Does your cat know how to open a door?

[Former User]

Casper has figured out how to open a door (esp. bathroom door) but has yet to try it out. Luckily bathroom door is the only one he can open, others are too heavy, like the outside door.

Does your cat know how to open a door? If so, is it a problem for you and you have to keep your doors locked?

[LoudLou]

Yes!

Mocha opens cupboard doors. Kitchen and bathroom ones. She likes to hide in them. We have designated cupboards for her. They aren't a problem, but she ALSO opens drawers and we have had to tape/tie/lock some of them.... She got stuck in our dresser once!!!
:)

[lynnestankard]

OH YES - AND HOW!!!
When I'm in the bathroom - at least one of three will push open the door and join me!!!:o :o :o

Ketchum even sits on my knee:o :o :o :o :o

But when I'm sat in the lounge they suddenly forget how to push a door and have me up and down like a yo-yo - opening the door!!! I reckon their trying to keep me fit!:D

[Randi]

When Fister first came up, he just could not figure out the doors, but now he can certainly open them - and not only doors!! If he thinks we're out for too long (more than 4 hours) :( we can be pretty sure that he has opened every single cupboard door in the flat, he especially likes to lay on our shoes in one cupbopard. :mad:

The funny thing is though, that he can only open doors by pulling them - he hasn't figured out yet that they can also be pushed open! :D :D

[yumyum6970]

Yum Yum and Dutchess can open doors but when they get in they don't know how to get out! :D


http://pepeirce.tripod.com/thekittycorner

[C.C.'s Mom]

They know how to use the catdoor after dad spend a weekend teaching them by example (the example was the dog) who was still a puppy that fitted through the opening.

For other doors they think they need their personal door opener: me. If you scream long enough, mom will eventually get up and open the door next to the cat door. It's always very funny to see Rudie with his mouth in 'yell' position because he starts silently and increases the decibel.

The livingroom door is always for so much that a cat fits through. If a door upstairs is closed, the cats start ripping away the carpet (not funny anymore!)

[Edwina's Secretary]

I have probably told this story before but....not long after Edwina joined us I took a couple months off between jobs. I spent lots of time with Edwina...sitting outside, reading books (she's quite the reader!)
My step-son was living with us at the time. The first day I went back to work I returned home and I COULD NOT FIND EDWINA. I searched the house -- all of her secret hiding place -- every where. She was not to be found. I repeatedly asked the step-son, "Are you SURE she didn't get out???" We circled the complex looking for her outside.
Desparate and frustrated I finally opened a seldom used closet in the basement. There she was in the closet behind a safe with a look of pitiful abandonment.
Not only had she opened the bi-fold door -- she had closed it behind her!
It took her about a week before she would look at me or acknowledge my presence -- other than to accept her food of course.
Once I had apologize enough (both to her and the step son for my accusations!) life returned to normal.

[Gio]

Since they almost always have a doorman handy they hardly bother :D .

Except for the living room, where they are only allowed when one of us is in there, they have the run of the house and the doors are always slightly ajar so that they can fully open them so we never really tested their skills. We were thinking of getting a cat door so that they could have easy access to the balcony but probably they would wait for us to open that one as well. With half of her front leg missing Prema would have problems anyway.

When she wants a door opened for her (she loves to go on the balcony for a quick tour even if it's freezing cold outside) she just sits in front of it and gently meows. She hates it though when I lock myself in a room though, I was taking a shower once and she head butted the door until she managed to snap the lock!

I knew someone that put a cat flap in the door, his cat would just rattle it and pretended that someone opened the main door for him! :D :D :D

[Ila]

Misty love our linen closet. She opens it and lays on towels. She likes opening up my kitchen cupboards too. I hope this works. http://community.webshots.com/storage/1/V3/5/10757/20751057CEIVqzWqn_ph.jpeg

[Logan]

Heavy doors, "no". And Mimi doesn't open anything. She doesn't need to because we wait on her hand and foot! :D Butter though, has figured out that the catch on the glass storm door on the front door is an easy one. He bangs against it over and over until it opens just enough for him to slide outside when I have the main door open. I usually hear him fast enough to come running and open it for him. I would hate for that striped tail to get caught in the slamming door! Butter's other habit is to "find" me in whatever room I'm in (usually my bedroom) and bang on the window screen to come inside. His favorite one is the bathroom window where the screen is loose. Then I just pop the window open and he comes in that way! :D

[purrley]

My Spencer is the cabinet door opener in my house. He opens the one under the sink in the kitchen really easy, but has a hard time with the one in the downstairs bathroom. This one he opens, but it slams as soon as he lets go which tunes me in on what he's doing so I can yell STOP. Then he'll walk away from it until the next time:p

[ramanth]

Sable could open the bedroom doors. He loathed being shut out. :D

[thelmalu99]

The broom closet in the kitchen-not only do the cats know how to open it, but the turtle does, too! Yertle loves to sleep in there; I call it his room. The door doesn't lock or anything, so Yertle and the cats know how to push the door aside and get in.

