Gate for Cats?

moonprincessd

So in our basement, in the unfinished part, there's an access point into the ceiling. We have 2 cats, and only 1 of them seems to go up there. She's skittish and we think she only does it when she's afraid, so when a visitor comes over, she'll make her way up into the ceiling. We've tried blocking it off with boxes, but she just knocks those down. 

I was wondering if a pet or baby gate would work? Just block off the area all together. Husband thinks the cat would just jump over it, but I've read that cat's don't like to jump unless they can see where they land, so a gate would block their view (we'd tape cardboard or maybe a drape a blanket on one side of the gate so they can't see through the gate)

Has anyone used a gate on a cat? Did it work? 

aggiebug

I am having a really hard time visualizing what you are describing so I am not sure how much help I can give.

As far as gates go, the answer is it depends. if your cat is going up there because she is frightened and she already knows the terrain she may likely jump over the gate anyway. It is also possible she would jump up there and Br hesitant to jump out with the gate in place and get "stuck" up there. It may work though you may never know unless you try.

moonprincessd

It's hard to explain, but part of our basement is unfinished so you can see the berms and stuff, there isn't really a ceiling. She's jumping onto the furnace and then up into the ceiling. 

We were just thinking of blocking off the unfinished part of our basement so that she can't get back there altogether. So we'd be blocking off a whole room sort off. 

I guess we might just have to try and see what happens.

mrswilkes2011

Have you tried just keeping them out of the basement all together? I was in a similar situation when we were renovating the kitchen windows (no door to the kitchen just a doorway) our inside cat would try to go outside thru the windows when they didnt have glass in them. A gate didnt deter her from trying to get in the kitchen. We finally just blocked the doorway with a door sized sheet of plywood held up by an old corner table and chair. If you do this, just make sure that whatever you use to block is flat against the doorway and covers it completely and is supported so it doesnt fall over or shift easily.No gaps on the bottom, top, or sides or it wont work. good luck

Jliongrrrl

My cats jump over a baby gate without even thinking about it so I doubt that would work. Maybe if you stacked several of them and it was higher?

Good luck

moonprincessd

We can't really keep them out of the basement, we live in a split level (walk out basement, so not really a basement). Our front door is in the "basement." We use the side door, but right when you enter, there are the stairs leading downstairs, so we can't really put a door there. Hard to explain. 

I suggested getting a tall gate/fence like thing, but my husband wasn't a fan of that.... I guess we'll just keep trying to cover the hole...

shaylagirl

I had to buy two baby gates and "stack" them, one on top of the other to keep my dachshund from climbing over just one, but to also keep my cats from jumping over it as well.

I just bought those inexpensive gates from WalMart that are wooden with plastic cross-hatching for like $5 or $6 each.  Seemed to work.