How to block off upstairs for one cat

[TheKitchenWitch]

I'm looking for ideas or experience of blocking off upstairs for GirlCat when we go away. She doesn't really get on with the other two, and being cooped up with them for a week while we're away would be a really bad idea. We don't allow any outside access when we're not here, the cat sitter comes in twice a day to feed, clean litter trays and play with them.

Until last year it was just GirlCat and BoyCat, and while they didn't like each other, it was ok. We now have BoyKitten, who annoys the fuck out of GirlCat, but gets on really well with BoyCat.

So the idea is to give her the upstairs rooms (which she likes and often uses herself) and the boys the downstairs. I need a way to block the top or bottom of the stairs. It has to be temporary and free-standing, easy for the cat sitter to move to one side to go up to GirlCat, and very difficult for the cats to jump or climb over (so baby gates are no good).

Does anyone have any suggestions? Would a good heavy room divider work? Has anyone done anything like this?
TIA

Two baby gates - one on top of the other.

Saying that, one of mine is three and can still force himself through the bars of a baby gate so it will only work if your cats can't squeeze through.

However, you'd need to think about the following:

Would the cats fight through the bars?
Would they be even more stressed being confined to a small space for a week?
What happens if the sitter arrives and one cat gets in to the "wrong" area and she can't get them back out?

Could you put the girl in a cattery and leave the boys with the run of the house, or vice versa?

One of mine has to go into a cattery while we're away as he needs daily medication and will hide from a sitter - whereas in a cattery he can't run off under a bed the other two stay home as normal.

B&M currently have mesh pet gates - would that work?

I think you need to put one in a cattery for the week. This sounds very stressful for all the cats!

Cats can easily jump over baby gates.

This sounds unpleasant for all cats, why can't they just have outside access?

We had a baby gate with material blocking the gaps and then a curtain hanging down.

We have an elderly cat who lives upstairs (rescue dog downstairs who is terrified of indoor stairs, so she is effectively contained.) We have tried every kind of stairgate and barrier but nothing stops demented 17year old Dcat when he forgets thst doggo exists and decides to come downstairs. A closed door is the only solution. Luckily we have three rooms behind that door to satisfy his needs.
It sounds like you hsve a too-many-cats-that-don't-get-on problem. Another vote for cattery and rethink your long term living arrangements. Unfortunately, many cats prefer their own company. As humans we like the idea of having multiple furry fruends, but it doesnt always work out thst way for them

That's why I said one on top of the other...

So, just to clarify :

the living situation is fine, BoyKitten is just going through a phase at the moment where he needs to annoy everyone :D BoyCat copes by playfighting with him. GirlCat gets pissed off.
They all have outside access except at night and when we are away. That's non-negotiable.

GirlCat often goes to sleep upstairs on one of the many cat-spots dotted around. She'd be completely fine being up there for a week or so (multiple rooms, all her own stuff, windows to look out of, toys to play with etc), certainly happier than going to a cattery!

We used 2 baby gates on top of each other when we first got BoyKitten and kept him in a separate room (medical reasons). It worked ok but was really annoying when trying to go in and out the room. But that won't work on the stairs as there's no door frame to attach 2 baby gates to, so I think I need something free standing and tall.

The absolute idea situation would be if we had someone who could move in while we're away, but we don't, so I'm trying to find the easiest and least-stressful solution for everyone.

If you use something tall and freestanding, it needs to be heavy enough for the cats not to move, and light enough for the sitter to move without potentially injuring herself.

Do you have anything like that?

How is your house laid out? Are there a couple of downstairs rooms that can just be shut off?

Most normal young cats would get over that as well .

@coffeecupsandwaxmelts I don't have anything at all, but I'm looking at what I could get. I guess I just hoped that someone might have a suggestion I hadn't thought of! I've never had/used a room divider so I have no idea how sturdy it might be.

@Anotheanon No, open staircases from top to bottom. It's 4 floors though, so if I closed off upstairs GirlCat would have 2 floors to herself, and so would the boys. The only other option is putting her in just one room, which seems a bit unfair (although I suppose no worse than what she'd have in a cattery?)

@Floralnomad how would they get over it when two together covers the entire doorway? Or at least, they did in our house