Awe, poor Pouncer. I can't believe that your vet wouldn't find a way to fit you in knowing how sick Pouncer gets so quickly! I hope he'll be ok until you can get the surgery for him.

About the cat door, I had one of those swingy doors on the covered litter boxes, and I thought that would work really well. Hmpf... They refused to use them!!! Either they didn't get the door, or they didn't like being "trapped" in there. Ended up just taking them off and going back to just the covered boxes with no swinging door.