise, at least at the speed our cats flew through it. I'd think that would be another reason to use the flexible plastic kind. Less noise, hopefully.
Posts: 1522 | Registered: Nov 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
ketchupqueen
Member
Member # 6877

 - posted      Profile for ketchupqueen   Email ketchupqueen         Edit/Delete Post 
If you got the flexible plastic kind and it was too clear for you you could always duct tape it or cover it in contact paper or something.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
   

   Close Topic   Feature Topic   Move Topic   Delete Topic next oldest topic   next newest topic
 - Printer-friendly view of this topic
Hop To:


Contact Us | Hatrack River Home Page

Copyright © 2008 Hatrack River Enterprises Inc. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.


Powered by Infopop Corporation
UBB.classic™ 6.7.2