We have four cats and two dogs. When there's work being done in the house, they're all kept in a closed room away from the action. They don't care for it, but it's for their own good.

It's not just about keeping them out of holes in the wall, we're also concerned that they could come in contact with building materials that could harm them. It's cute and all when they "help" with renovations, but it's not so cute when they get sick because they've licked grout or adhesive off their paws, or in the real life case here, throw up bits of foam backer rod pried from under the floor molding. (She's ok now, but I was pretty worried for a while.)

Agreeing with Cercis here.

Close the cat in a room with food, water and the litter box. Put a big, clear sign on the door--something like: Do Not Open Door!!!!--just to make sure no one accidentally lets the cat out.

I predict the cat will not be happy about this. But she will be safe.

Oh I know, I am not taking it casually that she got down into the ceiling space.

The problem with the bathrooms is that I am GCing them myself and the carpenter/tilesetter in particular, is moonlighting and the bathrooms will take Months.

So you're concerned about holes in the walls being there for long periods of time? Maybe you can cover them with pieces of masonite at the end of each workday. Secure the masonite with a couple of screws, just enough to keep the cat out. I don't know if netting would do it - perhaps too flimsy.

Can you close off the bathrooms when they are not being worked on to keep her out? Then put her up only when there is work going on.

Lock her in a room while the work is being done and then once the work area is safely closed off, let her out in the rest of the place. One thing you sure don't want is to have the cat in the floor joists when no one knows it and being sealed in there! Yikes!

It cracks me up though, as I remember our very black kitty who was always attracted to wet paint, esp white paint...I had visions of Pepe Le Pew coming around to chase his "petite chou".

This post was edited by AnnieDeighnaugh on Wed, Apr 2, 14 at 18:59

She's Burmese, very dog-like (I've seen them walked on leashes), very sociable, and if she isn't around for more than five minutes we check on her. She is always around one of us, so the likelihood of her disappearing long enough to get closed up is very slight. She is not one of those aloof cats of whom no one sees a sign for days. (Thank goodness, since I am really a dog person).

duplicate post removed

This post was edited by ineffablespace on Wed, Apr 2, 14 at 19:33

We will usually have to lock the cat(s) up in a room. If things were really bad and torn up, I'd consider boarding him at the vet. He tends to not like the noise despite his 18lb size, so he is more likely to stay away than be curious.

I don't know if I am stirring up old smells of cat and mouse, or whether it's just the wealth of unexplored territory, but the cat seems desperate to get into the closed off gutted bathroom. I had associated it partly with me being in there while she was outside but yesterday I was not in there and she was still very interested in getting in:

She was up on her hind legs trying to push the door open. Then she went into the bedroom and tried to undo the plumbing access panel (she nearly got this, it's now taped all around), She also tried to undo the cold air return that is under the tub (until we rework the HVAC). Then she opened the bedroom closet and tried to see if she could get in from there.

This isn't a big cat: she's under 8 lbs full-grown, but she's really exerting all her energies on breaking into forbidden space.

Maybe leash her and walk her in with you to do some exploring...it may quell her curiosity...

Seems like she smells or hears prey of some kind.

We have a bad kitty who does much like you describe yours doing. He cannot be stopped when he's made up his mind to check something out. He's really smart, too-has figured out how to open doors, etc.

Our other cats can't be bothered to explore-unless it's a new box or open container-then they can't resist. But Pop is nosy and bossy and insists on being right there in the middle of everything. We joke that he's part dog and part contractor-he LOVES tape measures.

Don't know why, but I saw this and thought of you!

Here is a link that might be useful: Adler Arena in Sochi

Our tiny female Burmese disappeared one spring day years ago. We had been in the attic that day and kids had been in and out of the house all day. We searched the attic -- no kitty -- so decided she had escaped unnoticed out the door. We searched the neighborhood without success, but she had escaped before and always returned so we didn't worry too much. When she didn't return the next day we became more concerned and d repeated our search. Still no kitty. The next morning I was standing in the kitchen and heard a faint mewing and looked up to see two golden eyes staring down in the ceiling air vent. We have no idea how she got into the ductwork or how long she had been there, but DH had to tear it up to get her out. We had the HVAC guys in the next day to fix the hole he made to get her out. They never could find where she could have gotten in.

I wish I had some advice for you, but I can't outsmart a cat. That's probably why we have just a dog now - I can outsmart him. Seriously, I have had two Burmese and they're great cats!

Wow if a cat can do that to the ceiling in a public building, remind me to never go in it.

I am thinking of getting her one of those large cage things like they have at adoption places, with platforms and such for certain days and time of renovation.

The cat in the Sochi video is actually in training for the Russian Blue gymnastics team for Rio 2016. She needs to work on her landing :).

The big cage sounds great. Just make sure it has a good latch ...

Here is a link that might be useful: clever cat