Cats and Stairgates

**Puddy C** · 29-06-2006, 12:30pm

We haven't put stairgates up yet and one of the main things that is putting me off is how do you use stair gates if you have a cat? Our cat spends most of his day sleeping upstairs but his food and litter tray is downstairs in the kitchen. The one stairgate I have bought so far has bars that are too narrow for my poor kitty to fit through so I would have to leave it open for him to come and go - which obviously defeats the purpose of having them.
Any cat owners with toddlers out there? What do you do?

Puddy

**Daisy May** · 29-06-2006, 12:42pm

if you leave the gate closed long enough your cat will jump over it (although it might not like it - ours used to sit around for a bit hoping someone would open it before she'd jump over). If she was upstair there used to be three gates between her and her food so she had no choice.

**Abbie** · 29-06-2006, 12:48pm

Both our cats just jump over the gates.

They weren't overly impressed to start with but they soon got the idea

**August Girl** · 29-06-2006, 12:52pm

I wasn't worried about my young cat Betty as she would be able to fit thorugh, and as long as she hasn't had too much dinner she can. She has chosen to go out of the window then back to the kitchen through the door to save hassle.

My old cat Sushi is a vey furry big cat and I thought she would never get through the bars but she can!! I had no idea how at first but I watched her and she puts her head and front paws through first then twists and pulls her back end through sideways. DH was horrified and says he doesn't want to end up having to pay for a kitty hip replacement

TBH, the time the gates are in use they are avoiding Del anyway as she terrorises them and while she is either asleep or in her highchair the gates are held open with a hook on the doorframe and one of those elastic things with a metal hook on the end.

**Princess Fiona** · 29-06-2006, 12:53pm

Our cat jumps over the gate upstairs and across the lounge, and crawls under the one across the kitchen because its higher up!

**Puddy C** · 29-06-2006, 01:10pm

Gawd - kitty assault course! My only slight concern with the jumping over bit is my cat is 20 so getting a bit decrepit for all that. Will try him with a gate on the kitchen first to see if he copes. The sight of his food and his litter tray on the other side should be enough to tempt him!

Cheers

Puddy

**Piggly** · 29-06-2006, 01:31pm

We bought the Lindam expandable wooden gates and OH took one of the slats out - this makes it wide enough for the cats to get through easily and narrow enough not to allow Aaron to get through.

**Roo** · 29-06-2006, 01:37pm

Well, if your cat is anything like ours and adverse to jumping, they'll just sit and miaow until you come along and open it for them! Ours were only ever closed when they needed to be, IYSWIM, so he had free access all night and in the day if Laura wasn't around. He *did* eventually manage to jump over a few times, although the one at the bottom of the stairs he managed to learn to squeeze through the bottom bannister instead. But he'd still sit and miaow if he felt like it - it's just like having one door in the house closed really, they let you know when it requires opening

**Puddy C** · 30-06-2006, 09:52am

Originally Posted by Piggly

We bought the Lindam expandable wooden gates and OH took one of the slats out - this makes it wide enough for the cats to get through easily and narrow enough not to allow Aaron to get through.

Hmmm - sounds like a great idea. Am sure my geriatric kitty would appreciate this.
Thanks for all your tips ladies.

Puddy