Who Invented the Pet Door?
There is much speculation about who invented the pet door. There are different references to pet doors throughout history. Unfortunately, even with this information, uncovering the true inventor of the pet door is still a mystery today.
Did Sir Isaac Newton Invent the Pet Door?
Some people believe that Sir Isaac Newton invented the pet door. However, that is merely speculation. What we do know is there is a tale about how he had a domestic cat and a kitten. He grew tired of stopping his work and getting up to open the door to let them in and out.
He had an ingenious plan: to cut a hole in the door for the cat and another hole in the door for the kitten. After he cut both holes, he watched in anticipation as his cat went through her hole and the kitten went through the same hole.
Afterwards, he realized his mistake; he could have cut just the larger cat hole for the cat and didn’t need a second one for the kitten. There are different variations of this story that were told in the late 1800s.
Another version was that his cat kept opening the door to his darkened laboratory and ruining the experiments by letting in light. So, he cut a hole in the door and hung a dark cloth over it so the cat could enter and leave. Thus, he invented the cat door.
It is not clear who started these versions of events and whether either one is true. Some historians argue that Newton did not keep cats, so the stories are a myth. However, there is evidence that Newton did cut two different sizes of holes in the door, as the door in his home has two plugged holes. Each hole is the right size for a cat door and a kitten door.
What We Know About the History of Pet Doors
What we do know is that there are several references to pet doors that date back much earlier before Sir Isaac Newton’s time. These historical references predate the 1700s. Two interesting things we know about these pet doors are:
- Early pet doors were holes in the door or wall. There is evidence of doors and walls having pet-sized holes cut out of them. It is suspected that these holes were to allow pets to come and go as they pleased. There is also evidence of small holes cut into the sides of barn walls and barn doors, which also suggests that cats were provided access to barns to hunt for mice.
- Geoffrey Chaucer mentions it in 14th century Canterbury Tales. In the Canterbury Tales, an early rudimentary cat door is described within the story ‘The Miller’s Tale’. The story references a hole in the wall a cat found and went through to get indoors.
So, we know that openings in doors were around from as early as the 14th century. However, we do not know who invented the pet door. Sir Isaac Newton is most likely credited with inventing the pet door because he was well known. Plus, he was always doing different experiments, making new discoveries, and creating new inventions.
The Future of Pet Doors
Pet doors have come a long way since the late 1800s. The first modern usage of terms ‘pet door’, ‘cat flap’, and ‘dog flap’ were in the 1950s. These early products were a simple frame that fit over the hole with a heavy plastic flap to help keep the elements out of the house.
However, they weren’t very effective at keeping out unwanted guests, like other cats and dogs, raccoons, and possums. Thanks to technology, modern pet doors have features so they lock and unlock whenever your pet wants to enter or leave the house.
This technology utilises their microchip, so it prevents unwanted guests from getting indoors. If your cat or dog isn’t microchipped, a pet collar is available with a microchip that can be used to lock and unlock the door.
Another advance in pet door technology is using facial recognition. A motion sensor activates a webcam and facial recognition software. If your cat or dog is recognised, the door is unlocked so they can enter or leave the home.
To find modern pet doors for your cat or dog, please feel free to browse our online store or contact Australia Pet Doors at 0437-644-330 today!