How well do magnetic/electronic pet doors work with multiple pets?

August 10, 2005 2:29 PM

Have you had any luck with magnetic or electronic pet doors that let a larger pet come and go, but keep smaller pets in?

Yes, I've seen last year's similar question about a two-cat household. Nobody really answered the query about the first cat opening the door for the second cat, and that's what I'm concerned about.

We have a medium-sized dog, a Corgie mix who weighs about 30 pounds. Short legs, long body. Before we got the cats, she quite enjoyed her doggy door, but we've kept it closed ever since, as I don't want them to ever experience the joy of the outdoors. The cats are smaller than average, about seven pounds each.

I'm worried that the dog's relative size will give the cats the opportunity to sneak out the door right behind her. Is this a reasonable fear? Have you actually used one of these doors in this situation?

posted by liet to Pets & Animals (4 answers total)

Hey, neat that was my question you referred to! We decided it was too risky to try, so no direct experience to offer. But--

A lot of the models we looked at had directional settings (two way, one way in, one way out, locked). Would it be practical for you to set the door so that it only opens in? Once the Corgie lets herself in, she'll be stuck indoors until someone lets her out again, but at least you'd be assured that the cats can't slip out.
posted by nakedcodemonkey at 4:14 PM on August 10, 2005

Aren't there pet doors that are only opened in the proximity of a radio collar? You could put the collar on the dog so (s)he could come and go, but the cats couldn't. That doesn't mitigate the risk of the cats tailgating on the way out, but would they, really?

Here's the first I found.
http://www.petdoors.com/cat_mate_small_dog_electronic.htm
posted by sublivious at 8:30 PM on August 10, 2005

I think it'd be probable that a small cat could slip out with the dog if they're friendly enough, although I have no experience with electronic pet doors.

You might want to think about just getting an electric fence instead (of which there have been a few posts) and give the dog and the cats colors letting them come and go as they please.
posted by lynda at 3:00 PM on August 15, 2005

you could give the dog and cats collars too, in addition to colors. :)
posted by lynda at 3:02 PM on August 15, 2005