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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / October 2003We're moving into a basement...
I have a question, but have looked at some of the flaming that seems to go on here, so I am trying to quell any issues with a little background. My wife, myself and our two cats are moving into my parent's house. However, we're moving into the basement. It's a partially finished basement that has heat and A/C. We will be living and sleeping down there, coming up only to eat and use the bathroom. We're going to install a door to the laundry room to keep them from the sump pump and washer/dryer. Now on to the issue. My parents are not "cat people" and would prefer that the cats stay in the basement with us. We have no issues with that, but we are trying to figure out the best way to keep them there. My thought is to try and have some "two door" system...meaning they would have to get past two doors to get upstairs. I thought of this because I know how they get sometimes when in a smaller room and bolt past when a door is opened. They did have a door at the top of the stairs that was removed while remodeling. I believe the door will be going back on. So our thought is to find or construct something to put at the bottom of the stairs that we could easily move...something w/wheels perhaps? The stairs have walls on both sides, so I guess you could say it's less of a basement and more of a "lower level" of what would be a two level house. Any thoughts? Please, please do not flame or ask us to get rid of the pets. We are just trying to find a happy compromise. > My parents are not "cat people" and would prefer that the cats stay in the > basement with us. We have no issues with that, but we are trying to figure [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > Any thoughts? Please, please do not flame or ask us to get rid of the pets. > We are just trying to find a happy compromise. What about using a baby-gate at the bottom of the stairs? If using a baby-gate, I would probably put it a step or two up from the bottom step, since it seems it would be harder for a cat to jump over the gate that way. Or you might consider a bi-fold closet door--the type that accordian when you open them, but you wouldn't be able to move that one. If you don't already have plans to, you might also want to consider getting harnesses and leashes for your cats so you can take them outside sometimes. Just carry them upstairs so they don't get used to climbing up and down themselves (so they don't think it's "OK" to do so). Cats need fresh air sometimes, too :-). rona  Signature***For e-mail, replace .com with .ca Sorry for the inconvenience!*** We thought about the baby-gate too, but we did have the concern of them jumping over. I guess we could do a trial run with TWO baby-gates...I'm a sorta new uncle...so they're sorta new grandparents who just got done babysitting for a weekend. We could probably set them close to eachother and up a few steps. Maybe we could set them close, but one step apart? That way we'd be able to remove it going up or down. Has anyone tried this? And I'll keep in mind the fresh air. They are indoor cats, one will just sit by an open door, the other runs away from the door. The one that runs away was abandoned by it's mom outside my wife's (then girlfriend) house. It meowed so much that she took him in and nursed him back to health. So I think he has issues with going outside. > What about using a baby-gate at the bottom of the stairs? If using a > baby-gate, I would probably put it a step or two up from the bottom step, [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > rona > We thought about the baby-gate too, but we did have the concern of them > jumping over. I guess we could do a trial run with TWO baby-gates...I'm a > sorta new uncle...so they're sorta new grandparents who just got done > babysitting for a weekend. > > > rona My sister installed a gate (two, actually) that she ordered online from Drs. Foster and Smith. They are extra tall, and she mounted one above the other (fastened together so they can be moved as a single unit). The two completely fill her doorway. They are made of mesh, so the cats see through it but can not leave the room. MaryL (take out the litter to reply) Photos of Duffy and Holly: >'o'< http://tinyurl.com/8y54 (Introducing Duffy to Holly) http://tinyurl.com/8y56 (Duffy and Holly "settle in") > My sister installed a gate (two, actually) that she ordered online > from Drs. Foster and Smith. They are extra tall, and she mounted > one above the other (fastened together so they can be moved as a > single unit). I didn't know they made a gate that can be fitted with another as a single unit. Neat idea and that could have come in handy recently. Oh well. >From: "Rona Yuthasastrakosol" prasantrin@yahoo.com >If you don't already have plans to, you might also want to consider getting >harnesses and leashes for your cats so you can take them outside sometimes. >Just carry them upstairs so they don't get used to climbing up and down >themselves (so they don't think it's "OK" to do so). Cats need fresh air >sometimes, too :-). I think this is a really good idea. I know with my basement, there are no windows to open. We do have a door that leads to outside and we recently had a screen door installed so we could get fresh air in our basement. I don't know if the OP's basement has a door leading to the outside, but if they do, they might want to consider installing a screen door that can be locked so the cats can get some fresh air. Lauren ________ See my cats: http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html Declawing Info: http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm Signature***For e-mail, replace .com with .ca Sorry for the inconvenience!