Mk IV Bad Cat Sliding Door Latch

thingiverse

After finally waking up to discover that my cat had been sneaking out of the house through the back door, I took a video to show him letting the dog/cats out if you want to see. We knew something needed to be done, so this is the Mark IV Bad Cat Door Latch! ===================== This might not stop an even more determined human, but it has been improved over the v3 latch. A human did break the v3 latch and, though it was glued back together, my cat still managed to destroy it and slip out of the house. * The Mark IV Bad Cat Door Latch is stronger so that it won't break as easily. * It also has a stronger mount for the same reason! * I've increased the diameter hole for the screw (it used to be too tight and cracked one of mine). * It stays in the "unlocked" position more reliably, so don't lock yourself out! * When open, if it falls down, it stays horizontal. * And it has a slope so that it'll climb over the door handle without any help. * This latch is also more cat-proof. This design is specifically intended to fit my Pella sliding door handle, but other folks may be able to use simple modifications to make it work with their own handles. A Sketchup file is attached for your reference. To assemble the Mark IV Bad Cat Door Latch, you'll need three screws: two wood screws (or metal) to attach it to the door frame and one pin between the "hook" and "mount" parts. As you can see in the photo, my cat is a mechanical genius and always tries to figure out how things work. This might not stop him for long, but so far it's been a huge help! Video of the Bad Cat (door latch): https://youtu.be/goiY7Q03bSY And the actual Bad Cat (himself): https://youtu.be/aBWv2REA68c