I like the way you think. Though, we don’t plan to be in this house for more than another year or two, and I don’t think I want to go cutting holes in stuff at this point.
Now that I’ve thought about it, I think this is what I will do. I’ll take a rubbing of the hinge in the hope of finding a set with matching screw holes.
Get a long hook and eye door latch. Like this one. Set it up so when latched it holds the door open a few inches for the cats.
So, no one’s going to suggest putting a little rubber doorstop under the door, preventing it from swinging open farther than you want, but where you can still easily reach around and grab it to open the door? They cost like 90 cents at Wal-Mart. Seems easier to me than bending hinge pins or buying degreasers.
Edit: Aha, I overlooked aceplace57, the voice of reason.
If you want to get fancy with your doorstops, you could get one of the door-mounted fold-down ones - I have one on my bedroom door (which is hideously off-level), and I can just kick it up or down, no bending over required. Somewhat more trouble than having the door just stay put, but easier than replacing the hinges.
My FIL “fixed” a bedroom door that would always swing shut by pulling the hinge pin and putting a small wad of tissue into the hinge, then replacing the pin.
Created just enough resistance that the door would swing freely with no squeak, but would also stay put if you wanted it partially or fully open.
Spray it with WD-40(i)
Oooh, I think I like this. I’m not going to have a rubber wedge lying around my kitchen, but this idea seems less obtrusive.
