Building a cheap room divider/wall with a door in it? ***UPDATE with new questions

[CyberTiger]

Hi! I've been taking care of a stray kitten. (Vet thinks she's about 6 months old.) No luck in finding an owner and I'm interested in keeping her. I currently live in a basement and she's been staying in my bathroom. To keep her safe (and keep other things safe from her), I'd need a room divider with a door in it. It'd need to be about 20 feet wide (or 6 meters).

I was thinking of getting tarps and zip tying them to the beams in the ceiling. And then hold the tarps down with bricks or cinder blocks, so she can't just run under or through them. But the only way I could easily make a door that I could think of is to get a tarp zipper. I'm not sure I'm a fan of having to enter and exit like I'm in a tent, but I think that'd be about $50 (USD).

Alternatively, I was thinking of adding a $60 pet play pen as a base (this one here). Do the same thing, zip tie to the ceiling, along with tarps over it to cover gaps, and then cut it up over the door. But I'm not sure how I could open and shut the door both ways. Shut it with a bread tie? I think she might be able to break something like that if she fussed with the door enough. Is there something almost like a padlock without it being an actual lock that I could "clip" on and off?

The kitty is full of curiosity and is quite the jumper and climber. The accordion vinyl curtain on my closet has done a great job keeping her out of it, with her only being able to push it as far as anything behind it will let her. But I can't seem to find anything wider than 3 or 4 feet online. But I was at least able to think of the ideas I have because of it.

Any input or suggestions? Does it at least sound like my ideas will work? My head's been feeling scrambled trying to figure this out.

 

[rubysmama]

Hello and welcome to TCS. Thanks for fostering the kitten.

About creating a divider for the room, not sure if this will work for 20 feet, but here's a link to a post where Jcatbird used lattice to created dividers for her cats.

Link to pics of jcatbird's lattice dividers

 

[FeebysOwner]

You can also build a divider with shelving and zip ties. The shelving can be found at many home-improvement stores. The shelves are set on their side and connected with zip ties. And when zip tied together, they act like a folding door, meaning you can open and shut them easily. They can usually be cut the length (in this case height) that is needed. The sides of the folding door can be secured to walls/doorways with Command strips with more zip ties to hook over the strips - also easy to release for access to the other side of the divider. For illustration purposes, see an example pic below.

 

[CyberTiger]

Thanks, I appreciate the input!

For 20 feet, it looks like those options would make for a $250-300 price range. So a couple of pet play pens would do it cheaper, though those would be good to keep in mind if I only needed a small portion covered. I will definitely keep them in mind.

Seeing these examples is helpful for thinking about how to approach having a door/opening, and I really appreciate that.

 

[Boris Diamond]

I built a wall in a finished basement out of 1/4" plywood. I glued 2x4's to the floor and ceiling and screwed the sheetrock to the 2x4's. I made a door with hinges out of the same plywood. The door overlapped the plywood and I installed magnets to keep it closed. It was not very attractive but it is still standing after 35 years.

 

[game misconduct]

i wouldnt use the tarp she could get trapped and suffocate. i would go with feebys and borris's suggestions

 

[CyberTiger]

Bumping this thread because I need to revisit for an improved solution.

I ended up doing tarps because it was quick, cheap, no-holes, and impermanent. I used tape, PVC pipes, and water jugs to help keep the cat from going underneath. I used zip ties to the exposed beams in the ceiling to hold them up. And I used a tarp zipper for a door.

I've been trying to find a better solution, but I can't figure it out. The lattice and shelving suggestions will not work because I need something solid--as in not full of openings/holes. Gluing wood is also not an option, it has to be fairly impermanent. The home owner won't allow me to glue things like that. Plus, being able to adjust where the wall is would be helpful for some upcoming work on the house.

I've been trying to ask others for ideas. I have a bit of money saved up and someone had suggested I get 2 of these:

https://www.wayfair.com/furniture/pdp/wade-logan-levasseur-120-w-x-72-h-6-panel-folding-room-divider-w003597469.html?piid=1221415482

And put this underneath:

Amazon.com

But I am concerned my cat will be able to climb the panel material (as she has somewhat figured out with the tarps) and I'm not sure how I'd do a door.

Does anyone have any ideas? I am trying to do the best I can with the living situation I'm in.

 

[Tobermory]

Would something like this work, C CyberTiger ? You can also get them with wheels which might be handy.
CHOSENM Room Divider, 4 Panel Folding Privacy Screens with Wider Support Feet, 6 Ft Portable Room Partition for Room Separator, 88" W X 71" H, Beige Amazon.com