Can any cat owners out there recommend a good pet gate?

[ailsagirl]

I'm tired of keeping my bellicose tortie away from my scaredy cat tortie and thought a pet gate would do the trick. However, as you all know, cats can jump very high (up to 8 feet) which is problematic. I've read some of the various reviews, and apparently people have the problem of cats simply walking through the bars, otherwise jumping over them.

I am looking for an indoor gate.

Any ideas? Recommendations?

Thank you

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. At my old house we made an anti-cat door using chicken wire

mounted in a wooden frame the same size as the door to the room we wanted to keep the cats out of. Most pet gates are intended for dogs and are only about the same height as a counter; any cat could easily jump over them. Our homemade door, which was kept closed with a simple hook, did the trick perfectly.

Come to think of it, you could just buy an inexpensive screen door at a hardware or home improvement store.

[ailsagirl]

5. Thank you

If I were more handy, that would be a perfect solution.

There has to be something!

Yes, both cats are very good jumpers.

Maybe I could go to a nursery and find some sort of trellis that I could use, only how would I install it?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

10. If you bought a standard-sized wooden screen door

you could install it yourself very easily with two simple hinges and a few screws. Someone at the hardware store could tell you what you need and explain how to do it, but it's not complicated at all. A trellis probably has gaps that are too big to keep a cat out; they can slither through any space they can get their heads through.

[ailsagirl]

11. Good point

Though something like this would be perfect (assuming the little darlings couldn't squeeze through it!)

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

14. You could get some window screen and staple it on the trellis

to be sure they couldn't get through it.

[Doreen]

2. Actually I want to know what kind of hiding places and up high places you have.

More times than not it is how you have your place set up for the cats. If you can come up with imaginative ways to have shelves and walk ways that give them several high place throughout the place you live in that would be best. Freaky kitty would probably like a high place or two to go and that could help freaky kitty become confident.

Having ways of traveling around at least one room without having to touch the floor gives more territory to be claimed without incident.

[Warpy]

4. Feliway doesn't work on 100% of cats

but a cheap spray bottle from Amazon might allow the OP to figure out if it works on these two before investing in diffusers. Cat trees and shelves without clutter that can be accessed help, too.

[ailsagirl]

19. I have used Feliway on them

Scaredy cat was a bit less scared
Pushy cat didn't seem to respond-- even when I put a calming cat collar on her (in addition to the Feliway!)

"sigh"

[Warpy]

26. Put the collar on Scaredy, then

You really want to avoid things like a full sized chicken wire door. They're ugly and a pain the neck to deal with.

Scaredy needs confidence and that means hiding places and ways to cross a room without confronting Pushy, usually a series of shelves and uncluttered furniture. It won't be House Beautiful, but it will be better than a chicken wire door.

[Merlot]

6. That is SO true, cats love the extra elevation - makes them feel more secure

I had a super tall cat post custom made and put it next to the armoir. Cats could climb the post, lounge on the armoir, survey their territory and then jump down to the top of the couch.

I also fixed a transome window to open the full 90 degrees so they had a nice high window.

Scardey cats love to perch, maybe better to find ways for them to live together. Separating them could make things worse.

[ailsagirl]

20. My previous cats would jump up on the refrigerator where they could watch all the action!

Sounds like you're pretty handy!

I'll figure something out but I feel that if I could increase scaredy cat's territory that she wouldn't feel so confined.

And the other would be confined to the downstairs.

Seems like a simple problem but with cats, nothing is ever straightforward

[ailsagirl]

7. The pushy tortie would try to attack the scaredy cat

Pushy tortie stops at nothing

[Doreen]

12. I suggest going on line and finding some episodes

on "My Cat From Hell." That guy can give you ideas on what to do with your issue. You would be surprised how many cats who do not like each other actually end up doing well with each other. Interactive play each day with both cats helps also. Sometimes they are just bored and that other furball provides amusement or a pent up energy release.

[ailsagirl]

16. Good idea, Doreen

When I adopted Roxie (the pushy one), I was told she prefers to be an only cat. I disregarded that, though., in the hope that they would nevertheless like each other. No way. Now I'm too enamored of Roxie to even consider taking her back to the Humane Society.

[Doreen]

17. Do you own your place?

The reason I ask is if you do you can get walkways set up on the walls and even cut some walk way above a door and they could go to another room without hitting the floor.

[ailsagirl]

21. I do-- I should say the bank does...

That's a clever idea, though

[Doreen]

24. It might cost more than just a gate or special door

but it will keep the household as one yet not so cramped for kitties. On top of that do not forget the interactive play with each of them. There is nothing wrong to getting your cat to pant when playing with them. Just stop as soon as they do. Laser pointers do wonders for mine.

[ret5hd]

3. This MIGHT work:

[ailsagirl]

8. You might have something there!!

[Merlot]

9. Would this be for the cat or the human?

BTW Uline is a very right wing company if memory serves. So buy your human cages elsewhere!

[ailsagirl]

13. Cats

My previous company ordered their supplies exclusively from Uline-- I did not know they were right wingers. Thanks for the tip

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

15. The owners are billionaire mega-Trumpers.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/apr/23/liz-uihlein-trump-donor-wisconsin-stay-at-home-order-coronavirus

[ailsagirl]

22. ...

[Tech]

18. We had 2 days that did not really like each other. We played with a laser pointer with both

Of them, the 2 of them against a common enemy, a very quick red dot. We all had a good time as well as some peace. We got the cats a few months apart. They lived together peacefully for the next 17 years, passing away within a few months of each other. They passed when they were 19 years old. I still miss them.

Best of luck to you.

[ailsagirl]

23. I know-- they leave a mark

I can't imagine not having them-- the house would truly be empty without them

[Doreen]

25. Those laser pointers work so well for both cats and dogs.

The German Shepherd and the cats would bang heads trying to catch "the dot" if I did not make sure they were seperate.