We live in one level house but do have stairs to our unfinished basement where our laundry room is and where both the cat and dog eat and the cat has her litter box.
Our one year-old is walking, and although we keep the door closed most of the time, it is opened for the cat and dog to go downstairs to eat and drink and for the cat to go to the bathroom. I'm worried that one of us (my husband or myself) might forget to close it or that our daughter might get through it when it is open for the animals.
We could move the animal's food upstairs, but it would require our cat to eat on the kitchen counter, which I'm opposed to. Also, we have no place upstairs in our relatively small ranch house for the cat's litter box. Sadly, I've considered finding the cat another home, but she isn't the nicest animal and none of my relatives will take her. If it weren't for the cat, I would have no problem feeding the dog upstairs and putting a gate on the stairs and keeping the door closed.
Any ideas? I really don't want the baby to fall down our stairs.
Editted to add: We have considered a pet door, but wondered if the baby couldn't crawl through the opening. We looked at locking pet doors, but those are quite expensive (at least the ones that work). A bell on the door or a chain is a good idea. Also, the cat can't eat on the floor upstairs because the dog will eat her food. And, cat food is very bad for dogs. We cannot just feed the cat once or twice a day because she harrasses us constantly if she does not have constant access to food. Like, we can't sleep if her food level is low, as she will walk on us in our sleep or pound on doors or scratch or meow...trust me, this cat is not a good one. Anyway, the dog really could eat upstairs because he eats twice a day and we could monitor his food to make sure that the baby doesn't eat it. The cat has no interest in the dog's food, unlike the dog in the cat's. And, despite the suggestion of a previous poster, we have no utility room upstairs for the cat's litter box. Seriously, her litter box would end up in the kitchen or our bedroom (not even room in a bathroom), and every place upstairs that it could go, the baby and the dog could get into it...just like the cat's food, only it is much more disgusting when you find the dog eating cat poop out of the littler box. I can't even imagine finding the baby eating it. Ughhh.. Anyway, thanks for the suggestions so far.
Just an update...we bought a gate for the top of the stairs and installed it off of the floor a little bit so that the cat can squeeze under. It is working, and I feel much better about this setup! Thanks for the suggestions!
They do have pet doors that are just small enough for a cat. How about moving the dog's food upstairs and just allowing the cat to come and go through the very small pet door to eat/potty? It's too small for a toddler to fit through. My parents did this when we were young. That is my recommendation. Good luck!
The chain on the door sounds like an inexpensive, easy fix. Just remember to put a rolled towel or something draped over the top of the door so it won't close on little fingers. (that's a tip I've used several places in my house where we keep doors open. Works great!)
Unless your cat is very large, the size of a cat door is too small for your baby to fit through. I would just install a cat door in the basement door, feed the dog upstairs, and be done with it!
Okay, my suggestion is kind of weird, but I have been in a similar situation. I would keep the animals things in the basement and get a dog's choke chain collar. Slip it around the inside door knob. The other end is permanently affixed to the door jam using a hook, screw or bolt. This method is nice because it's sturdy, you can adjust how big the door opening is so your baby doesn't get down there and it doesn't require hopping over or constantly removing and replacing a gate. The best part is that most of the time the door stays slightly shut because of the weight of the chain and the animals nudge it open so it's not really visible to others. Email me if you want more details.
I think you & hubby will get used to keeping it closed....it takes time to form a new habit! Just be vigilant.
We put in an "indoor access arch" into our downstairs bathroom door.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=...
It's an arch big enough for a big cat to crawl through, but too small for a baby or dog. It allows the cat access but no-one else. This way the littler box is accessible, but only for the kitties :) GL!
we had a gate up and the cat jumped over the gate for food and litter box. as for the dog depending how small it is, may not be able to jump the gate to get downstairs but if you can accomodate the dog upstairs and keep the cats stuff downstairs then just put a baby gate up at the basement door. Lift the cat over it a few times and it will get the idea.
We also have a cat door and have the litterbox in the garage which is in the basement so the cat door is in the door between the garage and family room so the cat can get to his box. I didn't like having the litterbox in the living area or laundry room because why wash clothes if they are going to pick up the litter box odor and we scoop ours daily but still has that smell I can't stand so our house doesn't smell like we even have a cat and most people don't know we have one until he shows up. As small as that door is a baby may be able to crawl through it.
If you do the gate option I would recommend a walk through that is mounted to the wall. If you do use one of the compression gates make sure it is super tight so the baby doesn't push on it and fall through. The walk through type would make it a lot easier for you to carry laundry downstairs.
