Cats that open doors...

Does anyone has a kitty that has figured out by watching you how to turn a door handle and get the door open? There are a few rooms off-limits to Batman for health reasons (like the bird room, my husband's art room - paints, etc., and our bedroom because my husband is still allergic and we just think it's easier this way). Batman has gotten in our room a few times lately and we first thought we weren't shutting the door right, but I was watching him the other day, and he just stood up on his hind legs, put his paw on the handle and moved it clockwise to my disbelief. He definitely is figuring this out.

I was thinking for the birds room, that I'm going to put up one of those little latches on the top (like I have with Patches room) just in case he tries to break in there. For our room, I may need to hide my earrings and stuff. It's kinda funny, if you don't factor in my birdies.

Was wondering if anyone else has kitties that do this. And nope, he isn't polydactyl.

I have one that will touch the door knob and will try to push the doors open, but none of them are able to in this house. Well, not now that we replaced the bathroom door knob with one that latches properly... that used to be embarrassing.

Do you have door handles or door knobs? The solution to some rooms may simply be to switch to a knob that locks.

Wellington figured out years ago how to open a door, any door with a handle he can open just by standing up and pressing the lever with a paw. He is a big cat (7.8 kg with no fat on him) so has no trouble. A door knob he finds a little more difficult, but he can do if it is textured and he can get a grip. I have had to put smooth round knobs on all doors that lead to the outside. Before, I had to keep doors locked, which was a nuisance, but when I saw him try and get the key in his teeth while holding the handle down, I knew it was time to act!

I actually have a broken door because of the cats. Our bathroom door is tricky to shut and from Fatman SLAMMING his body against it to get inside now the door doesnt shut. All from those darn pesky bathroom moniters....as if Ill fall in the toilet when I have to pee...Im not GiGi for heavens sake shes the one who doesnt look to see if the lid is down and goes flying across and lands in the water!! LOL

I don't keep any doors in my condo closed, so Holland hasn't had a chance to figure out doorknobs. She DOES, however, open my (rather heavy) sliding closet doors so she can explore my closet at will...

Originally Posted by strange_wings

Do you have door handles or door knobs? The solution to some rooms may simply be to switch to a knob that locks.

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Door knobs. It has to be locked from the inside not outside because that's how I'm sure no one would walk in the room if I'm out with the birds, etc. so we can't switch the knob around. I could get a locked door with a key and hang the key high up on the wall on a nail or something, but I think a latch would be less crazy. Years down the roads when we have kids, I'm sure we'll have to have the bird room latched anyways. Batman's pretty smart for a kitten from the streets.

Before Max died, he would open bi-fold doors. He laid on the floor, put his paw under them and kept at it until he opened them. My husband solved the problem by putting hooks and eyes to fasten them with.

I don't have any who can open doors by turning knobs, but I do have a few who open cubbards and drawers.

We have lever doors inside our house. Forrest long ago figured out how to open them. The other two cats have not yet figured it out.

Many years ago we had a Maine Coon cat named Lambert. He could open doors with those normal round door knobs. He would stand on his back legs and rub the knob on either side with his paws until it opened. We had to get those child protect door knob covers for rooms we did not want him in. Otherwise he would just open the door and go where ever he wanted.

2 cats ago, pre-aya and Midori, we had a very smart kitty named Gracie. She was an expert huntress.

We saw her reach up and try to get the front door handle. Our front door has a handle not a knob. She was very clearly trying to pull it down, which is how it opens. She was an in-out cat who loved her prowling time outside.

Luckilly for us she was a petite little thing (we were informed by the shelter she was a persian cross) only 6 lbs, and couldn't quite reach it enough to pull it down. Even stetched on her hindlegs she was about and inch or two too short to get it. But she clearly demonstrated that she knew how it worked.

Smart kitty!...

We miss her. She was the best cat ever!

Ripley is very good at opening cupboards & drawers. She's trained me so all internal doors remain open at all times!

Originally Posted by AudioCat

Many years ago we had a Maine Coon cat named Lambert. He could open doors with those normal round door knobs. He would stand on his back legs and rub the knob on either side with his paws until it opened. We had to get those child protect door knob covers for rooms we did not want him in. Otherwise he would just open the door and go where ever he wanted.

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I didn't know such a thing existed!!! I'll have to look into that for the birds room. Thanks for the tip!

only 1 of mine does it and she's good. it sometimes takes her only one try. she can even open doors that have one of those push tabs. i lock my bathroom before i leave the house and before i go to bed because she likes to go in there and knock things over
strangely enough, none of the others picked up this behavior

Originally Posted by 3CatsN1Dog

I actually have a broken door because of the cats. Our bathroom door is tricky to shut and from Fatman SLAMMING his body against it to get inside now the door doesn't shut. All from those darn pesky bathroom moniters....as if Ill fall in the toilet when I have to pee...Im not GiGi for heavens sake shes the one who doesn't look to see if the lid is down and goes flying across and lands in the water!! LOL

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I laughed at the thought of GiGi doing that! I can just picture it and you think she would learn.

Originally Posted by AudioCat

We had to get those child protect door knob covers for rooms we did not want him in. Otherwise he would just open the door and go where ever he wanted.

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I was going to suggest those knob covers too. They just slip over the knob and you have to press the sides to open the door. It is very similar to the caps they put on medicine bottles. Here is a link to them.
http://www.organize.com/door-knob-covers.html

Originally Posted by chinacat

Ripley is very good at opening cupboards & drawers. She's trained me so all internal doors remain open at all times!

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Dusty is the culprit that does this in our apartment. I have actually watched her open the kitchen drawer. She just reached up and put her paws on the top of the drawer. Then she put her hind legs on the bottom drawer and leaned back to open the drawer. Then she climbed into the drawer and up on the counter. We have a dish towel in that drawer so we don't have to wash all the eating utensils again .

Bella opens drawers and cabinets in the kitchen. I woke up one morning and they were ALL opened. I thought I was being haunted until I saw Bella sound asleep in one of them!!!