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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Doggy Door or Kitty door?
Abigail 01:43 PM 01-16-2011
Does anybody have a dog or cat door that is built-in an interior door for your pet to use? I will be doing daycare in the lower level of the home and want to install a small walk-through door into the laundry room so the cats can use the litterbox. The laundry room is off-limits to the children and would be locked and probably still have a child handle on it (since you normally can't buy just one, but they come in packs anyways). Has anyone had issues with kids wanting to toss things through the curious hole? Has licensing ever said anything about it? Must I have a door with a plastic flap instead of it just being a walk-through door?
KEG123 02:08 PM 01-16-2011
I wouldn't. Can you put the cat box upstairs somewhere?
Abigail 02:17 PM 01-16-2011
I want it in the laundry room. I can't stand having the litter box near our main living areas and the laundry room is all tucked away and the door is shut. My aunt did this and didn't have any issues. She also had five kids of her own and six cats and was licensed, but it is in another state and was years ago so I never know if it changes. You would think it would be safe because nothing is behind the door and walk-through cat door is only about 5 inches big.....I'm guessing since we have not bought it yet.
KEG123 02:24 PM 01-16-2011
Maybe it depends on the size of the kitty door. But I've seen ones that children could get their head and/or body stuck in. That is my main concern.
AnythingsPossible 05:12 PM 01-16-2011
We have a dog door that leads out to our garage and licensing has never said anything about it, but they all vary so who knows. From crawling age to i would say 3 it is a constant pain. They are very intrigued by the idea that the dog goes out and in the door and are always pushing it, trying to look through it and yes, throwing toys out of it. It needs to be a very supervised area. When we first put it in, I had a little one crawl out of it and get into the backyard, that only happened once!
BentleysBands 07:02 PM 01-16-2011
I have a dog door. Never ha a problem with kids. They just know its for the dogs and not tovtouch
MN Mom 08:05 PM 01-16-2011
They make pet doors that are only operable by the pets who need to use them. The animal wears a special collar with a built in device that allows them through the door, but it is locked to anyone without the device. I've seen them online (cannot remember where) and at our local Home Depot. They are more expensive than a regular old cat/dog door, but a lot safer (if that is your concern).
ammama 08:35 PM 01-16-2011
I have a hole cut in my basement door for my cat to get down to the basement where her litter-box is. When making the hole, we made it as small as we could for the cat to still fit through, so that it would not fit a child through. Im licensed through an agency, and they have never said anything about it. They (mostly my DD) do occasionally throw random toys down there, but nothing serious.
Pammie 03:02 AM 01-17-2011
A friend of mine has a kitty door to her basement for her cat to get to it's litter box - it's actually cut in the bottom of the door in the shape of a cat! It's too cute! Just big enough for the cats to get through, but definitely too small for a child (or a child's head) to get in
E Daycare 06:02 AM 01-17-2011
Yup we have one that we installed in our basement door once my son was able to crawl because the cats litter boxes are in the basement. We bought a pre-measured one that was large enough for cats but small enough so the kids heads wouldnt fit. Painted it to match the door and tada! All the parents have commented on what a good idea it is as well as how it seems to fit into the door perfectly. Some even wanted to know where I was able to get a basement door with the kitty door in it. LOL
E Daycare 06:04 AM 01-17-2011
Originally Posted by ammama:
They (mostly my DD) do occasionally throw random toys down there, but nothing serious.
And yes, ALL toys that can fit down the darn thing make it lol. Numerous balls/rattles/MORE balls/cars/my phone have made it down the stairs.They (mostly my DD) do occasionally throw random toys down there, but nothing serious.
DaycareMama 09:41 AM 01-17-2011
I was able to find a single cat door in Home Depot. I installed it on an interior door also and love it. The kids ignore it or maybe never even noticed it. My own daughter just found it and untill she is over it I will wipe the door down a few times a day. No biggie. No one has (inspector) ever said anything to me about it.