I've been saving up for a while now to buy a pet door so the cats can go from the house to the screen porch when they want to. I don't mind so much letting them out, but Fuzzy is a piece of work. He wants out and then a minute or less later he wants back in. It gets really frustrating, so I thought a pet door would be great. They sell these panels for sliding glass doors with a little pet door in the bottom at the pet store and I finally bought one and my upstairs neighbor was kind enough to put it in for me. Now the problem is getting the cats to use it. They both will go out or come in when I lift the flap for them, but getting them to do it on their own has not been very successful. Fuzzy has managed to do it twice to come in. Missy bats it with her paw, but has not push her way through by herself.
Tonight Fuzzy is out on the porch and here is a picture of him waiting to be let in.
The pet door is on the left, all he has to do is push on it with his head and walk through. He has done it twice, but only because we refused to open it for him.
I used the flash on this one and he looks really funny with the green haze. I tried to edit it and this is the best I could come up with. They were big green circles which was really alien looking.
I'm just going to be patient and hope they catch on eventually.
DH just enticed him with the catnip and he came through. That's three times for Fuzzy, yeah!
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Comments: 60
LOL--Oh my Nana, that first photo is priceless!! And that second, well I think he's giving you the EVIL EYE ;-)
That's funny. I've always wondered how those things actually worked with pets. You see them being used by pets all the time in the movies. You'll have to keep us updated on how they're doing and when they finally start using it all the time on their own. : )
Human - you better open that door now:)
It just takes a little time. Ours use it all the time, but the second Richard sits in the dining area chair next to the cat door - he becomes the door opener:)
I have a feeling that will both be able to manage just fine once you are not there to entertain them. :~)
I would love a pet door, but we don't have a screened in area so every cat in the neighborhood would be in our house
Lol, He looks so cute. I hope they get the hang of it.
It does take them a while to catch on, but they'll get the hang of it!
Pet doors are great! It was easy to train the dogs, cats are an entirely different matter, lol. You will have to show them that you are the boss in this matter.
I would keep using the catnip and other treats to lure them into using it. They will eventually catch on. The photos were good too.
Lol I love the photo. I've never had a pet door, but I'm sure it'll be easy to teach them to use it. Cats love staying indoors and outdoors :)
How cute! They will eventually learn.
Cool you finally made the purchase. I'm sure if they want in or out badly enough they'll figure out how to use it. Is it always available to them even when you're not home?
Thanks Marianne, yes it's permanent. It also has a detachable cover in case I don't want them to use it. Fuzzy gets the message that I'm not holding it open for him to come in and he uses it to enter the house but not going out yet. Missy tries, but just paws at the door, making it rattle, but hasn't mastered actually pushing on it and entering.
They will definitely catch on (or rather - give in), it just takes a bit of resilience. Those photos are priceless!
How exciting! Merlin and Coco can open the door but we close it night for raccoons.
Nana, this is great ! The picture of Fuzzy is good , he is one pitiful looking feline !! Patience .
I love the top photo! It's too cute! I'm sure they will get the hang of it soon!
great photos
The top photo is great! Keep rewarding them when they do use the door and they will catch on eventually. My brother in law has one and his cats have no problem with using it.
Nana -- I think Fuzzy knows what he's doing. He has you wrapped around his little paws ... and wants to keep it that way, too! LOL. He wants mom to open the door for him (isn't that a typical kid ... they can do it, but it's always better to have mom do it for them!). Sweet!
Thanks Sue, I think you may be right there. If I ignore him long enough he comes in.
LOL! I had that problem too, they figure it out eventually!
Aww - he looks so pitiful! Can you secure the flap open for a little while so they get used to going back and forth. Then when it is down it shouldn't seem like such an impediment.
Thanks Tonia, I was thinking of that also. I also wonder if the noise of the magnets that hold the door closed adds to their skittishness.
I love that look on his face. Poor baby.
The first picture is priceless. I hope they catch on soon.
I would think it would take some enticing--maybe tuna.
lol! Silly kitties!
I actually didn't know they made them for sliding doors! I'm tempted to see if anywhere here sells them; I'd get one for Portia, maybe. Then she could go on squirrel patrol before I woke up ;)
Thanks Tory, we got it at PetSmart. Of course we had to buy extra insulation gadgets and did not use the door lock that came with it. We purchased one of those things you put in the bottom door rail that prevents the door from being slid open. The nice thing is it comes with a slide on cover that goes over the pet door part if you don't want them to go out.
they will figure it out and be running in and out all the time
Well, I hope Fuzzy and Missy will figure it out quickly!! :o) Just give 'em a little time!
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Thanks Deb, that's a cute kitty.
ROFL! Just like teenagers - if they can get you to do something for them, they won't lift a finger!
Well the whole point of having a human is to have that human do all the manual labor! Any good cat knows that their humans must have exercise on a regular basis!! LOL priceless!!! Love the pictures!
You have been featured at FELINE FANCY!! :-)
Thanks for the feature Katherine. Yes, isn't there a saying that dogs have masters and cats have staff?
Awwwwww he's pleading with you to open the door..I hope he gets used to it.
Munchkins comes in and wants out in a few minutes too drives me crazy.
Exactly Elaine, Fuzzy sits at that door and mews his fool head off. Open door, he goes out. Thirty seconds later you hear him mewing to come in with this pathetic look on his face like "Why did you lock me out there?". Missy isn't quite as bad.
LOL, cats want YOU to serve THEM. They don't want to serve themselves lol. Yay for Fuzzy, he seems to be catching on!
LOL I remember trying to gt my dogs to use the doggy door, it was pretty much the same. One day Hubby says, I paid a fortune for that thing they will learn to use it. He picked up each dog and shoved them through and let them sit outside until they came in on their own. They were a bit indignant at first but they got over it.
That's exactly what we have been doing. We don't let them go in and out the regular door at all now. When they sit at the door we push them through the pet door. When they want to come in we either bribe them with treats or hold the plastic flap up for them. I am determined that they will learn because it wasn't cheap at all.
awww thats is so cute....good luck dear
Have patience. Kitties do things in their own time. If they decide they like it, they will eventually use it. They can't let you think they love it right away.
This is so sweet. Patience is the key with all cats. They do things on their terms, as I am sure you know. Hopefully kitty will want to use it. Good luck.
Cat s are so funny!
Adorable!! I would love to have one of those for our cat, but the raccoons around here would use it, too!
LOL...how funny. I'm sure it will just take time...good luck.
cool
Awww, this is so cute. I'm sure he'll learn the first time he's out there and it starts to rain unexpectedly.
This is too funny! How old are your cats? I am sure it will take them time to get used to it. Mine probably would not use it, she is 21 and so set in her ways.
Missy is going to be five in September and Fuzzy just turned two.
Wow, 21, that's a miracle cat. The oldest cat I ever had was 14.
I know. I think maybe Dustin lives through her someitmes. :)
Mine sits out on the porch and yowls until I go open the door for her- she is so noisy that I am pretty sure all the neighbors must think I torture her. She is 17 and probably just a little deaf and so she can't hear how noisy she is being!
Good luck getting them to figure it out- you are a good mommy!
They will get the hang of it
Poor thing, he'll get use to it soon, lol
That look on Fuzzy's face says it all-wonderful post!!
LMAO he looks so put out XD
oooh Nana... how cute... i'm sure they will catch on real soon... sweet story...
love and hugs...
the pet door is a wonderful thing - only when the pet is smart enough to use it. They certainly funny creatures and will get there eventually.
I love the pictures. I do hope they learn to use the kitty door on their own, without your help.