# The cat has learned to open the screen door **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 8, 2011, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cat-has-learned-to-open-the-screen-door/595614 "2011-09-08T14:17:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cat-has-learned-to-open-the-screen-door/595614/1 "2011-09-08T14:17:21Z")
The back bedrooms have exterior doors. The screen doors are not typical, in that they don’t swing out. Instead, they retract like window shades set 90º off (i.e., they retract into the side of the doorway). They are held shut with a strong magnet in the sliding portion of the door that contacts the metal frame. Yesterday the cat learned that by pouncing on the door he can dislodge the magnet and the door would slide open under the power of its retraction spring. He got out, chased a neighbourhood cat, and then got distracted by some yummy grass. Roomie got him, and he protested vociferously. (She was slightly irked that he’d learned how to open the door, but she was mad that he howled so.) When I was at home on the weekend the cat pounced at the door and it opened, and it scared the hell out of him. But now he knows The Secret. Looks like I’ll have to install hooks on the screen doors. ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cat-has-learned-to-open-the-screen-door/595614/2 "2011-09-08T14:35:14Z")
Reported. You know the rules. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cat-has-learned-to-open-the-screen-door/595614/3 "2011-09-08T14:43:27Z")
> [@sandra\_nz](#): > > Reported. You know the rules. Sorry. [No new pics](http://s107.photobucket.com/albums/m305/llaaksonen/?action=view¤t=Harvey3.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cat-has-learned-to-open-the-screen-door/595614/4 "2011-09-08T18:53:12Z")
Learn to sleep with one eye open as well. I have child-proofed the garbage can, to prevent theft of morsels like “bacon grease soaked paper towels” and “food wrappers” and “other cat’s vomit.” ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cat-has-learned-to-open-the-screen-door/595614/5 "2011-09-08T19:23:03Z")
Fortunately, Harvey doesn’t like ‘people food’. He doesn’t even care for tuna. He likes his Purina cat chow and fish-flavoured wet food. ---
**Author:** ![Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/soul_brother_number_two/32/3515_2.png) [@Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soul_Brother_Number_Two)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cat-has-learned-to-open-the-screen-door/595614/6 "2011-09-08T20:36:47Z")
No-'Nads Nick was the smartest cat I ever knew. In his later years, he didn’t want to go down two sets of stairs to the litter box so he would pee into the tub drain. Pretty cool. He could open the storm door. He would stretch and stretch up to the handle and bang on the button with one paw until the door popped and catch the door with his other paw and he was in. My dad absolutely refused to believe Nick could do this in the face of all evidence to the contrary. Very funny. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cat-has-learned-to-open-the-screen-door/595614/7 "2011-09-09T02:28:02Z")
_sigh_ There goes the neighborhood. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![lisacurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@lisacurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisacurl)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cat-has-learned-to-open-the-screen-door/595614/8 "2011-09-09T03:42:44Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Sorry. [No new pics](http://s107.photobucket.com/albums/m305/llaaksonen/?action=view¤t=Harvey3.jpg). Tuxedo cats have a genetic mutation for mostly-harmless-but-nevertheless-infuriating naughtiness. It’s a fact. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cat-has-learned-to-open-the-screen-door/595614/9 "2011-09-09T12:30:54Z")
In the near future… Johnny L.A.: Take your stinking paws off me, you damn dirty cat! Harvey: NO! ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cat-has-learned-to-open-the-screen-door/595614/10 "2011-09-09T18:30:37Z")
