Stop cat chewing door?

Meowmee

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Ok, so Merlin who is now back in isolation had already started chewing the door by the cat door in his room. ( formerly my art studio now taken over by cat with runs in isolation 😹)He does not like to be locked in there but there’s no alternative for the moment because he has C. difficile. I spent about 3 to 4 hours covering the door around where the pet door is with panels of poplar thinking he won’t be able to chew this but now he’s chewing that! And it was very painful for me to do. At first I thought he was scratching it with his claws and then I actually saw him chewing it with his teeth and I’m afraid he’s going to break his teeth.

Will plexiglass work or will he be able to chew that as well? I don’t know what to do anymore. On top of that Quinn broke that pet door so I now have it covered with a piece of cardboard on the outside which seems to be working but I’m going to need to get a new door at some point that can be locked properly and that Quinn cannot break. He broke the one on my room too and constantly pushes out the flap. I was thinking of a chip door maybe but anything stronger than these tiny plastic doors would be better and will do- any ideas?
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di and bob

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One idea is to cover the door area too, he may be smelling that as a way to get out. There are sprays available that deterr cats, also a 'bitter' tasting spray that I found at Tractor supply that prevents chewing and licking wounds on cats. You could spray some of that on the door. Give him a corragated cardboard scratcher to release some of his pent up energy, i get teh large ones at Walmart for 9.99, tehy might help too. He is very frustrated right now, bless you for helping him and being concerned!
 

Mamanyt1953

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Bitter apple spray will probably keep him from chewing the wood, but...Plexiglas is certainly an option. And no, he won't be able to chew through it. I used it to totally cover the bottom three feet of all four walls and doorways into a room where my rats could free-range (I kept pet rats then, as many as a dozen at a time), and if rats can't chew through it, a cat has no chance at all. AND It has the added advantage of wiping clean very easily!
 
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Meowmee

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One idea is to cover the door area too, he may be smelling that as a way to get out. There are sprays available that deterr cats, also a 'bitter' tasting spray that I found at Tractor supply that prevents chewing and licking wounds on cats. You could spray some of that on the door. Give him a corragated cardboard scratcher to release some of his pent up energy, i get teh large ones at Walmart for 9.99, tehy might help too. He is very frustrated right now, bless you for helping him and being concerned!
I think he thinks he can chew his way out, but I am worried about spraying anything he might ingest etc. or that can make my asthma worse etc. He had the cardboard scratchers and didn't touch them. When I moved a huge sisal one I have in there he learned how to scratch it after watching quinn and me. So cute, I have a video of it. I started feeding him a bit more and he seems to have stopped chewing it for now so I will wait on covering it with plexi or aluminum.
 
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Meowmee

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Bitter apple spray will probably keep him from chewing the wood, but...Plexiglas is certainly an option. And no, he won't be able to chew through it. I used it to totally cover the bottom three feet of all four walls and doorways into a room where my rats could free-range (I kept pet rats then, as many as a dozen at a time), and if rats can't chew through it, a cat has no chance at all. AND It has the added advantage of wiping clean very easily!
I am worried about the sprays making him sick etc. now I have a vision of your rats and plexi glass😹 i am still worried he may still chew it though because he gets his mouth around it with the hole where the door is, or he will try and crack his teeth etc. yes much more sanitary than wood for sure.
 
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Meowmee

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I would check at you local hardware store for a roll of thin aluminum. It is very bendable and easy to nail. Just nail it onto the wood surfaces and he can’t scratch through it.

Are the edges sharp? I am not sure if I want to nail stuff on the door, the wood is attached with screws and anchors. I may get a solid door here eventually though. But he has stopped chewing for now it seems since I upped his food a bit. Or maybe it hurt his teeth etc.
 

Mamanyt1953

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I am worried about the sprays making him sick etc. now I have a vision of your rats and plexi glass😹 i am still worried he may still chew it though because he gets his mouth around it with the hole where the door is, or he will try and crack his teeth etc. yes much more sanitary than wood for sure.
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I PROMISE you, he won't chew through plex. If rats, who are designed by nature to gnaw, can't, there's no way a cat will. Not in this world. Unless he is some alien cat with powers the like of which we know not. In which case, he'd just teleport out, and your sunk, anyway.
 
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Meowmee

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I PROMISE you, he won't chew through plex. If rats, who are designed by nature to gnaw, can't, there's no way a cat will. Not in this world. Unless he is some alien cat with powers the like of which we know not. In which case, he'd just teleport out, and your sunk, anyway.
Lol tg he and Quinn can’t teleport😹 I am more worried about him trying to chew it because he could get his mouth around it etc with the door there maybe and break a tooth. He has stopped chewing it now though due to being given a bit more food maybe.
 
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