Cat Doors: How to Best Serve Your Feline Friend (and Stay Sane)
If your feline fur children can't decide whether they want to go in or out, try one of these nifty cat door solutions
New Zealand has one of the highest cat ownerships rates in the world – there are 1.8 cats for every person and at least one cat lives in more than 45 per cent of households. As we all know, when we say ‘ownership rates’ what we really mean is the number of felines that have allowed humans to serve them … in ways they may – or may not – appreciate. As we also know, one of the most annoying habits cat ‘owners’ have to endure is when they’re ordered to open the door for their feline friends and their cat decides it’s not really the right time for them to use the door after all. Or is it? Follow the lead of these enterprising homeowners and save yourself a trip to the door.
Rising star
Tuck a tiny cat space into the bottom of the stairs – it makes use of an otherwise useless wedge of space and is a great way for the ruler to watch the household comings and goings.
Tuck a tiny cat space into the bottom of the stairs – it makes use of an otherwise useless wedge of space and is a great way for the ruler to watch the household comings and goings.
Industrial groove
Funky and pet-friendly are not usually used in the same sentence, but these creative owners have not let convention dictate a store-bought solution. Brass portholes top and bottom are wind- and water-proof, with just a bit of adaptation of the latch and flap required for the lower-level feline fixture.
Funky and pet-friendly are not usually used in the same sentence, but these creative owners have not let convention dictate a store-bought solution. Brass portholes top and bottom are wind- and water-proof, with just a bit of adaptation of the latch and flap required for the lower-level feline fixture.
Would sir care to rest on his journey?
If your puss prefers to curl up somewhere quiet and out of the way, save him the journey to the sofa (or your fresh-from-the-dryer washing pile) with this bed tucked in a cupboard right next to the cat flap. Ventilated panels keep the air fresh and allows the lord of the manor to keep an eye on his subjects.
If your puss prefers to curl up somewhere quiet and out of the way, save him the journey to the sofa (or your fresh-from-the-dryer washing pile) with this bed tucked in a cupboard right next to the cat flap. Ventilated panels keep the air fresh and allows the lord of the manor to keep an eye on his subjects.
Hidden assets
Commercial cat flaps might be sensible for security, but nobody could say they are pretty when they’re installed right in the middle of the door. A flap tucked to one side of a cupboard is more discreet, and provides an air-lock to the second, outside cat flap.
Commercial cat flaps might be sensible for security, but nobody could say they are pretty when they’re installed right in the middle of the door. A flap tucked to one side of a cupboard is more discreet, and provides an air-lock to the second, outside cat flap.
If there’s no room for a cupboard, a small enclosure on the back porch gives the same indoor-outdoor flow (cat people look away, the same principle applies for dog doors too).
Don’t ruin your cool industrial-meets-barn vibe. Here, the owners have opted to install a slim flap that keeps out the breezes without spoiling the look.
Ensuite bathroom
If your kitties are the indoor bathroom types, but you can’t stand the sight or smell of the litter tray, build it into a cupboard that has its own discreet entrance. The cat can do their business in private; louvres help keep the air circulating. Everyone is happy.
If your kitties are the indoor bathroom types, but you can’t stand the sight or smell of the litter tray, build it into a cupboard that has its own discreet entrance. The cat can do their business in private; louvres help keep the air circulating. Everyone is happy.
For hygiene reasons, keep the entire stash of animal supplies in the laundry, away from cooking and food prep. The kitty tray sits on a pull-out drawer disguised behind the kickboard, while on the other side the kickboard is removed to give puss a hidden entrance under the door.
Could try harder
You think your moggie is indulged. And then you see how these Singapore apartment owners have turned over their entire living room to a cat climbing frame. Watching your furry acrobats is so entertaining, why not get rid of the TV as well as all your breakable accessories?
You think your moggie is indulged. And then you see how these Singapore apartment owners have turned over their entire living room to a cat climbing frame. Watching your furry acrobats is so entertaining, why not get rid of the TV as well as all your breakable accessories?
These are cat doors of a different kind – they’re dedicated solely to enhancing feline fun.
Worried you aren’t doing enough for your cat? If your pampered puss saw this, there would be a serious case of pet envy. If it’s good enough for some hapless dog, surely it’s good enough for the one-cat-who-rules-them-all. You have some serious work to do to up your game, starting with colour-coordinating toys, food bowls and blankets, and adding a handy door under the desk for when nature calls.
TELL US
Who really rules your household, you or the cat? Show us your favourite feline in his/her best command post around the house by posting a photo in the Comments.
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Who really rules your household, you or the cat? Show us your favourite feline in his/her best command post around the house by posting a photo in the Comments.
MORE
A Humble Home in California is Transformed into a Cat Adventure Land
Weekend DIY: Keep Your Kitty’s Paws in Motion with a Cool Cat Walkway
10 Pampered Pets and Their One of a Kind Homes
If yours is a cat household, be out and proud. None of those generic squares or circles is good enough for the boss of this place. Hide a regular cat flap on the outside wall behind the kitchen cupboard, create a cutout and then madam can make her grand entrance into the house.