[Logan]

Thelma,
I'm getting off of the cat topic for a second. I'm dying to know more about Yertle. I have been fascinated with him since you first introduced him to us. Does he have free run of the house? Or do you just let him out at certain times? He sounds like quite the comedian!! I would love to meet him! :D
Logan

[thelmalu99]

LOL, Logan! Yes, he's quite the character. When my friends come over, they're always like, "Where's Yertle? Find him for me, I want to see him!" He's got a little fan club going, LOL!

He has free run of the house. He has a little "swimming pool" in the corner of the kitchen. It has a little ramp, so he can climb in and out as he pleases. He's a funny little guy, and people are always amazed that he will follow me when I get up and walk towards the kitchen (kitchen=fresh tomatoes!).

Yertle is about 4 1/2" across and about 6 1/2" long. (I'm estimating, because I have never measured him, but I'm looking at my ruler and that's about right.) He is an Eastern Box Turtle, and his shell is domed, not flat. He has beautiful bright orange eyes and yellow markings on his front legs (which means he's a boy).

He and the cats live together peacefully. He doesn't seem to be afraid of them at all, and they just seem curious about him. They may sniff him, but that's about it.

I have a framed picture of him that I have been meaning to bring to work so I can scan it and post it here. Hopefully, I'll remember to do this soon.

Thanks for asking!:)

[Logan]

Yertle is such a perfect name for him, Thelma! I have always loved the Dr. Seuss "Yertle the Turtle" book! We have two copies!! LOL! I would LOVE to see a picture of your Yertle. How old is he anyway? And remind me of how you got him. We had numerous box turtles in our yard this summer. The dogs have a stroke everytime they see one, so I don't think adding one as a pet here would be a very good idea!
Thanks for answering all my silly questions! :D
Logan

[thelmalu99]

Logan, your questions aren't silly, silly! LOL! I love it when people show an interest in Yert, especially because some people think that turtles are "boring pets", but that's not true at all. If you allow them to wander the house, they begin to not show fear and they actually do interact with you. They're very cool. Before they met him, my friends thought I was crazy because I would tell them stories about what Yertle did that day, lol. When they actually met him, they realised how cute and funny he really is. He can be very personable, too, depending on his mood. Don't wake him up, though, because he will give you "the look." :eek:

I had a roommate who would come home from work and sit down on the floor and tell him about her day. He would look up at her as if he were paying very close attention to what she was saying. She used to get a kick out of this. We still keep in touch, and she never forgets to ask how "Mr. Turtle Guy" is doing.

I'm not sure exactly how old he is, but I would love to find out some day. Maybe I'll look for a vet who specializes in reptiles and amphibians. I have had Yertle for about ten years. My father gave him to me shortly after I moved back up from Brazil.

I remember the picture you posted of your dogs going crazy over a turtle that was in your yard! The turtle in the picture looks exactly like Yertle.

Hee, hee...as you can see, I love talking about my little Yertie guy. :o I will try to remember to scan his picture for ya. I think I will have to move my pictures to the Photogra website first. What's going on with Webshots?

PS-Yeah, Dr. Seuss is great! I have a friend who's REALLY a big fan...she calls me Thelma lou-Who, who's no more than two!! LOL!

[catwoman]

I am thoroughly amazed that so many of you even TRY to keep certain doors closed. That would NEVER go over in my house! :D

For the record, they have opened:
cabinet doors,
bathroom door
guest bedroom door
sliding closet doors
kitchen drawers

and Weezie's crowning achievement:
unzipped Grandma's purse


:eek: :D :eek:

[AmberLee]

Weezie!

How dexterous you are. What an achievement. We are SO proud of you. Cassy climbed into Mommy's purse once, but it was unzipped. Wow! What an achievement. You should be in the CHOF (Cat Hall of Fame).

You are my hero.

Swoonies,
Lady Olivia d'Flufferuni

Note: I am Livvy to my friends, and hope you are one of them. :D

[thelmalu99]

Weezie is the Houdini of kitties!:D

YOU GO GIRL!!

[catwoman]

Weezie wants to thank her friends Livvy, Elvis & Danny for their (much-warranted) admiration! :D ;)

She actually performed this amazing unzipping feat TWICE in one weekend. (Grandma had a rubberband around her checkbook, inside the purse.) The second time, she actually liberated the checkbook and dragged it down the hallway before devoring the rubberband. :o

Needless to say, my apartment is now a rubberband-free zone! :rolleyes:

Dianne

[LoudLou]

Weezie what a teriffic name you have!!! You can unzip stuff? Do you have thumbs!?:D

[NoahsMommy]

Weezie, you are amazing!! I would LOVE to see you do that!

Thank goodness they haven't learned how to open the doors! (yet!!) Noel thinks that if you run into the screen door really fast that it'll open...

They both HATE any doors closed, they whine and stick their paws under the door until they are let in. Needless to say, I take my "friends" with me when I go to the restroom at home.

