Are my cats slow learners? What the heck!

Freedom

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This house has bedroom closets which slide.  One each way.  Very easy to open and close.  There are THREE bedrooms.

4 of my cats seem most comfortable in the closet in MY bedroom.  I close the doors, next thing I know one -- always the same one -- is open about 3 inches.  And the cats are in there.

This is a problem because the dogs come in with me to nap for an hour each afternoon, and to sleep with me overnight.  This is a typical ranch house floor plan.  When the dogs are in my bedroom, a baby gate is up so they can't get out to the other rooms.  During the rest of the day, the dogs and I are in the kitchen and living room area, with a hinged baby gate across the hallway.  The cats roam freely among the 3 bedrooms and bath during the day, the 2 bedrooms bath kitchen and living room at night.

WHY do these 4 cats insist on cuddling and sleeping in MY closet?  This morning, as I woke, bleary eyed, I saw the closet was open yet again.  Moments later, the 5 dogs woke and all heck broke loose as they went nuts trying to get to the cats.  This has happened numerous times, yet the cats continue to go in that one closet.  I have NO cat food or treats in there, just my clothes.  It is, after all, the clothes closet!

Clearly, the cats moseyed on in during the night while the dogs and I were sleeping.  This happens regularly.  During the day, they also go in.  Before naps and before bedtime, I have to go in and get the cats OUT. 

Two other cats enjoy sleeping on my bed, and when I holler, watch out kitties, doggies are coming!  those 2 skedaddle to another bedroom. 

Yesterday I tried to block the closet with shoes.  That worked for about 3 hours.  I saw cats trying to open that door several times.  Today I will measure and see if I can find a board to put down.

But geesh, why don't these 4 cats learn?  Being in that closet is hazardous, they are trapped once the dogs learn they are in there.
 

mommawolf

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Because they loooooove you. [emoji]128151[/emoji]

They must really love being on your clothes if they risk the clamorous dogs to be there. I'm sorry they don't get along. This is why we can't have nice things. Lol!
 

donutte

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Because if you have a place that you don't want the cats to go, that's the FIRST place they are going to go! And they will make every effort possible to get in there.

My Lucky used to open my bedroom door at my old house, just because he could sometimes. Sometimes he'd come in, other times he'd come in for a minute and leave. Lovable little bugger that he was.

I take it the cats and dogs don't get along? Are they ever in the same rooms together?
 
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Freedom

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The dogs will give chase if the cats turn and run.  Of the 8 cats, only 2 sit and watch a dog approach.  Those 2 cats have no issues with the dogs, ever, and are all around the house any time.

The first 4 bichons I had showed NO prey drive whatsoever, and the cats roamed the house with no issues.  The 5th was Tasha my puppy mill rescue.  She had no idea how to be a pet, she just copied what the other dogs do, so she left the cats be, as well.

Then came Willy.  He was jealous of the cats being in my lap.  Next Riley arrived, a poodle x bichon.  She has a bit more prey drive, from the poodle side of things.  Really all she wants to do is wash and lick the cat's face, ears, head.  Cats tend not to like that.  LOL

Belle has no interest in the cats, and ignores them.

Tasha now follows along with Willy and Riley, and will give chase barking.

I have Tony for just 3 months (he got out of the fence and hit by a car).  He was a wild child, and he would have killed a cat if allowed.  He was a weird bichon in many ways.  But in those 3 months, he taught the others to chase the cats, and bark, and things have been nutty since.

Now the puppy Frankie is learning from the other dogs that chasing the cats and barking is a fun group activity.  He WILL break away when I call him and tell him no.  And he steers clear of the 2 cats mentioned above, who take no guff from the dogs.

Riley will slip in the closet and bark in the faces of the cats in there.  They will be all huddled up, wide eyes, ears back, hissing and what not.  I get the other dogs out of the room, then get Riley out of the closet.  At that point, while I am still holding her, the cats will fly out the closet and out of the room into a room with a baby gate across -- they know the dogs can't reach them there.

Now, these same 3 cats:  at night when we all go to bed, I sit with the light on and do a crossword puzzle and so on.  The dogs all settle down in their places to sleep for the night.  And those 3 cats can come up on the bed, sit on my chest and purr, have petting and cuddles, and the dogs ignore them.

So, do the dogs and cats get along?  Not get along?  "It's complicated."  lol
 

lmj1954

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Kind of sounds like the dogs are entertaining themselves, like the cats are fun to chase, and may be that some of the dogs are playing. My 2 dogs

get  along with the 3 cats. Sometimes my Pomeranian chases Mya because she wants to play. Anyway, if it is a matter of one of the cats

getting harmed that is scary, hopefully they can get up to a high place if the dogs get in the closet. And I am thinking the cats are really bent on

sleeping in the same room that you are because they want to be around you even if it gets out of hand...the cats must not be too scared if they

keep doing it.
 

rickr

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Because if you have a place that you don't want the cats to go, that's the FIRST place they are going to go! And they will make every effort possible to get in there. <snip>
So true!  My cats LOVE the closets.  I have conventional doors on mine; neither cat can open them.  But it doesn't stop them from trying.  Whenever Archie and Lucy hear one of the closet doors open, they come running.  In fact, when one of them is hiding, I open a closet door - it's like a magical cat whistle.

@Freedom  if you really want to keep the cats out of your closets, you could attach a latch to each of the sliding doors.  Or install magnetic cabinet clasps.  Either should prevent the cats from opening the doors. 
 

lmj1954

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My little Freedom Belle use to adore curling up in a closet (I miss her so much) and LOL, most of the time it was a safe

place to hide from Liberty Belle....I still have her, she is 14. Freedom went to the Bridge when she was 16. And my cats

adore boxes, if I get a shipment and the empty box is on the floor they are in it in a instant.
 

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Both Lilith and Sophie love to curl up on my laundry. I don't let them in the walk in closet because there are too many places to hide. When I go in there to hang up clothes, I close the door and they are always lurking by the door when I go to open it to try to sneak in. 

What are you talking about? I wuzn't doing nuthin at all. Just sitting here minding my own business. The dog did it. I saw her. 
 

donutte

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So, do the dogs and cats get along?  Not get along?  "It's complicated."  lol
Hey, that sounds almost like my house! We have two chihuahuas and five cats. Makes for interesting times, that's for sure! And yes, I understand what you mean about not wanting the cats to get themselves cornered. My Sara has become a PRO at that with our one cat, Penelopy. Penelopy is playing, but Sara goes into full-on defensive mode and in the process, literally backs herself into something.
 
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Freedom

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I used a pressure mount baby gate and stopped that door from sliding.  That was the left side.  So today the cats opened the one on the right.  Good thing I have extra gates around (since my move here in May, this house is smaller).  Right side door is now also blocked. 

Love hearing the thump thump thump story!  What a long haired cutie!
 

Kat0121

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I used a pressure mount baby gate and stopped that door from sliding.  That was the left side.  So today the cats opened the one on the right.  Good thing I have extra gates around (since my move here in May, this house is smaller).  Right side door is now also blocked. 

Love hearing the thump thump thump story!  What a long haired cutie!
They are so smart, aren't they? 

Thanks. Persians are so good at looking innocent with those big eyes and sweet faces. She gets into a lot of mischief. 
 

donutte

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I still remember at the old house, back when I didn't want cats in my bedroom (oh, I laugh at that now), Lucky used to open the hook-and-eye lock I had all the time. I eventually started hanging clothes on it to keep him from opening it. It took awhile, but he even learned how to knock the hangers off. What a guy.
 
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