Microchip Cat Door
tldr: Can a bunny be trained to use a cat microchip door?
Meet the characters:
Gizmo (Glizzard the Lizard Wizard)- 3 year old Netherland Dwarf
Bernoulli (Noodle) – 3 year old domestic shorthair
Hydrodynamica (Hydro) – 1 year old vessel of daemons
I adopted Gizmo in December of 2023. He started out as a foster and failed less than 24hours into joining my home. Giz was instantly infatuated with the cats and the cats were cautiously intrigued by his existence. I introduced them slowly, mostly through an x-pen and then supervised hangouts. Over time the cats graduated to having Gliz free roam whenever I am home. There was never once an incident between the three of them but, to be safe, Gizmo is always contained to his (sizable) room when I am not home.
Now, the only issues I have ever encountered with free roaming Gizmo are Noodle and Hydro’s peculiar snacking habits. If I’m not monitoring access to Gizmo’s land (Land O’ Gliz), the cats will sneak in to munch on their snack of choice. For Noodle this is hay (deliciously indigestible) and for Hydro it is the foam exercise mats that pad the floor of Land O’ Gliz (delectably unconsumable). I’ve tried many different things to keep the cats out while still assuring that Gizmo can make it in and out of his territory at his leisure. Most recently I was using a cardboard box with two Gizmo sized holes in it as a secret passageway but Hydro recently discovered that she (and in turn Noodle) can also fit through it after a month of them respecting the Glizzy portal.
This brings me to my most recent idea. I have wanted to get Gizmo microchipped for some time—he has no access to the Great Outside but one can never be too safe—and will be talking to his vet about it when he gets his first round of the RHD1 vaccine. Once he is chipped, I was thinking of getting a microchip cat door and outfitting it to the entrance of Land O’Gliz and teaching Gizmo to use it. This would allow him to have access to the Out while keeping the cats out of Gizmo’s In.
What do you think of the plan?
The picture is of their first meeting!
by CowboyNextDoor
