HOW TO BABYPROOF INTERIOR DOORS

As we've already covered, baby proofing is important, so you'll need to do it right! Luckily, we've created a handy babyproofing checklist for you to use at home.

Before jumping into all the options out there, here are some points you need to know before you babyproof your interior doors:

• You want to prevent your child from using the door on its own
• You want to prevent your child from injury from moving parts, such as hinges or slamming doors
• You want to prevent your little one from entering areas they shouldn't, such as the room where the cat's litter box is, without restricting your cat

So, whether you decide to create a baby-proof house using a cat gate, pet door, pet gate, cat door, baby gate with pet door, or gates for pets and babies, you want to consider these points first. Moreover, what's going to cover these safety points without limiting your own access?

With so many options out there, it can be hard to choose how best to get babyproofing! Where does one even begin when it comes to interior doors? Don't even get us started on babyproofing pocket doors.

Whenever we're stuck, we go to the basics. A great place to start is to look at a few pros and cons of each. Here's the good news, we've done the hard work for you! Below, you can find the pros and cons of pet gates, cat doors, dog gates, and more. We're also sharing our own ameowzing option for your consideration.

Pet Gates

A pet gate can seem like the obvious choice when trying to baby-proof interior doors and keep your little out of your pets' space. It provides a barrier between your baby or toddler and your pet. If everything goes to plan, a pet gate can be a great baby-proof litter box alternative.

However, pet gates can be tricky to install (being wall-mounted), expensive, and are not easy to move or remove once you don't need them anymore. A pet gate is also not always the easiest to open and close, so you'll have to do a little climbing over when your hands are full. This can lead to accidents, and nobody wants that!

Pros: 

• Creates an effective barrier
• Babyproofs stairs easily
• Blocks dogs and toddlers

Cons:

• Bulky and unattractive
• Difficult for older kids and adults to use
• Expensive
• Hard to install

Cat Doors or a Pet Door

These days, cat doors or a pet door for interior doors come in all shapes and sizes, making them more aesthetically pleasing in your home. They are generally small enough that your little one can't get through, but your cat or dog can (as long as it's not too chonky).

While this is purrfect for giving your cat some much-needed space, cat and pet doors, much like pet gates, often require some form of damage to your home. You aren't going to need to babyproof your home fur-ever, so you want an option that can adjust as your needs change.

Pros: 

• Takes up a little space 
• Blends into decor easily
• Gives cats easy access to rooms
• Blocks bigger dogs and bigger kids

Cons:

• Smaller kids can still squeeze through
• Requires permanent damage
• Expensive

A Baby Gate with Pet Door

As the name suggests, a baby gate with pet door is a gate designed to keep babies and toddlers out of rooms that are off-limits, with a particular space allocated for your small pets to come and go. While you create that barrier without blocking off access to your cat or dog, you're still stuck with a bulky product that requires drilling to install.

While there is definitely a place for baby gates, especially on staircases, they aren't always the most practical for those interior doors.

Pros:

• Effective barrier for toddlers and bigger dogs

Cons:

• Bulky contraption
• Doesn't work on all door types
• Expensive

Door Buddy's Adjustable Door Strap

Forget about those gates for babies and pets or any other pet gates, and look to the future. Door Buddy's pet door strap with an adjustable width is the purrfect solution when creating baby-proof interior doors. Not only is it quick and easy to install, but it will work on most door types, including double, bi-fold, and sliding doors.

Our Door Buddy Combo also comes with a handy foam door stopper, which prevents pinched fingers and closed doors. No slammed doors here!

This pet door strap is aesthetically pleasing, unlike bulky pet gates or cat doors. It fits seamlessly into your home, without creating barriers between you and your furry friend. The strap unhooks from the latch easily, making it simple to enter and exit rooms, even with your hands full.

Pros: 

• Works on most door types
• Affordable
• Blends into decor well
• Lets cats and adults into rooms easily
• Blocks dogs and toddlers
• Keeps fingers safe with a foam door stopper
• Installs in seconds
• Damage-free installation
• Non-permanent

Cons

• Dogs that are smaller than the cat can still fit through

Take it from us, after having 2 girls who couldn't stay away from the cat's food and litter box, we know how tired you get shouting "no" all the time. Thanks to Door Buddy's baby proof door lock, keeping your little one safe in your home has never been easier. Parenting is hard enough, who said keeping your little one out of danger has to be?

When we were in the baby proofing era, we were quickly overwhelmed with the options and never-ending to-do lists. Plus, what were we supposed to do about our sliding doors and pocket doors? That's exactly why we decided to create an easier pet door alternative. 

As we said, the world of baby proofing interior doors can be overwhelming. Who would have thought that there was so much to consider when choosing from cat doors, pet gates, dog gates, baby gates, and door straps?

At the end of the day, you only want the best for your fur and human family. If in doubt, we suggest you take a look into warranties and return policies. For example, Door Buddy offers a 60-day money-back guarantee for you to see if it's the right fit for your home.

Happy baby proofing!