I'm thinking the child proof door knob thing is something good to try (thanks Craftlady!). I'll let everyone know how it works once we get one and try it out.

I don't think the automatic feeder will work because after reading reviews apparently they are easy to break in to. Decker will have that figured out in no time. If we just free fed these guys I wouldn't have a problem but I'd have a bunch of fat unhealthy cats like I did before.

Catty - we get zero sleep if we leave the door open because they wrestle and play on the bed and in the curtains and blinds plus I got a nasty case of hip arthritis inflammation/bursitis from letting cats sleep on me and between my legs for months. Not going through that again, ouch!