*** > I think this is a really good idea. I know with my basement, there are no > windows to open. We do have a door that leads to outside and we recently had a [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html > Declawing Info: http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm Another option is a cat run beginning from the basement window. I saw one on a website somewhere--they built an enclosure surrounding the basement window so the cats could get outdoors from there. I'd love a cat run for Miss Kitty, but have no building skills and even less money for that stuff right now. However, Lee Valley (I mentioned them in another post in this thread) has a composting bin (item number WT110) that I'd like to buy as an outdoor cat run so my cat can get outdoors more without killing birds (she has only killed one, but still...). It's only $30 Canadian and much cheaper than similar options I've seen from pet websites, though it's only 36"x36"x30"--a little small (more like a cat walk than a cat run) but still acceptable. My cat isn't one for jumping so I don't think I'd have to worry about her jumping out, but I think I would still cover the top with either some window screening or some chicken wire type fencing to make sure she couldn't get out. Or I could just use it upside down so the bottom would be the ceiling. I still have to check it out, though, because I don't know how durable it is. rona (who has no interest in the company except as a consumer and a Canadian--buy Canadian, rah rah!) Signature***For e-mail, replace .com with .ca Sorry for the inconvenience!*** << Any thoughts? Please, please do not flame or ask us to get rid of the pets. We are just trying to find a happy compromise. >> I would only feel bad that they won't be able to see outside very well and most cats like to sit in windows. Do you have those little windows that are in some basements with the window wells outside them? If you do, maybe you could get a couple high cat trees so they would be able to sort of see out those windows a little. Maybe you could get an aquarium or something for them to watch for entertainment. I would make sure you have lots of toys and cat trees for them so they won't get bored. Do your parents have a screened in porch or anything that you could let the cats go to when your parents go out? Just so they could see the outdoors and feel fresh air sometimes. Candace (take the litter out before replying by e-mail) See my cats: http://photos.yahoo.com/maccandace "One does not meet oneself until one catches the reflection from an eye other than human." (Loren Eisely) Um...I don't see why you'd feel bad about my cats. I'm sorry, but we don't have the money to purchase cat trees, etc. That's the main reason we're moving in with my parents is because we can no longer afford our rent and both are out of work. They're not outside cats, but we'll see what we can do about sunlight and such. They have plenty of toys and one cat cave type thingy...you know the kind that's about thigh high, round with two holes in the side and a shelf on the top hole? If those aren't good enough, then I'm sorry. But hey, if you want to send me money or the cat towers that I've seen (that run $100-200) feel free, you won't get any argument from me. > << Any thoughts? Please, please do not flame or ask us to get rid of the pets. > We are just trying to find a happy compromise. >> [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > "One does not meet oneself until one catches the reflection from an eye other > than human." (Loren Eisely) I will apologize in advance for any "snippiness" in my writing. This isn't easy for us, let alone the cats too. There are MANY places we could rent for cheaper, but all of them don't allow pets. So we have to make due with what we have. Again, I apologize. > Um...I don't see why you'd feel bad about my cats. I'm sorry, but we don't > have the money to purchase cat trees, etc. That's the main reason we're [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] > other > > than human." (Loren Eisely) > I will apologize in advance for any "snippiness" in my writing. This isn't > easy for us, let alone the cats too. There are MANY places we could rent > for cheaper, but all of them don't allow pets. So we have to make due with > what we have. Again, I apologize. I can readily