I dont think a gate that doesnt go all the way to the top would stop my
cats..especially Feisty. As the saying goes...if there's a will, there;s a
way...particularly for cats :)

Well, Diana, it's the Y-Chromosome that has put the planet in the shape it's
in now so I think that speaks for itself!

Isis is getting older now. I had a big long talk with the new vet. Isis
likes to urinate at the entryways whenever she sees other cats. This is a
new house. It's 4 years old. We are not going to dance that dance again like
I did at the old place. What the vet told me was that Isis is a very
territorial and, therefore, 'anxious' cat. That is her temperment. I see
that in her, too. Unless she has total control of her environment she is
antsy and anxious. If she sees other cats she goes frenetic.

In this new neighborhood there won't be stray cats waltzing around as proud
as you please so that's a plus. Still, to avoid problems, I want to close
off the kitchen some way. I thought about those accordion doors but couldn't
find 'em on the web. I'll ask at Home Depot.

Per my vet's instructions, we are trying Prozac. It's only been a few days.
I want to see what the minimum amount of Prozac is and how it affects her.
My vet advises that side effects are minimal. We'll see. My vet tells me
that she has worked with cats that like to urinate for territorial reasons
and Prozac has been successful in stopping the behavior.

The move: when I emptied my old house and Isis discovered the 'empty' of it
all she had some problems. It took her a couple of days to get back to
normal. Then, smack out of the box, I checked her into the Crystal Lake
Veterinary Hospital for boarding. The people there are very attentive and
concerned about the welfare of the pets they board. When I got her back she
was under the influence of Prozac so I backed off on that.

For the first day she just stayed in her room with her kitty nest and open
door cage. The second day she stayed there, too. Yesterday she started
exploring. She went to each room, slept in it for a few hours, and then went
to another. I think the sleeping thing was establishing ownership.

Now she's fine. She's back to normal and is busily putting her cheek
pheromones on everything in sight.

Mike in Illinois

We had an accordian door, and Nightshade figured out how to open it :( Took
it down and put a regular door on it with a round knob, not lever handle. He
knows how to open those,too. We have a lever handle on the bathroom, now I
have to lock it when I go in there because the big snot opens it and comes
on it.

An accordian door???

does your cat know how to play one???

(My version of humor, you know)

I think they have some specifically for cats.  My sister's had a type of
mesh covering, so it might be worth a phone call to them.

MaryL