# pocket door cat hole



## prrchrt (Jul 4, 2012)

I have a pocket access door to my laundry room. I want to put a cat door/hole in it to give out cat access to the cat box when the door is shut. Any ideas? We need a super thin frame since the pocket in the wall only hive a total of maybe 1/2 inch.


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## mae-ling (Dec 9, 2011)

Cut rectangular hole in door, reinforce edges where cut, Put flap of plastic on metal bar with pins into both sides for pivot, cover edges with thin aluminum angle or plastic moulding


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## goosebarry (Mar 28, 2012)

prrchrt said:


> I have a pocket access door to my laundry room. I want to put a cat door/hole in it to give out cat access to the cat box when the door is shut. Any ideas? We need a super thin frame since the pocket in the wall only hive a total of maybe 1/2 inch.


There are many commercial pet doors that protrude less than 1/8 of an inch on each side. Unfortunately it is not a dimension usually included in Internet descriptions. I would stick with plastic. Aluminum parts can easily gouge the pocket if not careful. Another option is to get the pet doors designed to be mounted in a wall, if you have the space.


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

This a solid door or hollow cardboard filled one? I would definitely see what stock pet doors are available. Otherwise, a circle saw, pvc bushing and some sort of retaining rings/flanges on either side might be worth looking into. You could make a cute cutout through the wall, and not the door so you have more than 1/2" to work with. Easier to repair the wall than a door when it is time to sell the house too!


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## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

I made mine in a hollow door using a saber saw to cut the hole and gluing in a ring I made from 6" PVC DWV.
Then I made decorative rings from 1/4" birch plywood, round insides and octagon outsides, and stained and glued them on both sides. 

The cat loves it and the dog hates it. :laughing:

DM


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

From "The Cat's House", a fave book.


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## woody4249 (May 4, 2012)

Why bother with a cat door with a flap. Trust me....the cat won't care.
Just cut a hole in the pocket door.
I would rough cut the opening slightly smaller than required, then install trim
spacers between the door skins making sure they are square to the door and recessed by say 1/2". Then take a trim router and trim off the excess to get rid of the chipped edges in the door skin created by your jigsaw.

Those pocket doors hang up on the smallest obstruction and a real witch to repair once stuck.

Mike


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

woody4249 said:


> Why bother with a cat door with a flap. Trust me....the cat won't care.
> Just cut a hole in the pocket door.
> I would rough cut the opening slightly smaller than required, then install trim
> spacers between the door skins making sure they are square to the door and recessed by say 1/2". Then take a trim router and trim off the excess to get rid of the chipped edges in the door skin created by your jigsaw.
> ...


Are you really saying cats do not care about finish carpentry? Just checking! :laughing::laughing:

Your point about pocket doors being a witch to repair is a lesson I have had to relearn so many times. I hate the things. Last one I had to deal with the client insisted there must be a way to get matchbox cars her psychotic kid tossed in the pocket out and straighten the top track and brackets without opening a wall. 

I also have visions of my cat Spikezilla. 25 pounds of orange tabby with an attitude. Fearless, enterprising, nice but not easily stopped by something like a pocket door. He would have head busted it until it opened with assistance or because its hardware failed. If I cut a hole in it for him in response? He would have remembered how much fun the head busting was, the attention he got and ignored it. Some say I should have called him "God&%$%%@* Spike" because they heard me call him that most often. He attracted nice women though so I kept him for many years even after securing one special. 

He would have loved more holes in walls though. I argue again for making the opening in the wall and not the door. Drywall is easy to fit and replace when done with the cat or selling the house. It is pretty hard to patch a pocket door.


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## mae-ling (Dec 9, 2011)

This is why I love this place, you get different Ideas and thoughts behind a project.

Never thought of the wall, have seen it done before, That does sound like the best if you can do it.


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