We have double swinging doors between the kitchen and dining room, not spring controlled, and open only one way. Our Bengal cat Zubin opens them from the kitchen by running full speed and banging against them with his head (no, he ain’t too smart). When we close them again, he crouches down, puts his front leg, paw up, under the crack and pulls it open. He, like most cats, cannot abide a closed door. He sometimes opens the powder room door, then walks away. As long as it is open, he as no interest. Cats is weird. The most amazing door story about one of our first cats, Pogo, was the way he figured out how to open the old-fashioned door handles. We lived a 150 year old house. The doors on one side had the old U shaped handle, and on top was a small thumb-shaped lever. It had to be pressed down to release the catch to open the door. Pogo studied us opening the door for a couple of weeks. One day we came in to find the door open and Pogo outside. What the hell? We kept an eye on him and eventually were rewarded by seeing how he did it. He leapt up to the handle (about four feet off the floor), hung on with one front leg, then took his other paw and pressed down on the lever. He then shook his whole body until the door swung open Honestly. Never did get a pic of that, unfortunately. Gotta love cats. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cat-has-learned-to-open-the-screen-door/595614/11 "2011-09-09T19:33:08Z")
Great story, **KlondikeGeoff**! In this picture, [Bruno](http://www.flickr.com/photos/45215582@N06/6009169187/in/photostream) appears to be enjoying a crate, but that’s only because he has stolen it from the dog. In reality, he does not groove on a closed door. He and his brother are frequently shut in the laundry room, and Bruno expresses his feelings about the situation by whanging on the doorknob until everyone goes insane. I once thought I would thwart him by putting some packing tape on the knob…he used the tape to stick his little foot to the knob and turn it. ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cat-has-learned-to-open-the-screen-door/595614/12 "2011-09-10T15:11:20Z")
> [@dung beetle](#): > > great story, **klondikegeoff**! > > I once thought i would thwart him by putting some packing tape on the knob…he used the tape to stick his little foot to the knob and turn it. LOL! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cat-has-learned-to-open-the-screen-door/595614/13 "2011-09-10T15:23:13Z")
Could be worse. One of our cats shows signs of wanting to claw his way through the screen door to the balcony! ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cat-has-learned-to-open-the-screen-door/595614/14 "2011-09-10T15:25:56Z")
My cat has learned algebra. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cat-has-learned-to-open-the-screen-door/595614/15 "2011-09-10T17:02:38Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > My cat has learned algebra. Does he use it in [physics](http://www.twolumps.net/d/20040521.html)? And you’d damn well better appreciate that link. I don’t have it bookmarked, and I had to dig for it. ---
**Author:** ![Full\_Metal\_Lotus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df705f/32.png) [@Full\_Metal\_Lotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Full_Metal_Lotus)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cat-has-learned-to-open-the-screen-door/595614/16 "2011-09-10T17:56:44Z")
you know… If cats ever figure out hopw to open cans… well, just let me be the first to say that I, for one, welcome our new feline overlords… ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cat-has-learned-to-open-the-screen-door/595614/17 "2011-09-10T18:02:53Z")
[We’re doomed.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6CcxJQq1x8) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cat-has-learned-to-open-the-screen-door/595614/18 "2011-09-10T18:13:17Z")
When I was a kid, we had a female cat named “Evie”, which was short for Evinrude, because she purred “like an outboard motor.” :rolleyes: Anyway, we lived in a log house in Anchorage at the time (1958) that had windows hinged at the top. The cat would go outside by pushing the window open with her head. Nothing unusual there. But to get back in when the window wasn’t propped open, she figured out how to jump up on the log wall, reach up with one paw, hook the wood-framed window with her claws, pull it open and launch herself through it before it slammed back on her tail. An astounding feat of dexterity and speed. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cat-has-learned-to-open-the-screen-door/595614/19 "2011-09-10T19:57:09Z")
Back when my Maine Coon was alive, he used to vomit after eating. So I installed a folding louvred door in the doorway to the kitchen. It was closed with an eye hook. Sure enough, the cat learned that if he jumped and hit the hook upward with his paw, it opened. Mmmm, fresh vomit on the dining room carpet. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cat-has-learned-to-open-the-screen-door/595614/20 "2011-09-10T20:30:20Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > Does he use it in [physics](http://www.twolumps.net/d/20040521.html)? > > And you’d damn well better appreciate that link. I don’t have it bookmarked, and I had to dig for it. Yay! I recently wiped my hard drive and lost all my links…that was one of my favorite comics, but I forgot all about it, til now. Thanks 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cat-has-learned-to-open-the-screen-door/595614.md?page=2)