understand that you have to be careful of your expenditures (and didn't even think of that when I mentioned the two cat gates from Drs. Foster and Smith). However, the idea of giving them a place to look outdoors is a good one. Do you have any of those high windows in the basement? If so, a sturdy stepladder (if one is already available) would give your cats easy access to the windows. The stepladders with wide steps are more stable than the ones with narrow steps. At any rate, the cats will be with you most of the time, so this isn't like locking your cats into a dark basement and leaving them there alone. MaryL (take out the litter to reply) That's ok. We had seen similar doors at PetSmart and wished they were cheaper...same with the really cool play towers. There are the small half windows in the basement. However, they don't have any ledge. However, we'll see what we can do. If not, then as "Iso" has pointed out, it may not be necessary, but it's fun...I guess sunlight to cats is like birth-controlled sex is to humans...may not be necessary, but it's fun! :-) > > I will apologize in advance for any "snippiness" in my writing. This > isn't [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > MaryL > (take out the litter to reply) I'm sure the cats will be fine. I commend you for not getting "rid of them." They are part of the family. Gail > I will apologize in advance for any "snippiness" in my writing. This isn't > easy for us, let alone the cats too. There are MANY places we could rent [quoted text clipped - 52 lines] > > other > > > than human." (Loren Eisely) No1, The question of whether or not cats need sunlight has been asked repeatedly. I found the most logically sound post regarding the question. So don't feel bad by not having any windows in the basement. They are not necessary. Animals get vitamin D from the sun as it is synthesized when UV rays react with the precursors in the skin. D is also needed for efficient Calcium absorption, and to prevent rickets. Most cat foods should have enough Vitamin D supplements that sunlight is not necessary. Very little D is necessary to be healthy. You can supplement with a few drops of fish oil mixed in the cat food once a week. Too much can be toxic (as with too much of many vitamins). Indoor cats are likely not synthesizing any of their own vitamin D as UV is blocked by standard window glass. So ultimately, cats do not need sunlight to survive although most cats do like sunlight. You can supplement not having windows with flood lights. The cats won't know the difference. We'll take this under advisement. We haven't consulted a Vet yet, so we may ask them their thoughts too. Thanks. > No1, > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > supplement not having windows with flood lights. The cats won't know the > difference. Lack of sunlight (maybe insufficient sunlight too) leads to depression and many times suicide in humans. I don´t know about cats but I wouldn´t keep a cat from sunlight. Do you plan to spend some time outside with him daily? << But hey, if you want to send me money or the cat towers that I've seen (that run $100-200) feel free, you won't get any argument from me. >> Yeah, I'll do that for sure. You asked for advice. I didn't flame you. Sheesh, you're a guy, make some cat trees, it's not very hard. Candace (take the litter out before replying by e-mail) See my cats: http://photos.yahoo.com/maccandace "One does not meet oneself until one catches the reflection from an eye other than human." (Loren Eisely) That's actually a good idea...I'm not all that good at making things, but my mother-in-law wears the pants in that family and does all the "handyperson" jobs. Do you know if there are any "blueprints" online? Or maybe a how-to? What kind of carpeting is that anyway? Sorry for my thin skin (as mentioned in another post) :-) > << But hey, if you > want to send me money or the cat towers that I've seen (that run $100-200) [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > "One does not meet oneself until one catches the reflection from an eye other > than human." (Loren Eisely) > That's actually a good idea...I'm not all that good at making things, but my > mother-in-law wears the pants in that family and does all the "handyperson" > jobs. Do you know if there are any "blueprints" online? Or maybe a how-to? > What kind of carpeting is that anyway? > > Sorry for my thin skin (as mentioned in another post) :-) Here are a few wites with plans for do-it-yourself cat furniture: http://amby.com/cat_site/declaw.html#build-it http://www.cat-tree-plans.com/ http://www.flippyscatpage.com/furniturediy.html MaryL Cool. Thanks. I'll see what she thinks. :-) Materials should be WAY cheaper than $100-200! > > That's actually a good idea...I'm not all that good at making things, but > my [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > MaryL I am NOT a handyperson, but a lot can be accomplished with very little when it comes to amusing cats. You could screw wooden boxes to the wall in stepping-stone formation or with holes between so cats