cats and baby gates...

[charliebubs]

Are baby gates effective at keeping cats in/out of rooms???

I'm thinking about getting one for 2 reasons:

1. Because of the rescues that I have at the moment. They are presently confined to one room (they came from a pen in someone's garden, so my spare room is luxurious to them ) and I don't want the stress of integrating them with my cats, as they should only be with me 3 more weeks. I do shut my cats away for an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening so that the foster girls can come out and stretch their legs, but because my house is all open-plan that seemed like the only option. But I was thinking of putting a baby gate at the top of the stairs and then the foster girls could have the run of the upstairs and my babes could be downstairs with me - as a bit of a compromise. But do you think it would keep them in/out??

2. Because Lily is expecting kittens in May and I will have the same problem with my house being open-plan when the kittens are old enough to be scurrying around. Do you think a baby gate would keep kittens confined??

Any thoughts!?!??!

[Kazz]

Well I would say no chance with adult cats or active kittens. I brought a baby gate when Tess was a pup to keep her downstairs, and then put it back up when Cleo had her Op (so she could recover in peace) without the dogs bothering her. But it only succeded in keeping the dogs downstairs (because they understood not to jump it cats a rule to themselves) the cats just went through it (wooden bars) or over it - yes even at their age. would think it ould be childs play to yours.

Soz.


So I imagine adult cats would do the same, maybe worth geting a someone to knock you up a frame with netting on it the same height as a door, sothing ypou could simply hook onto a wall or something...

But a thought for the kittens maybe a homemade pen like what they use for puppies. But I would think unless there is a lid on you dn't stand a chanc of confining them. Good luck though, maybe the spare room would be the best place for the kittens.

Best of luck.

[charliebubs]

Hmmmm - I had a feeling that would be the case. Damn!!!

I will have the kittens in a kitten pen for the first few weeks - I was thinking further along the line for them - when they are 10 weeks or so and causing havoc!!!!

Mainly I wanted to try and give the foster cats a bit more freedom, but without jeapordising (sp) my own cats

Back to the drawing board then........

[Amber]

I would say they would probably have no effect at keeping them in at all. I say this as I got a baby gate to keep Max in the kitchen overnight when he was a puppy, and Amber would either jump straight over it, or run straight through the bars

[smudgley]

No way Charlie, we have a baby gate (well a dog gate - which is a tall baby gate) on the kitchen to keep the dog in. The cats just hop over it.

[charliebubs]

Do you think they'd hop over it if it was at the top of the stairs though

Or what about one of the ones that is made of mesh type fabric?? No bars to get through!!

[yola]

The baby gate didn't even keep the baby on his own floor let alone the cats who went over/through it as they pleased.

[Fran]

Simple answer Charlie - NO!!! Sorry, don't think that is what you wanted to hear

[candyshandy]

Definitely consider the mesh type panel

Try here:

http://www.flyscreenqueen.co.uk/flydoor.htm

[dandysmom]

Top of the stairs didn't work here, Charlie..right thru the bars ,,,,,,,, if you could get ahold of the screen insert that you put in storm doors for the Summer to replace the Winter glass, that would work if you could attach it some way.....