Ideally I want Chubb to able to run around the whole main floor when we're home.

It's pretty much bunny proof except for the basement door. There's a cat door so the cats can go to the basement to their litter boxes. That way the dogs can't get to it and it's far away from us.

We have to block that off when we let him out, which the cats aren't too happy about. A couple of times he's gone thru the cat door and luckily we've gotten him before he tried to go down the stairs. But it's too risky to leave it like this.

He LOVES his freedom and is way better behaved (he's so cute when he has a lot of room.

So what can i do to ensure the cats can come and go through the basement door to their litter, but my bunny can't?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated and Chubb would be SO happy!

Thanks,

Lesley

 

Where is the basement door located? When you have been blocking it off, what have you been using? Just wondering if you can use a pen type structure around the door so that it's blocked from Chubb but the cats can jump over to use the cat door.

Would you consider replacing your cat door with a magnetic one?

Like this one.

www.staywell.co.uk/Intl/UK/Products...-Flap.aspx

I second the magnetic door suggestion -- I cat-sit for someone who has one and it works like a charm.

I have not found a way to block the rabbits and allow the cats thru.  But Griffin jumps/climbs- unlike Cotton and Schroeder.  So it depends on the rabbits and the cats.  One of my cats is older and has arthritis in her hips- so she does not jump well anymore, another of my cats is a big chunk.  So when I let the bunnies out- I block off the stairs with extra x-pen panels from when we set up the pen- and I am able to use the 4 foot high panels to block off the upstairs- so they can't get under our bed or into the cats room/parrots room where there is clumping cat litter and all the goodies that the parrots drop.  Anything less than 4 feet- and Griff is over it.

If your rabbit was bigger than your cat you could make the opening large enough for the cat to squeeze thru but not the bunny- but I doubt that is the case unless  you have a Flemish Giant. And you do not want to discourage your cats from being able to easily access their litterboxes- that only spells trouble.

 

I wonder if you could try a 2 NIC grid tall enclosed rectangle with a flat platform in front of the door. Depending on if your bun is a jumper (I know my two will not jump the height of 2 NIC grids) the cats could jump on top and then jump thru an opening to get to the door. Does this make sense?

The basement door is right in the living room dining room area. Then there's the hallway to the front door that has the kitchen and bathroom off of it.

The door is far enough inside the living/dining room that i can't use a baby gate or anything because there's no other wall.

i like the idea of the magnetic cat door but one of my cats won't fit through that. He's not fat just REALLY big. And one of the other cats (there's 3) is my "special" kitty and everytime we put a collar on her she manages to try to choke herself, she has some issues, lol

I'm wondering if the NIC cubes would work. I may try that.

The big cat does have arthritis, but if i can find the right height that he can jump and Chubb can't....

I could attach hooks or something to the door, so it's secure. Chubb is a little houdini, it amazes me how he's able to escape. And he always remembers his escape routes.

Never thought I'd spend so much time trying to outsmart a bunny.

 

Thanks for your suggestions!!

Lesley

I've found I can use just a one high NIC grid fence if it's on hard wood floors, the cats jump it easily but the bunnies won't try. I used to have it 2 high and my 17 yr old kitty could easily clear it (he always meows and makes a big show of it so we all appreciate his jump) but my younger, heavier cat couldn't quite make it.

Anything I'm blocking on carpet has to have 2 though or Pringles can clear it easily.