For years and years, the kitties living at our house begged the humans for a cat door. Mom always refused as she wanted to know who was in and who was out. As the older kitties went to the RB, we younger kitties were not given outdoor privileges, and the demand was tabled for lack of need. But then…the humans screened in the lower deck so the youngsters could have a catio and spend time outside like the older cats.
The catio required an exterior screen door. That meant Mom had to open two doors whenever Lily, Mauricio or Misty May wanted to go out. And so, voila, an electronic cat door for Lily, Mauricio and Misty May was installed in the exterior screen door. You see, Mom still had control. She had to open the door from the kitchen to the catio before they could use their special door. (Lily has never used the electronic door; though, she has the capability. She demands personal service in and out the front door.)
Once the five youngest of us became addicted to the catio, we took up lobbying for a cat door of our own. Mom still didn’t budge. Until…get ready for it…she got tired of spending the entire day between our breakfast and dinner times opening the door for us to go onto the catio and come back into the house. So, it became more convenient for her if we got a cat door.
You weren’t surprised, were you? We weren’t! But, we didn’t care. Just before Christmas, we got our cat door. Of course, with some of these terribly cold days, the door remains locked causing Giulietta to just about put herself into a coma by continually head-butting the door in an attempt to get out. However, if warm enough outside, Mom or Dad will unlock it sometime during the day and lock it at dinner time.
Not all of us have it totally figured out yet. Mauricio sometimes waits to hear a click like the electronic door makes. This one, of course, doesn’t do that. Within a short time he realizes he just has to push it.
Lisbeth, on the inside, tries to keep Fiona, on the outside, from entering.
Lisbeth was the first to master the proper technique followed by Giulietta, Calista and Fiona. Misty May, of course, never had a problem. We know neither Astrid, who doesn’t go out that much, nor Lily Olivia have used it.
As expected, some misuse has occurred. Often we refuse to push the door hard enough for it to open. If Mom is around, she will hold it open for us. (Score…we can still get her to wait on us!) Lisbeth delights in being a tease. She will push the door out when another of us, usually Fiona, is trying to push it in. We’re sure she is laughing at us behind her paw.
But we don’t care. Cats win! That’s all that’s impawtant! Well that and totally confusing Mom by going out the kitchen door, running upstairs, coming in through the cat door, running back downstairs and asking to go outside again. Meyowl…that is fun!
Purrs and hugs, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo
so you wanted something you had no idea how to use?? interesting.. 😉
I’m sure you’ll be through it on your own right quick..
You are really putting Mom through the paces with the kitty door!
how cool to have a catio! 🙂 I know a few cats who refuse to walk through the catflap, unless their owner holds it open for them. Haha!
This is the most complicated thing I have ever read! There’s only one rule around here: the Kitty NEVER gets to go out. NEVER. Now, lest you think the Human is just plain mean, the only “out” there is to go is right onto the street, which even I admit would probably not be such a good idea. She tried ONCE to put a harness and leash on me: ONCE. That.Is.Just.Not.Happening!!
I’m glad you have your Human so well-trained!
that sounds like lots of fun!xx Speedy
We love the pic of Fiona batting away Lisbeth! Too cute!
We are so happy for you kitties! Sounds like lots of fun!
Lisbeth, Faraday would TOTALLY do that to Allie, just to rile her!
And we are so very VERY jealous of your catio!
Oooh, a catio and a cat door? You kittehs are living the good life, for sure! 🙂
You are so lucky to have a catio! Our homeowner’s association would never allow one, and our mom isn’t keen on kitties going out since one of her kitties (who came before) was hit by a car and the county sent out warnings about coyotes eating pets in the area. Maybe one day . . .
A cat door with continued personal service from mom sounds pretty darn purrfect!
Oh, that is funny…Lisbeth making it hard for the other kitties to come thru the cat door.
P.S. Thanks for visiting our blog. I went to your Google+ page and couldn’t find a link to your blog, so I Googled (ironic, isn’t it) the name of it and then found you.
Now that’s two of my dreams…a catio and my own door!
Your very own door? How cool!
Great idea!
Cat doors are just the best thing invented, ever–so says The Mommy, who STILL has to give “PURRsonal Service” elebenty times a day!
I have a cat door too. Mine is a cat flap but I wouldn’t use it because I got hit on my nose by a hard ball when I was a baby kitty and don’t like anything touching it. Mum took the flap off so I can just walk in and out through it. She puts the sliding door down at night. Eric used to give mum the runaround too. He would stand outdoors at the window and ask her to open it to let him in, then he would go right out the cat flap and back around to the window again.
What a grand idea of running out one door and then coming in another!
You felines are a credit to cats everywhere.
Dad tells us we may get a catio someday. We are on the second floor of Dad and his Sisters Duplex so it is a bit difficult.
Purrs
Timmy
Sounds like a bit of mischief to me! I love you kitty’s catio, it just looks so cool! Hope that you can figure out that door soon!