Get a pet door that is only big enough for the cat. They make cat pet doors and get it installed. Then, you can feed your dog upstairs and leave the cat's food and litter box downstairs. And, with a small cat door, the baby won't be able to get through. Hopefully, it would solve all of your problems (including keeping the dog away from the cat's food and box).
We actually installed a pet door in the door to our basement when our daughter was little. We didn't want to destroy the good door (because we knew we wouldn't want a pet door in it forever) so we got a cheap door and stained it so it looked nice, and then cut a hole and installed the pet door in it. Then we put a latch up high on the door so the kids couldn't reach it and that way it stayed closed.
Have you considered a chain? That will allow the door to be open for the animals but the opening will be too small for your little one to squeeze through.
my son is 14 months old and he is walking and into everything. we also have our cat liter box in the laundry room in the basement. To keep our son from falling down the stairs we put a baby gate up at the top of the stairwell and we lift it about 6 inches off the floor so that the cats can go underneath the baby gate but we don't put it high enough up for our son to go under the baby gate. This has worked out really well for us. Good luck!!!
ugh...cats are a pain! mine is very picky about food too and "complains" constantly and loudly if her food isn't available to her expectations (when, where, how much, freshness...). when we got our dog we had a similar problem. i crate the dog at night so that is when the cat gets her food. we live in a one level duplex so there is not much room. we put the litterbox under the bathroom sink and it works "okay". as long as you keep it clean you can't smell it at all. it's just a hassle getting it in and out from under the counter. the dog doesn't even go in there, because she eats toilet paper, so the door stays "shut" (not latched, the cat can open it) all the time. if you really are motivated, it can be done. but i would leave the door shut to the basement regardless. although. if you put a baby gate at the top of the stairs, the cat could get up and down but the dog couldn't. could you leave the dog's food upstairs like you mentioned, put a baby gate up, and leave the cat's stuff downstairs? just a thought.
not even going to read the other posters. I am a pet lover, have pets myself, use a gate in our home (btwen living room/bedroom hall).
BUT you are allowing a cantankerous, unliked cat RULE YOUR WORLD.
Why would you allow this cat to come before you & your family? Put yourself, your baby, & your family FIRST, please! If the cat cannot adapt, then out the door it goes. & yes, children LOVE to crawl thru pet doors. Haven't you ever seen the movie "Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind"?? !!
Peace......
We have a basement door and a gate at the top of our stairs. We keep both shut, but the bottom corner of the door is cut out to make room for the cats to slide through. The hole is probably 4-5" by 4-5". The baby of course cannot get through, and the cats have to slide down on their bellies to get through. Their food and litterbox are down there. We also added a little door with a slide bolt that allows us to open or shut the little cat door-hole. We shut them in the basement at night because they are SO ANNOYING starting about 4:00 a.m. The dogs will eat cat food and cat poop, so we don't let them in the basement. They eat outside, twice a day. Works for us. Hope you figure it out.
get a pet door.....
or a baby gate.... the cat will be able to jump up over it or squeeze through it... and the dog, may learn to 'tell' you all when he wants to go and eat.
Our dogs have always been able to 'communicate' real well and 'talk' to tell us things.
I would, also put a 'bell' on the door... so that when it is opened or closed, you will know.
It would also be a good 'reminder' about the door. AND will serve as an 'alarm' if your baby opens that door... alerting you.
Eventually, well like right now, just for safety sake and a walking baby... you do need to get baby gates for the stairs or any dangerous door openings or doors leading outside etc.
If you still need to get rid of the cat... then an option would be to take it to an animal shelter/human society... so someone can adopt it.
I guess, I also don't understand why, if the cat is upstairs it has to eat on the kitchen counter???? But if it were the dog, there would be no problem with the dog eating upstairs???
And when we had cats... we kept the litter box in a utility room which was a bit of a distance away from everything. Meanwhile our cats (2) ate somewhere else.
Here are baby gates for stairs:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_3_9?url=search-ali...
Good luck,
Susan
Cats are very agile - put the cat food up high somewhere the dog and baby cant get to, then train the cat to find her food there (i.e. dont feed her anywhere else, when she bugs you pick her up and set her up there). Make sure there is a way for the cat to jump up there. Good options are a tall dresser, kitchen counter if you have some room away from other food and sinks and all, or put a shelf up on the wall behind the couch - so she can stand on the couch back and eat.
Doesnt help with the litter box, but its a start! Good luck
