When you have a baby and a pet in the house it can be tough to accommodate them both. I wanted to find the best baby gate with pet door so that small animals, like cats, could pass through while still keeping baby safe.
Finding The Best Baby Gate With a Pet Door
There’s several different styles of baby gates on the market. Some are pressure mounted, which require no extra hardware to stay in place. Others screw directly into the wall for extra security, but you sometimes have to do a bit of engineering to make sure they stay put and don’t rip out of the drywall. (Speaking from personal experience on that one.)
You also should consider whether you want the kind of baby gate that you take on and off to open or something that has a latch so you can pass through without dismounting it. No more struggling to climb over the baby gate!
What Kind of Animals Can Fit Through a Pet Door on a Baby Gate?
It probably goes without saying but the pet doors you find on baby gates are very small. They’re made for cats, and possibly very small dogs could fit through as well. The reason for this is that if the pet door were any bigger, a crawling baby might be able to fit through or even get stuck! Kind of purpose defeating.
Can’t the Pet Just Jump Over the Gate?
In a lot of instances, yes, this is the case. Especially with cats, for which these pet door baby gates are designed for. There are a few reasons why you might want to pick up a baby gate with a pet door though: The main being the location of your baby gate. If it’s at the top of the stairs, for example, it might be tough for a cat to land safely while jumping down. A pet door gets rid of that worry about your poor kitty taking a tumble down the stairs from a bad landing. The other reason is if you have a small pet with limited mobility who can’t jump over the gate.
Baby Gates Aren’t Just For Babies
Even if you don’t have a baby in the house, you might still be interested in picking up a baby gate with pet door if you have both dogs and cats in the home. Dogs can be trained and contained by a baby gate, but the small pet door allows the cats to move freely throughout the house. Perfect for a new puppy!
Cumbor Auto Close Baby Gate
Having an auto-closing baby gate is a big help when you’re a busy parent struggling to do everything at once. No more stressing about whether or not you remember to shut the gate with this model. I also love that its pressure mounted and still has a latch that opens and shuts; perfect if you don’t want to install anything or are in a rental unit.
Pros:
- No tools required
- Self-closing
- An arched pet door is perfect for cats
- A latch is used to open and close it; no removing the gate to pass through
Cons:
- Can still damage the wall if you’re not careful putting it up (too much pressure on the wall)
- Sometimes difficult to adjust, especially if the walls aren’t square
- Crafty babies might still be able to fit through the pet door
Carlson Extra Wide Walk Through Pet Gate
Great for those wide openings like hallways or the top of stairs, this extra wide baby gate will keep everyone where they’re supposed to be. It’s also pressure mounted so you don’t need any fancy hardware to hang it and can easily move it around the house as needed. I love that you can pass right through without having to take the whole gate down, but you can also drill it into the wall if you want that extra security.
Pros:
- Pet door swings in both directions
- Pressure mounted or screw-in options
- Easy to open for adults
Cons:
- Smaller babies can fit through the pet opening
- Gate opening is narrow
- There is a locking feature on the gate that must be used to secure it
- Doesn’t self close
North States MyPet Gate
This tall baby gate is ideal for containing a larger pet while allowing smaller ones to pass through. Babies would likely be able to crawl through the opening, but pets and toddlers will easily be contained with this great gate. It also has an extra-wide opening so even bigger folks can fit through without a struggle or having to turn.
Pros:
- Extra-wide pass-through
- Pressure mounted and easy to install
- Tall enough that many pets can’t jump over it easily
- Easy to install and sturdy
Cons:
- The opening is large enough for small dogs and even babies to fit through
- The latch doesn’t open easily with one hand
- Cats might be afraid of the swinging door
Carlson Extra Tall Walk Through Pet Gate
This is another extra tall option if you’re looking to go that route. Unlike the North States gate, the pet door on this baby gate is a bit smaller so hopefully no one unintended manages to sneak through. It also includes a locking feature on the pet door for those times where you might need to keep it shut. One thing I like about this one is it looks nice and goes with a lot of decors, a nice change from traditional plastic baby gates.
Pros:
- The extra tall gate is great for pets and kids who climb
- Easy to open latch
- Includes everything you need to install it
Cons:
- If you choose to pressure mount it instead of screw it in, larger dogs and bigger kids might be able to knock it down
- The opening is on the smaller side, especially if you’re carrying something
- Might damage the walls once installed
Carlton Metal Expandable Gate With Pet Door
If you’re looking for a more traditional style baby gate with pet door, this one is definitely for you. Instead of having a pass-through system it’s a pressure mounted expandable gate, which means ones it’s up you’ll have to step over it or remove it to get through. These gates are really handy if you only need a gate up some of the time or you don’t want anything fancy.
Pros:
- Easy to install and expands to fit most typical openings
- Great as a temporary solution
- Can be removed and stored easily
Cons:
- If it’s a high traffic area it can be annoying
- Not the best fit if you want a permanent solution
- Pets might be able to jump through it or even fit through the pet door
Finding the Best Baby Gate with a Pet Door For Your Needs
Now that you have some options, what’s the best baby gate with pet door? It was honestly a tough call, not just because these are great contenders, but also because there aren’t huge differences in the style and function of a baby gate.
All the gates suffer from the same problem: small babies and pets might still be able to fit through the pet door, defeating the purpose. Still, if you’re looking for something to contain larger dogs while allowing cats to pass through, or have an older child that still needs a gate and a pet that needs to move freely, these are definitely a good solution to your problems.
Out of these options, the Cumbor Auto Close Baby Gate was my favourite. I’m a parent with five kids and two cats, so I’ve definitely had my share of baby and pet containment experience over the years. What I really liked about the Cumbor gate was that it auto closed.
If you’re up in the night with a tired baby or even just carrying something, sometimes gates get left open. Something that you can just kick shut and automatically locks will save you so much sanity and help keep everyone in the house safer.
They tried to design the pet door to be smaller than other brands with this one. It isn’t always successful, and some babies can still fit through, but that’s true of all baby gates with pet doors, unfortunately.
Why It’s The Best Baby Gate With a Pet Door
I also appreciate that it comes with the extenders so I can mount it wherever I want. That, combined with the fact that it can be pressure mounted or screwed in, means it’s a good permanent gate option for tough places like the top of the stairs. I personally prefer to screw and anchor gates in for that extra security, although it’s not required. I have found that pressure mounted gates still can damage drywall, so be careful putting it up regardless.
Thanks to this baby gate with pet door, I can keep the kids safe at the top of the stairs without worrying about the cats trying to jump over it (and possibly getting hurt) to go down to their food. It truly is perfect for the whole family!
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