Cat Door

As I type this, contractors are working on installing a new door in my house. What kind of door you say? Just a cat door.

Where does one find a contractor to install a cat door. At Home Depot of course.

Enough with the questions and answers. I am having a door installed inside my house. It’s a cat door. It’s not to let our two cats, Misty and Timo, in and out of the house. It’s to keep them out of a room. Specifically the dining room. That is the location of my studio. Zero dining goes on in that room at this point. I have used it as an extra bedroom with an air mattress in the past as well.

Now it’s my studio, which I’ve talked about before and even made a few videos in that space. However, for over a year now I have not been able to get much work done in there. Why?

Two cats, named Misty and Timo.

The opening to the dining room, which recently had only been covered by black curtains, will now keep the cats out thanks to a 84”x54” barn door. I think.

I have two cute, but ever resourceful cats. For the last year I have had the opening covered with thick cardboard, in various configurations. The most recent and most successful at keeping them out was the one pictured below.

It also, for all intents and purposes, kept me out of the room as well. Sure, I could sneak in occasionally, but it was a pain.

A Problem

The door doesn’t fit.

Our story is interrupted by the contractor announcing, “The door doesn’t fit.”

Lost for words, I said, “I don’t know how to respond to that.”

…

A brief summary:

• Requested Measurements Service (Home Depot) – 8/20/25
• Paid for Installation costs and barn door – 9/6
• Installation set for Monday 9/22, but find the door needs to be assembled. Need to reschedule.
• Installation rescheduled to 10/4. Installer arrived but the rail (for the rollers) was determined to be too long. Talked about cutting rail or bending to fit. No tools on site to do that. Couldn’t install door.
• Ordered proper hardware 10/10. Scheduled to arrive on 10/16.

We pick up our story weeks later. After ordering the hardware that included the properly sized rail, I attempted to set up an appointment, a few times. The hardware was delivered 10/15 (today – a day early!). I texted the installer and he was able to come in the afternoon to finish. Now they are here to install.

I had planned to do a timelapse of the whole installation. I had completely lost my motivation for that. There are excerpts from that previous attempt at the installation that I will maybe share, but I haven’t even watched it. Too painful. It may be more entertaining now 😉

As I write this, my confidence in it being completed today is shaky at best. Been burned, etc. etc.

Here is a shot of the door and the first box of hardware. It was working as a temporary barrier for cats.

I feel like this project has held up my whole life. I hate having unfinished projects on my plate. But at least they’re my projects. When there’s supposed to be a professional (or a large well known home improvement retailer) handling a project it should be done well and on time. I’m still unsure how I convey my annoyance to someone where it will make a difference.

Right now very loud drilling is taking place. One cat has retreated to my son’s bedroom. The other is hiding under a chair nearby the construction zone. I’m very surprised she hasn’t moved. Perhaps frozen in fear. The noises will end soon and then curiosity will again take hold. However, a solid barrier will be in place. A cat door. A large 84” x 54” cat door whose immediate purpose will be to keep out cats who chew cables and knock over fake plants. It will also return the room to a space possible of housing a guest who can sleep in there with more privacy. Or maybe, perhaps, serve as a door to a nicely appointed dining room (for me or some new owner).

I am seeing progress right now and my anticipation is growing. Sometimes I watch events where my patience is tested and sure I get frustrated. But I do also try to see the whole process and try to learn from sagas like these to make things better in the future for everyone. Pretty lofty and maybe unrealistic, but a boy can dream.

The Sound of Smooth Rollers

It is a glorious sound. I could listen to it all day. A door on smooth rollers. Now my anticipation of job completion is approaching its peak. A brief conversation about the door handle. Handle on the outside. Slot on the inside. “What height do you want the handle?” “Centered mid-door.” Easy decisions.

Drilling into the concrete floor for the door guides. A little vacuuming of concrete dust. Drilling into the door to install the handle. Exciting, but not. The cat is holding her position under the chair with a floor level view of the proceedings.

“Do you want to check the door?”. “Sure.” Roller sounds again. Fantastic! More vacuuming. Pictures taken. Dare I say…

D-O-N-E. Done! I have to say they did a great job. Maybe some paint in the future, but its task right now is preventing cat ingress.

Now to get to what’s behind the door…