If you share your home with a dog or a cat, you’ll know that doors become part of daily life in a way they never were before. Doors get pushed open, scratched, nosed at, waited behind and occasionally slammed by a wagging tail. So when you’re thinking about pocket doors, it’s natural to wonder how they’ll cope.
The good news is that pocket doors can work very well in homes with pets. They also behave differently from hinged doors, so it’s worth planning a few details. This guide covers the advantages, the things to watch out for and the choices that make pocket doors easier to live with when there are four legs in the house.
How pocket doors differ from hinged doors
A pocket door hangs from a track at the top of the opening and slides sideways into a cavity inside the wall. There’s no swing, no hinge side and, when it’s open, no door leaf on show.
For pet owners, that changes a few things:
- There’s no door swinging into the room, so a pet lying in the doorway or behind the door won’t be knocked.
- The door can’t blow shut in a draught the way a hinged door can.
- Gentle pressure won’t swing it open, because it slides rather than swings, although a determined pet may still learn to nudge it sideways if it isn’t latched.
The advantages for pet owners
No door swinging into a sleeping dog
Dogs love lying across doorways and behind doors. With a hinged door, you push it open and hit the dog, or the dog wakes up and the door gets in the way. A pocket door slides alongside the opening instead, so it doesn’t sweep across the floor at all.
More floor space for beds, bowls and crates
A hinged door needs a clear arc in front of it. In a utility room, boot room or kitchen, that’s often exactly where you’d like to put a dog bed, a crate or the food and water bowls. A pocket door frees up that floor. Our guide to pocket doors for utility rooms covers one of the most common places people keep pet supplies.
Easier to leave partly open
Many pet owners like to leave a door slightly ajar so a cat can come and go. A hinged door left ajar can drift shut or swing wide. A good pocket door stays where you leave it, as long as the track is level, so you can leave a gap the width of a cat and know it will still be there later.
Fewer slams
If your dog bursts through a doorway, a hinged door can bang back against the wall or swing shut behind it. With a pocket door there’s nothing to bang, and a soft-close mechanism stops the door slamming when someone pushes it.
Things to plan for
Little paws, tails and soft-close
Any sliding door can close on something in its path. A soft-close mechanism slows the door near the end of its travel and draws it gently into place, which reduces the force if a tail or paw gets in the way. It doesn’t remove the risk entirely, so stay aware when closing the door near pets. Our soft-close pocket doors guide explains how the mechanisms work, and our guide to pocket door child safety covers similar points for families with young children.
Keeping a door shut
If you need to keep a dog out of a room, a pocket door that isn’t latched may not do it. Clever dogs can learn to hook a paw or nose into the gap and slide the door open. If that matters, fit a latch or a privacy lock. Our pocket door locks guide explains the options, from simple hook latches to bathroom privacy locks.
Scratching
Dogs that scratch at a closed door will mark a pocket door just as they would a hinged one. The difference is that the leaf can’t easily be protected with a kick plate on both faces, because it has to slide into the pocket with only small clearances. Instead:
- Choose a durable finish, such as a hard-wearing eggshell or satin paint rather than flat emulsion.
- Keep a pot of the paint for touch-ups.
- Work on training, as you would with any door.
If the door does get scratched, our guide on how to paint a pocket door shows how to refinish it.
Pet hair, dust and the floor guide
Pocket door tracks are at the top of the opening, so pet hair doesn’t clog the running gear the way it can with a floor track. There’s usually a small floor guide at the mouth of the pocket to stop the bottom of the leaf swinging. Hair and fluff can build up around it, and grit can scratch the bottom edge, so give it a quick vacuum when you clean the floor.
Pet hair can also gather in the gap under the door. If the door starts to drag, check the floor guide and the door height. Our guide to common pocket door problems and fixes covers what to look for.
Pet flaps
Most people with hinged doors simply fit a cat flap or dog flap. With a pocket door, that’s generally not practical. The leaf slides into a tight cavity, so anything that sticks out or swings could catch inside the pocket, and cutting into the leaf may affect the door and its guarantee.
If you want a pet flap, the usual answer is to put it in a different door, or leave the pocket door slightly open. If a pet flap is essential for a particular doorway, a hinged door may suit that opening better.
Pet gates
Pressure-fit pet gates rely on pushing against the sides of the opening. With a pocket door, one side of the opening is the mouth of the pocket, which may not be designed to take sideways pressure. Before fitting a pet gate across a pocket door opening, check that it won’t damage the frame or block the door from sliding.
Choosing handles and hardware with pets in mind
Flush pulls sit within the face of the leaf, so there’s nothing for a lead to catch on or for a dog to grab. An edge pull on the leading edge helps you pull the door out of the pocket without trapping your fingers. Our guide on how to choose pocket door handles compares the options, and you’ll find handles and locks in our pocket door hardware range.
Where pocket doors work best in pet-friendly homes
- Utility and boot rooms. Somewhere to dry off muddy dogs, with no door swinging across the bed or bowls.
- Kitchens. Shut the dog out while you cook, and open up again afterwards. Our guide to pocket doors for kitchens has more ideas.
- Bedrooms. Useful if you want to keep pets out at night, as long as you add a latch for determined dogs.
- Cupboards with pet food. A latched pocket door keeps food out of reach without a door swinging into a busy kitchen.
Frequently asked questions
Are pocket doors safe with pets?
They can be, especially with a soft-close mechanism that slows the door before it closes. As with any door, take care when closing it near pets, and add a latch if you need to keep them out.
Can a dog open a pocket door?
Some can. If a pocket door isn’t latched, a dog may learn to slide it open with a paw or nose. A hook latch or privacy lock stops that.
Can you put a cat flap in a pocket door?
It’s generally not practical, because the leaf slides into a tight cavity. Fit the flap in another door, or leave the pocket door slightly open.
Will pet hair damage a pocket door?
The track is at the top of the opening, so hair doesn’t usually reach the running gear. Vacuum around the floor guide now and then so hair and grit don’t build up.
How do I stop my dog scratching a pocket door?
Training is the main answer. Use a durable paint finish so marks can be cleaned or touched up, and keep spare paint for repairs.
Find the right pocket door for your home
Whether it’s a utility room for muddy paws or a kitchen you’d like to close off, browse our pocket door kits or contact us for advice on sizes and hardware.
