Re: [pyrnet] Chat: Cats & Doggie doors

["Karen Reiter" <kreiter@localaccess.com>]

From: "Jackie Lee Mowery" <jlmowery@amaonline.com>
<< I have a dilema - I want to put a doggy door in to allow the dogs (2 pyrs
and 2 dockers) access, but I have 4 cats also, who have always been
indoor-only cats.  How do I let the dogs out and keep the cats in?  >>

Jackie, last summer I installed a doggie door and what I found is this; my
two older cats (13 and 14 yrs) never use it.  The two kittens that I adopted
last summer use it all the time.  What I *saw* were the kittens watching the
dogs go through it and then scooting through door between their legs.  As
the kittens grew and figured it out for themselves, they went through it
alone.  I don't mind if the cats want to be in the yard.  My two older cats
will venture into the yard if the door (non-doggie) is open but the don't
stay out long.  They're in denial about having dogs so they tend to stay
away from the dogs whenever possible.   :-)

I don't know of any way to stiffen the door to keep the cats in.  Do you
think that your cats would try to venture out?  Do they have much
interaction with the dogs?

Karen Reiter
Chehalis, WA