Babyproofing!

We did our first babyproofing project today when we installed a cat door in the hallway. (And due to Jenn being pregnant, I had to use power tools, including a jigsaw, so I'm pretty darn proud of that.) We installed the device on a door that we normally leave ajar so the cats can come and go between upstairs (where we live) and the basement (where their litterbox and food dish live). The problem, at least down the road, is that babies + open doors above stairways = not a good match. The more immediate problem is that Ripley has taken a liking to Whiskas, and that problem is now solved, as she can't fit through the new cat door any more than a baby can.

The way it's going, however, nobody's going through the door. It's been difficult to train the cats in how to use the thing. But Taz is slowly starting to understand, with the help of catnip, how to push the flap and pass through the door. That's right -- someone in this house was recently offered drugs as an incentive to push, and it wasn't my pregnant wife.

Oliver's situation is much more worrisome, and I fear he will spend the rest of his life in the basement. To him, that's far preferable to the unknown horror which is the cat door. The best he can currently do is sit fearfully at the bottom of the stairs and meow helplessly. Even catnip proves to be no use.

I fear he may be beyond help. But have fun downstairs, buddy. The baby's safety is, quite honestly, way more important than whether you ever see the light of day again. On the plus side, your breakfast is completely safe.