Catflap on toilet door

[Tomanynames]

I got a kitten 3/4 weeks ago I also have 2 dogs . They seem to be getting on. Scared at first but they seem ok now. Because she's still small I dont want to leave her alone with the dogs yet . So when I go out or to bed I lock her in my downstairs toilet with her bed litter tray and food. (It's quite big)

Also her litter tray is in there so when she starts meowing loudly I know she needs the tray so I pick her up and put her in the toilet so she can use the tray she then meows near the door to come out .

I'm thinking should I put a cat flap in the door . But would it be a waste of time. As she's a maincoon so would she fit through a catflap when she's bigger

I wouldn't, I would just leave the toilet door open during the day when you're home. The dogs will soon get used to her. As she gets bigger you'll be able to leave the door open at night as well.

So just carry on as I am for now ?

I would put a catflap on the bathroom door.
Aswell as being practical it would also give her a safe bolthole from the dogs if they chase her.
But I would make sure it was a lockable cat flap if you want to contain her in the bathroom at night.

That was partly my thinking. I mean they are fine with her they play together lay together etc. But im just worried for when I'm out /in bed. But like you say it gives her that es are for if she wants it. But also I'm not sure how long it will last because she will be a big cat

Not sure I'm understanding the problem here.

You put her in a room overnight but she can't use the cat tray that's in there? Is she too small to climb up into the tray? Is that why you have to carry her in?

If so put an encyclopaedia or something outside as a step, and fill up the cat litter inside so it is high enough she can't get stuck.

She shouldn't have to ask to use the loo overnight.

If the flap is too stiff for her just take it off. Or tie a thick dressing gown belt round it at the top joining it to the handle to jam it permanently in the up position.

If you mean the tray gets locked in there during the day to keep it away from the dogs and it's then she shouts on you to open it then I'd look not put a flap in.

I'd continue as you are or jam the room door open with something the dogs can't get over/under/through as they are too big but that she can get in as she is small? Like a baby gate or something, perhaps with chicken wire carefully wrapped round with no sharp edges if required?

Depends on dog size basically.

My friends dogs killed her 6 month old kitten overnight. I'd keep them apart overnight forever, myself. Not sure you need a cat flap but it's your home....

I'd fit a pressure-fit baby gate, set a bit up from the ground so the kitten can easily fit under it and humans can go through it, but the dogs can't get in. A regular catflap is likely to be too small fairly quickly for a MC and it is a temporary need anyway whilst the animals adjust to each other, so I'd be reluctant to start cutting holes in the door.

I think you completely misread my op 🤣. Maybe I wrote it badly

Her litter tray is in the toilet. But the door is closed . As the dog will get in there and start getting into the litter and eating her food. So I lero the door closed when im home as well. But the kitten us in the living room with us . She meows loudly when she needs the tray so I pick her uo and take her to the toilet ie put her in the room . She can get inti the tray herself.

She doesn't ask to use the toilet over night she's already in the room with the litter tray.

Gate won't work . My bigger dog can knock it down

Could you put a child gate across the doorway. The cat could get in and out but less likely the dog would.

I wouldn't leave a kitten alone with a dog (or a toddler).

Where does the dog spend the night?

I already have a large dog gate on my stairs but my German shepherd can knock it down . I have to use several cable ties to keep it secure and im running out of them.

Maybe I will just carry on as we are. It's not like it's not working .

Depends on the dogs, some dogs / breeds would want to kill a cat but some are only interested in sniffing/ playing...

Could you secure the door to that it opens wide enough for a cat and not the dogs? Once the cat is more confident and has sussed out the house, as long as she has places she can jump up out of the dogs reach they will probably be able to coexist without needing to be separated.

The gate does not work my larger dog knocks it down. At night time the living room door gets closed . The dogs go in the hall and stairs . They seem to sleep on the 2 corner steps towards top of stairs

That's could be an idea . I will have a think how I could do that.

Thanks for clarifying OP, it's probably me being thick lol!

If your dog is knocking your gate down I'd suggest it needs screwed into the wall or something! It needs to be full height though or the dog will presumably jump it.

I agree with others that I'd never leave a kitten alone with dogs.

If you put a cat flap in you would need to make sure you remembered to lock it with her inside the room every night without fail. One forgotten incident and it could be game over for the kitten.

I don't think I'd even get a kitten with dogs. I'd be too scared.

We have a catflap on our bedroom door as our dog is only allowed in here with one of us, like you we had babygates, but our dog can happily jump over them.

The fixings for the gate are screwed in the wall . Problem is can't screw the actual gate it's self into the wall.

The dogs and kitten are fine together. But I still want yo be careful when im out although I think it will be ok once she's bigger .

I can't help but think that everyone is massively overthinking this!

A cat flap seems like a good idea if this is going to remain your long term set up. A maine coon will be able to get through a cat flap unless it grows into a lion

My spaniel could fit through our cat flap. Is she going to be bigger than a cocker spaniel?

I think she may be a lion 🦁

A female Maine Coon cat will typically weigh between 9 and 13 pounds and be 18 to 30 inches long when fully grown. They usually reach their full size when they are around 3 to 5 years old. (Copy and paste)

Would that size get through a catflap?

I think probably a bit smaller

You can get bigger flaps, and if you're worried about your dogs going through, get a microchip one.

@Tomanynames
Perhaps something like a security chain (but a bit longer) would work?