I think Sophie would be afraid of it. She still won’t use her cat tree. But we’re happy that you got a cat door. We love it that Lisbeth figured out how to keep the other cats from coming back in. Who says cats are not smart!!! They are highly intelligent.
*sweet* YOUR very own door!!!! We love love love it.
WOW! That is a pawsome catdoor!
We would love one,but we do not have a catio.
Mom always has excuses!
We giggled at Lispeth. We suspect that would happen here too 😉
Charlotte, is it true you are leaving SS to go back to your Mom? We will miss you. We wish you all the best in 2014 !
Purrs Georgia and Julie,
Treasure,JJ
and Angels Tiger and Tillie
Thank you for your kind thoughts and purrs
when our Tiger crossed the Bridge.
She was a sweet kitty .
We love your cat door. Lisbeth is funny and smart. We MOL’d that she tried to keep her sisfur out. Love, Cali, Andy, Tater and Shelly (C.A.T.S)
We have a cat door here, but before that we loved to play the in-n-out game! Me-Ommmmmm
We want a catio…our human is so insufficient.
Oh, we’re just a teensy bit jealous…no, take that back…we’re a lot jealous! We wish we had a catio and our very own cat door! But we don’t think that will ever happen since there really isn’t a way to enclose the peeps patio. You guys are so lucky. But keep your peep in line and make her open the door every opportunity you can. 🙂
OH!!! We are so, so jealous and wish we had a cat door and a catio. The humans think just because we have a gazillion cat trees, toys, cat beds, windows to look out of, and everything else that it is enough… but it is never enough!!
Purrs from the Zee and Zoey Gang!
A cat door would be SO much fun! Of course we’d need a catio to go out and enjoy. But since we live in the city, we’ll have to live vicariously through your cat door. Enjoy! …but tell Giulietta to take it easy. ; )
Happy Caturday!
; ) Katie
I love screened in areas, for people and there critters to enjoy together. A catio is a great idea!
MOL! The image of Giulietta continually head-butting the door reminds the head peep of one of the cats who came before who never understood a locked cat door, either. She would wake up to hear Cyrano ramming the locked door with his head. Bam-bam-bambambambam! We don’t have a cat door here because we don’t go out or have a catio.
Wow…..that cat door is pawsome!!! Mau is smart…..whap it and then wait for someone to open it for you.
The Florida Furkids
Allie sends smoochies to Mau.
That is just TOO funny. Like a miniature revolving door for kitties! Oh how my guys would love to go outside, but I keep them strictly inside for safety’s sake. I would love a catio someday though. I know if I had your wonderful setup that pesty Lucy would guard the door and keep poor Peyton from coming and going. She seems to think it’s her life’s work to aggravate Peyton!
THAT is such a wonderful thing. I would give a lot if I could also have a catio. Although truth be told, I get too excited and upset when other kitties come into my territory so it might not work for me, but still…it would be soooo nice.
WOW! Now that is TRULY a SCORE for the kitties blue! I love it…..Mom says one day if we have a screened in porch she will get one of those for ME…..I’m not much on outside stuff BUT if we had a screened porch I sure would be…..thanks for the high recommendation gang – Mom says she’s made a mental note (and I worry about her “mental” sometimes but we’ll see!)…..and maybe one day I’ll get my very own door. You all have it figured out beautifully.
Hugs, Sammy
BOL funny. The staff always try to find shortcuts to make their life easier and LOL it never works. Keeps them on their toes we say. Have a super Saturday.
Best wishes Molly
We laughed at how Lisbeth holds the door to keep other kitties from coming in. We have a feeling that would happen here (probably Tutu) if we had a cat door.
I want the cat door too. But my mom said ” no ”
But guess what . I have a door man….tee..heh…heh
Daddy will open the door for me ( only the day time )
So it’s not so bad but whatever I think I still want cat door like you guys. Purrs for me please ; )
I love it, especially the holding the door shut on other kitties! hee hee!
Ahhh… cat doors !. How useful when a valet is not needed and the garden is safe…. In California I lived near a heavy traffic intersection and since cats jump even 8 foot fences, I devised a largish rabbit cage, nicely carpeted it, and attached it to the screen door where that cat door was. Then I propped the the little door door up and the cats could go in and out. Not the same as a whole catio like yours, but they loved it, in the sun during the day, and loved it very much after dark too. My house there house has 8 doors (eight!) and several were sliding doors so I was able to fix one with heavy strong screening and dedicate it to the cats. I did the same here in Idaho but into one of the window wells ( there are six large windows here in the lower part of the house where I live ) they let in much light but we cannot see the lawn, only the tops of the trees and the roses cascading into the window wells. Cats can only go out into their sun space in Summer because at 28 F. they do not like it right now…. I only have two cats now and they will take turns come March, or be out there together, my beloved commandeering top-alpha cat has gone onto the other plane so these two are settling into a new configuration of power rules. But for now the top cat it’s me… A hug to all.
Wow, that is so awesome! I wish we had a catio and a cat door! I doubt that will ever happen at my house – even if we did get to have the enclosed patio as ours, my human would probably not take down the leaded-glass doors to install a cat door. She is selfish!