9 Creative Pet Door Ideas You'll Love For Your Home

Pet doors are a game changer for dog and cat owners alike. They give pets the freedom to enter and exit a room or home on their own while maintaining most of the privacy behind the large door. Decades ago, the only options for these openings were a pair of simple rectangular or square white frames with a flap. Today, creative minds have provided more exciting choices, including sliding barn doors, mini French doors, real trim framing, and a cat head-shaped entryway. Styles range from $40 to $300 and up.

You can secure your own stylish doggy or kitty door kit or frame online from stores like Amazon, Chewy, and other retailers. Or, take the DIY route and create your own from scratch to customize it to your home or pet. Just be sure you've done your reading and understand everything you should know before installing a dog door or cat door. Regardless of which route you take, at the very least, you'll need a jigsaw or similar cutting tool to create the opening in your full-sized door, cabinet, or wall.

1. The Kitty Pass interior cat door

Cats have a pretty distinct head shape, so it's difficult to confuse their silhouette with that of another animal. The Kitty Pass Interior Cat Door from Amazon capitalizes on this with their adorable round opening with cat ears on one side of the door and a cat tail on the other. It's also large enough for pets up to 21 pounds. You can purchase The Kitty Pass' interior cat door for about $30. All items required for installation are conveniently included in the kit.

2. Stone frame with faux roof

With this nifty idea, you can install whatever pet door you'd like, since the emphasis is on the framing, not the door or opening. You can use either real stones or a wallpaper with a stone pattern, but the latter will probably be easier and less time-consuming to work with. The designer also added material to mimic door trim and a roof, as well as a pair of light fixtures and a welcome mat to create the illusion of a miniature pet house. This option would be best on an interior wall.

3. Trim and miniature door

The front entrance to a home typically includes a door and trim framing, so why not make Milo's or Luna's entrance look the same way? What's nice about this alternative is that it eliminates the need to lock and unlock an entry flap door, if you have one. If you want to temporarily prevent your pet from walking through the opening, you can simply close the miniature door. You'll likely need to make a custom door, though, due to the size.

4. Sliding barn door

If you're a fan of barn/rustic decor, you'll love this custom-made Farmhouse Style Pet Door from Etsy. The hand-crafted design features solid wood construction, custom locks, metal sliding door hardware, and a hand-painted finish in the color of your choice, with some assembly required. You can use this option in place of or in addition to a standard pet flap door. A consultation with the creator may be required before purchasing, though, depending on your selections. The price starts at about $330.

5. Purrfect Portal's Beacon Hill pet door

The Beacon Hill Interior Cat Door from Amazon can be the ideal selection if you like the look of trim and a miniature human door, but don't want to have to assemble it all from scratch. The kit comes with everything you need and costs only $35. In addition to a decorative frame, the kit includes a solid door with a faux, non-functional lion head door knocker and mail slot, available in white, black, or white with gold accents. The opening can accommodate dogs or cats up to 20 pounds.

6. No-flap French door

Give your kitty or small dog (20 pounds or lighter) their own interior French doors with the Purrfect Portal French Cat Door from Amazon. The kit includes a pair of mini door frames and four lamp caps, along with all the required assembly items, and can be installed within minutes. The tiny door windows allow your pet to peer through before making their grand or sneaky entrance into the next room. You can purchase it for about $40 in black, brown, or white.

7. Meow Manor extra large pet door

If you have a Maine coon or other large cat up to 30 pounds, the interior Meow Manor Extra Large Pet Door from Amazon can accommodate them. Although it's designed for cats, many dog breeds can fit through it as well. It features arched trim and a miniature lockable door, complete with a door knob and door knocker impression. It's $45  and comes in white only. But with pet-friendly paint, you can color the product entirely, just the trim, or just the door to make it pop 

8. House entryway frame

If you want a minimalistic, but still charming pet door frame, consider PineconeNovelties' Interior Cat Door from Etsy for $40. It features a simple two-sided white frame shaped like a house with a chimney, and the seller accepts customization requests. As an interior frame, it can be used for openings in bedroom, bathroom, or cabinet doors. The frame can be painted in the color of your choice or covered with decorative tape. You can even add adhesives that look like brick or stone to make it look more like a house.

9. Circle thru-wall cat tunnel

Give your feline friend easy access from room to room with DynamiteDesignLab's Custom-Designed Thru-Wall, Interior Tunnel from Etsy. Although intended for cats, some small dog breeds might be able to use it, too. Your furry friend will love having the option of a shortcut to get to where they want to go, instead of having to go through the "human" doors. Choose from more than two dozen colors, including candy cane, army green, and baby blue. It's available for $65 and up, depending on if you'd like to purchase the product with screws.

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