Staywell Pet Door

Cat doors keep your cat happy and content. They allow him or her to roam free whenever he or she wants. That is treasure to a cat! Cats enjoy their territory including the inside outside of the house. The cat door will allow him the freedom to use that territory and generally have a more happy life. The door will enable your cat to access both inside and outside areas freely. Your cat has the freedom to go out when he wants but also come inside for warmth, love, and food.

Your life a little easier as too. No longer do you have to open the door to let your cat out or in. No more noises from outside or in!

Cat doors provide a way of allowing your cat to escape other theongs - people and other animals. It gives him freedom and privacy. Having a cat door installed in your home will prevent the larger dog from following your cat into his private area as well as keeping him from rummaging through the cat's litter box.

The usual cat door is made of plastic that flaps down and allows your cat to push on it in order to open it. The flap shut when the cat crosses over and is usually kept lightly closed by magnets which helps with heat loss.

How do you install a cat door? Several options are available. I have a sliding door that leads to my garden and I put panels into the end of the slider and fixed the pet door into it. You could also use a full screen door that you fix on your main door that has the open flap. You may not be the practical kind of person - in that case hire someone to do it for you - it shouldn't take long.

be aware that your cat may not be the only animal that uses the door. Possums, raccoons, and even stray cats have found their way into many homes through the easy access of a cat door

Does Your Dog Bark At The Door?

First of all, you must ask yourself – do you really want him to completely stop this habit? In today’s climate of increased anti social behaviour, i.e., thefts, breaking and entering plus unwanted callers you may well need added protection.

This can be a very useful habit for him to have when the house is empty because he will be on guard and in charge. Some companies now manufacture ‘dog alarms’ – the recorded sound of a dog barking whenever someone knocks at the front door.

Perhaps training him not to do so when you are at home and in charge would be a better idea. After all, you don’t keep a dog and bark yourself!

When someone knocks at the door and he starts barking, check whether they are ‘friend’ or ‘foe’. If they are ‘friend’ put him into the sit position, hold the palm of your hand out flat in front of him and sternly command ‘No’. If they are ‘foe’ or just an unwanted caller do not deter him. After a few times of this repetition with your ‘No’ command, he should learn what is expected of him. If in doubt – let him bark, better safe than sorry.

You can ‘test’ him when the next time you go out. Close the door as usual, and if you have a car, drive off. Stop a short distance away and then ask a neighbour to go to your house and knock or ring the door bell. You will then see what the dog’s reaction is.

You cannot perform this check yourself because the dog will know the sound of your footsteps and also your ‘smell’. You will need to ask someone who is not really known to the dog for the experiment to be an accurate test