can scale the heights to peek out the windows. You could fasten a 4x4 to the wall with carpeting stapled to it (cheapo samples) for scratching post. Or attach ledges to the post so the cats can hop up. Or wrap cheap rope around a 4x4 and put it on a stand (a lot of work but very sturdy). You can also pick up cheap slightly used cat furniture at thrift shops and rummage sales. And so on. If are able, send digital photos to me campus cats address and I'll pass them on to someone who should have some good ideas on simple cat furniture. I am very sorry about your hard times. Good for you, keeping your little family together. Sharon Talbert Friends of Campus Cats Seattle sharon@campuscats.org >From: "No1" nobody@nowhere.com >Um...I don't see why you'd feel bad about my cats. People here care about ALL cats. >They have plenty of toys and one cat cave type thingy...you know the kind >that's about thigh high, round with two holes in the side and a shelf on the >top hole? If those aren't good enough, then I'm sorry. But hey, if you >want to send me money or the cat towers that I've seen (that run $100-200) >feel free, you won't get any argument from me. They have decent cat trees at Walmart for $30. It comes in a big box and they put them on a top shelf. Then you just screw it together and voila. Lauren ________ See my cats: http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html Declawing Info: http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm > I have a question, but have looked at some of the flaming that seems to go > on here, so I am trying to quell any issues with a little background. [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > Any thoughts? Please, please do not flame or ask us to get rid of the pets. > We are just trying to find a happy compromise. Sorry about your situation. Get a folding (accordian style) vinyl door for the bottom of the stairs. The kind that is normally used sometimes on closets. You should be able to get something fairly cheap. Signature"Its the bugs that keep it running." -Joe Canuck We've considered those too. We'll see how the baby gates work out since those are available at no cost right now (they have two) Then when we have the money, we may purchase two of our own and attach them together to move as one unit. We also plan to get an air purifier to get the "basement" smell out. > > I have a question, but have looked at some of the flaming that seems to go > > on here, so I am trying to quell any issues with a little background. [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > The kind that is normally used sometimes on closets. You should be able > to get something fairly cheap. > We've considered those too. We'll see how the baby gates work out since > those are available at no cost right now (they have two) Then when we have > the money, we may purchase two of our own and attach them together to move > as one unit. We also plan to get an air purifier to get the "basement" > smell out. In my experience, you would need a very good (and fairly expensive) air purifier to get rid of basement smell. If cost is a factor, you could also try something like a Deodoroc. We got ours at Home Depot in the section where they have house cleaning fluids (I'm in Canada, though, and I don't know if it's available at all Home Depots). It's just a block made of sort of a chalky substance and it absorbs odors very well (their website is www.deodoroc.com if you want to look). Or, since your basement suite is probably quite large, Lee Valley makes one that is made of volcanic rock. You can find it at www.leevalley.com and the item number is KD401. It's called "volcanic deodorizer". They say one bag treats 4800 *cubic* feet, so you may need more than one for your space (they're 8.95 each). rona Signature***For e-mail, replace .com with .ca Sorry for the inconvenience!*** >From: "Rona Yuthasastrakosol" prasantrin@yahoo.com >It's just a block made of sort >of a chalky substance and it absorbs odors very well (their website is [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >called "volcanic deodorizer". They say one bag treats 4800 *cubic* feet, so >you may need more than one for your space (they're 8.95 each). Great information, Rona. I'm going to check this out for my basement. Lauren ________ See my cats: http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html Declawing Info: http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm > We've considered those too. We'll see how the baby gates work out since > those are available at no cost right now (they have two) Then when we have [quoted text clipped - 70 lines] >>The kind that is normally used sometimes on closets. You should be able >>to get something fairly cheap. Most basements tend to have too much humidity in the air and don't benefit as much from the air being changed by open windows as the upper levels do. If you find it damp down there, you can make a big improvement by getting a dehumidifier. Signature"Its the bugs that keep it running." -Joe Canuck |
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