April 7, 2011

Kitty Door Bell

Katy 1 demonstrates how
to use the kitty door bell.
I'm happy to report that the kitty door has been a big hit with both us and the cats. It took awhile for them to get used to, and Riley actually prefers having the people door opened for him. Katy though, dives through the kitty door like a pro.

The plan calls for a second one, for the cats to have access to the back porch from the kitchen. We'll put that one in when we work on that kitchen wall. Until then, they have to let us know when they want out, and when they want in.

To go out, they simply sit in the kitchen and stare at the back door. If that doesn't do the trick, they meow. To come in though, they have their own door bell. I hung a string of small bells on the back door knob, and they've learned to ring them when they want someone to let them inside. We can hear this better than a muffled meow, no matter where we are in the house. Very handy. Works for them. Works for us. :)

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

And it looks very pretty.

Carolyn said...

I just GOT to try that!

Evelyn said...

Smart cats! great shot of Katy ringing the bells.

Madness, Trouble, Squish and Milkbone said...

Oh, that is cute. If is funny that shy Katie is the pro at using the kitty door.
Any bebe goats?

Leigh said...

ElsiMay, it's a pleasant sound too. A little jingle-jingle and we know to go open the door.

Carolyn, it took awhile for them to catch on and Riley was particularly stubborn about it. I suppose sitting out the on the porch staring at the door didn't work well enough for him not to try it. :)

Evelyn, actually we had a cat a long time ago that figured out to do this all by himself. Except we had the bells on the outside as it was Christmas. He rang the bells anytime he wanted to come in!

BM&T, no baby goats yet!

The funny thing about Katy, is that she used to be really afraid to go outside much, hence the use of the high hide. With that outside kitty door though, she hasn't used the high hide once, and loves to be out now. I reckon that knowing she can get inside anytime she wants is the best security of all.

Mama Pea said...

Love it!

Dani said...

Now that is the cutest things I have ever seen - and such clever owners too :-

Sherri B. said...

Great idea...better than scratching the window (think fingernails on a chalkboard) like our cat does.

Woolly Bits said...

which shows that your cats are cleverer than our dog:)) when we lock her out accidentally she sits in front of the door and stares... she has to sit there for a veeeery long time or get very wet before she realizes that she has a voice:))I doubt that she'd learn how to use a bell instead!

Anonymous said...

This is a tv shopping network thing waiting to happen. Fabulous! (Although, if you get lever door handles instead, they just let themselves in and out. It is impossible, though, to get them to close the door behind themselves!)

Renee Nefe said...

smart kitties!

I have to report that our dog has figured out her own door bell. When she wants to go out she just stares at the door...if she really NEEDS to go out she'll whine. and then to come back in if she doesn't see us (sliding glass door) she'll give a woof.

Razzberry Corner said...

Katy is a smarty kitty! If she was a little bit taller, I bet she'd be attempting to turn that doorknob!

Leigh said...

Mama Pea thanks!

Dani, I have to say that another cat showed us the trick. Took awhile to "train" Riley and Katy to it, but once they got the idea, it works!

Sherri, scratching? Oh no. I'm sure it gets said cat quick results though, LOL

Bettina, that's the age old debate, who's smarter, cats or dogs. ;)

Q, all we need is marketing, LOL. Hadn't thought about the lever door handles. Our cats have pawed at the knob, but of course that doesn't work!

Renee, hey, it works for Lilly, doesn't it! Sounds like she has you well trained. :)

Lynn, don't give them any ideas!

Jane @ Hard Work Homestead said...

I need you to come and train all my animals that don't seem to learn anything from me. Your the cat wisperer.

The Sumerlin Dorper Farm said...

That is so cute! I Love it :)

Unknown said...

Love the photo. Smart cats ;-)

luckybunny said...

This is really cute, and yes, smart cats!

Leigh said...

Jane, I don't know about that! They were pretty stubborn during the learning process. They just had to figure out that the behavior got them what they wanted, i.e. in the house!

Christine, Toodie, and Donna, thanks!

Theresa said...

Ah, how fun. I've tried the bell with the dogs and they got it. Of course it was ringing all flippin day, so I ditched it. :) They have really grown into such handsome cats!

Benita said...

Well, ain't you clever? A dangly bit of bells for the cats to play with when they want in. Seriously, I'm surprised no one else has though of this. You need to market this.

Leigh said...

Theresa, if I had as many cats as you have dogs, bells would probably drive me crazy too!

Benita, we learned it from a cat! Not too sure about marketing. I suspect folks would just make their own. :)

Toni aka irishlas said...

Smart kitties! What a great idea.

judy said...

that is so cute. one of my surviving sisters lives in spring vally wi. right under the damn. anyway her husband, attempted to put in a kitty door on the reg. door .he is not the brightest builder in the workshop. so the door was a little off. Mary has told me so many funny stories where the raccoons get in. they want that darn cat food. so Mary put the cat food in a coffee can,which the raccoons struggled with Mary to try to get it out the door, huh,that's right darn raccoons,Mary won. still loving all of your stuff,not that i have had time to read it all YET! JUDY IN MN