[catwoman]

ROFL, NoahsMommy ... yes, it's just not "potty time" without an audience! :rolleyes:

[thelmalu99]

ROTFL!! Mine not only watch me on the potty, they usually go to the litterbox and do their thing at the same time! :rolleyes:
What's up with that?

[AmberLee]

I prefer to think of it as "Bonding" time.

[Edwina's Secretary]

Edwina likes an audience. Her box is at the top of the basement stairs just off the central hall (she wouldn't go down to the basement. According to her the dehumidifier monster lives there.) Anyway...maintenance people, visitors, or just one of us...anyone will do. Recently my brother, who is a veternarian, was visiting and commented with surprise on her use of her box while lots of people were around. You see... cats are suppose to like privacy -- they even sell screens for that.

The funniest (?) was when we were selling our town house and a particularly odious woman was looking at it for the umpteenth time. Edwina decided to show her how the sink in the powder room could double as a litter box. Fortunately the realtor -- a friend and animal lover grabbed her (the cat) and exclaimed how cats love the cool of porcelain!

The odious woman bought the house.

[AmberLee]

Hee, hee, hee! Can't I just picture that! Thank you for the laugh today. Edwina's a delight.

So glad your place sold, and that your friend/realtor was so quick witted!

:D :D :D

[AmberLee]

OOOhhhh, yes, that one ... And her cat helped her escape, but then the monitor lizards got her so the cat had to out-run the lava and dodge the collapsing sand pits.

Ahem, who wastes her time reading the Darwin Awards? :o (Weeee wouldn't do a thing like that, would we? :o :o )

[NoahsMommy]

Edwina!! You are such a funny kitty!!!

[catwoman]

Edwina the Exhibitionist ... :eek:

[Max's Humans]

I am sooo glad that I am not the only one who is not allowed privacy when it comes to the "nature center"!

I am not permitted by his royalness to shut the door all the way or it gets pounded on until one can't stand it anymore. So I am forced to keep it closed as far as I can, but not latched. (He hasn't figured out how to turn the knob yet, and I hope he never does!). Max pushes his way in, lays on the floor stretched out in front of me or he'll SIT on my lap and coo and purr with out any mind to my purpose for being there! The absolute worst is when he decides that I'm a bad Mommy Human and he must rough house with me. . . He viciously attacks my lower legs by wrapping himself around the nearest one and biting/kicking me! Of course I'm too indisposed to move so all I can do is yell and try to get him off me while trying to maintain my dignity. Daddy Human gets a good laugh out of it - especially since Max only does it to me!

My cat Dusty (RB) used to come in with me as well and was very inquisitive about the whole process -- imagine my surprise when I walked past the bathroom one day and found him doing his business in the "human" pan!

[Max's Humans]

Just lost our "identity" when we switched to the new message board. . . ho hum! Just means I'll have to post more often! PS: We do love the capabilities of this new home - very happy like this forum should be!

[NoahsMommy]

That is so funny Max's Human!!! I wonder if Noah and Noel could be taught that?? :)

[libracats]

Paris has got opening cabinet doors down to an art. We nicknamed him Batboy. Here's why: he likes to sleep in the cabinet under the kitchen sink(during the day, he comes out at night ;) He is also very afraid of strangers so... whenever he feels scared he runs straight for HIS cabinet so fast that its hard to tell HOW he got in there. He hooks the edge of the door with his paw, catches the door with his head ..and he's IN!

[tuxluvr]

Originally posted by thelmalu99
ROTFL!! Mine not only watch me on the potty, they usually go to the litterbox and do their thing at the same time! :rolleyes:
What's up with that?

LOL...Thelma - I don't feel so bad - Ritz also tends to "do her business" the same time we do.

While Ritz cannot open a latched door, she is pretty good at "shoving" her rotund self into closed but not latched doors- usually the bathroom. Many times I open the shower curtain to find Ritzy sitting on the lid of the commode staring at me.

She did hide inside my briefcase once (soft-sided computer case) - I had it unzipped She scared the heck out of me when I went to get something out of it and SURPRISE out popped these little white feet!

[AmberLee]

Originally posted by tuxluvr
... SURPRISE out popped these little white feet!

I can imagine! When I'm packing for a trip I get one supervisor and one "helper" -- stomping down the contents so they'll fit better. I can just imagine being in a massive hurry one day and packing Cassy by mistake!


Back to the thread -- I think I've mentioned previously that I usually leave C&L in the master bedroom suite while I'm out? Recently they've begun letting themselves out. Last night both got out of the condo as I was trying to get in myself. :eek: It wouldn't be so scary if our cul de sac weren't surrounded by heavily trafficed, near freeway speeds roads. Caught Livvy rather quickly, but couldn't catch (heck, couldn't even SEE) Cassy. He came home on his own after 15 minutes or so. Torn between wanting to hug and snuggle him and wanting to smack him. Must get a dead-bolt for the front door. It's stiffer than the bedroom door but very similar in design. What a nightmare to come home and find they've let themselves out of the condo altogether.

:( :( :( A rapidly graying Amber L.