Ideas for How to Stop a Cat From Being Closed in Closet Doors

Cats are naturally curious and stealthy. An exploring kitty may slip into an open closet and become shut inside without you even knowing it's in there. This can, of course, quickly become a problem if the cat is cut off from food, water and its litter box for an extended amount of time. In a large house, a cat can remain locked in a closet for hours or even days before it is discovered. Keep your cat from being shut in closets by taking few measures.

Things You'll Need

  • Cat doors
  • 6-inch-long, 1/4-inch wooden dowels
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Instructions

    • 1

      Install cat doors on the most frequently used closet doors in your home that swing shut, such as hall closet doors. This eliminates the worry that your cat will become locked inside these closets.

    • 2

      Keep bifold closet doors open or partially open at all times, wherever feasible. This eliminates the risk of your cat being shut inside a bifold closet. Bifold closets also pose a greater risk to cats, as there are multiple hinged crevices in which a cat's tail or paws can be caught and injured, so it's better to reduce the amount of opening and closing of bifold doors; keeping them open at all times is one way of doing this.

    • 3

      Place a piece of 1/4-inch wooden dowel, about 6 inches long, in the track of sliding closet doors at the end of the track where the door would normally slide shut. This will stop the door from closing completely, leaving enough space for your cat to get out if it gets shut inside. If you or a family member absentmindedly slides a closet door shut, the dowel will stop the door from closing all the way so your cat can get out. This method also works for bifold doors -- simply place the dowel at the center of the track where the bifold doors come together.