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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Cat gate - does such a thing exist?

40 replies

MESSING2 · 04/02/2026 09:40

I'm looking for a baby gate type item that could be used to keep cats out of a room.

Our dcats have the run of the house (and outside) but there's one room they're not allowed in.

Normal baby gates aren't high enough, I've seen extending mesh alternatives but I expect they could climb those.

Has anyone successfully installed something like this?

OP posts:
EmpressaurusKitty · 04/02/2026 09:52

Cats can absolutely climb mesh. I think you’d need something impossible for them to get a grip on & too high to jump over.

Cat gate - does such a thing exist?
DiscoDuck40 · 04/02/2026 09:54

o noo! I thought for a moment you were writing about some dreadful scandal that had broken out in the cat community - something like Watergate.

'Cat found stealing treats from cupboard' - that sort of thing. Sorry, I can't offer any further help.

helpfulperson · 04/02/2026 09:55

Is there a reason the door can-t just be closed? I think that is the only way.

telewubbies · 04/02/2026 10:00

Cats don’t seem to like velvet, our cat ripped our old sofa to bits, hasn’t touch the velvet one.

Favouritefruits · 04/02/2026 10:17

Nah, cats will find a way there’s no point wasting your money the only thing that will work is a full door.
@telewubbies please tell my girls they are not supposed to like velvet! 😂 they seem to love my new velvet cushion!

Puppylucky · 04/02/2026 10:22

Thinking more laterally have you tried putting over the threshold that they dislike or will avoid walking on? Some cats dislike tin foil or double sided tape. You could also spray the area with one of those pet deterrent sprays - harmless but cats hate the smell - that actually worked quite well with Elton and the front door.

MiGataCalico · 04/02/2026 10:45

Have you considered a door?

FuzzyWolf · 04/02/2026 10:47

You can get dog gates (that ironically have lockable cat flaps in them) which are significantly higher than a normal baby gate. It depends whether your cat can jump high to get over it or not (most of mine were too lazy to bother).

MESSING2 · 04/02/2026 10:56

Thanks all.

For those commenting about a door - fair point 😄 but we'd like to be able to leave the door open rather than keep it closed all day, every day.

@EmpressaurusKitty yes, mesh is clearly the ideal climbing material - as your gorgeous kitty demonstrates.

@Puppylucky great idea re adding something on the threshold. Maybe a moat 😄

OP posts:
whirlyhead · 04/02/2026 10:58

Yes we have. it's called a door. And even that they determinedly try to burrow through.

Cats can climb anything - they will see whatever you install as a challenge and promptly set to work to figure out how to get round/through/over it.

MESSING2 · 04/02/2026 10:59

And sorry to disappoint about the misleading post title and lack of scandal. Dcats have been involved in plenty of inappropriate behaviour but I'll save that for another thread.

OP posts:
Wakemeupinapril · 04/02/2026 11:02

We have a high ddog gate at the kitchen door... Dcat is 6kg. He can still jump it.

Ddog is 7.9 kg and can just about jump it. . Hopefully dgc can't and it actually serves some sort of purpose...

FuzzyWolf · 04/02/2026 11:03

Wakemeupinapril · 04/02/2026 11:02

We have a high ddog gate at the kitchen door... Dcat is 6kg. He can still jump it.

Ddog is 7.9 kg and can just about jump it. . Hopefully dgc can't and it actually serves some sort of purpose...

I’m not sure their weight makes much difference. I’ve got a 9kg Maine Coon who can jump them and I used to have a very slight moggy who just glowered at me until I opened the gate for her.

MigGirl · 04/02/2026 14:27

Well considering our cats could always climb our 6 ft fence. I think the answer is no, you just have to close the door. I don't know if adding a screen door would work if you want airflow, but they will probably try and climb it.

yorkshiretoffee · 04/02/2026 14:34

An alarm on the threshold? Maybe something that sounds like a hoover. That'll put a stop to their wily ways.

Why can't they go into this precious room? Bluebeard's chamber?
I think I am Team Cat here.

Toddlerteaplease · 04/02/2026 16:14

I tried with a baby gate. Absolutely didn’t work. I think you can get full length dog gates. But I would think most cats would just regard it as a challenge then still get over it!

PGmicstand · 05/02/2026 07:33

If you can't shut the door then you need a mesh type screen in it's place, or "alternative" like an open work gate they can't squeeze through.
Having owned cats, I'd go with having the door shut.

MESSING2 · 05/02/2026 10:25

Ok, so it seems that keeping the door closed may be the only reliable option.
Dcats are big chonks but can jump like fleas.

@yorkshiretoffeeAren't we all Team Cat, whether by choice or under duress 😄
It's a room we store a load of haberdashery and other stuff in that could do with not being covered in piles of cat floof. It's also where ILs spend the night when they stay over, and FIL claims to be allergic.

Thanks all.

OP posts:
turkeyboots · 05/02/2026 10:32

My cats can open most doors, sorry to say. The one door DCat1 couldn't open alone just taught them to work as a team. Unless you want to lock it?
Big storage boxes for the habedashary? Throws or covers for the spare bed and extra antihistamines for the allergy prone is my solution.

sashh · 05/02/2026 10:41

helpfulperson · 04/02/2026 09:55

Is there a reason the door can-t just be closed? I think that is the only way.

How long do you think it would be before the cat(s) opened the door?

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 05/02/2026 10:47

High cat gates

Bathbrushes · 05/02/2026 14:35

I’ve seen a whole door of mesh wire in a cat foster home. Ugly but served its purpose!

Mcdhotchoc · 05/02/2026 16:28

Isn't that just called a door?

CactusSwoonedEnding · 05/02/2026 16:31

Yes there are pet gates. They look like stair gates but are significantly higher and have bars closer together. A cat thatvis sufficiently skinny to squeeze through or sufficiently athletic to jump further will still get past but they work if your cat is fat and lazy.

Tootingbec · 05/02/2026 19:01

EmpressaurusKitty · 04/02/2026 09:52

Cats can absolutely climb mesh. I think you’d need something impossible for them to get a grip on & too high to jump over.

That photo 😹😹😹😹