Cats have been using this “cat hole,” in a door of Britain's Exeter Cathedral, since 1305, making it the world's oldest known “cat door”.
Geoffrey Chaucer described such a cat hole in the "Miller's Tale" in the late 14th Century.
In the narrative a servant, whose knocks go unanswered, uses a cat hole to peek in to see what is going on: You will have to read the tale for the story, but suffice it to say, it's more than a bit randy!
Cat holes became “dog doors,” of a sort, as soon as a small terrier or lap dog chased a cat inside.
That said the modern dedicated dog door that leads into a human home, rather than a barn or outbuilding, was rare before the advent of cheap winter heat and good flea and tick treatments.
In fact, “dog doors,” as we know them today, really started after World War II.
A few dates:
▪️1892 - Mason, the makers of guillotine and "pickwick" kennel doors, begins making and selling ready-made kennel and pet enclosures.▪️1946 - RCR International, which makes more than 3,000 products including weatherstripping, insulation components, and floor protection products, begins sale of the Easy Screen Pet Door, which is still made today.▪️1952 - Johnson begins making pet doors. Johnson was later bought by Petsafe (Radio Systems) who continued making the same door, sold as the Petsafe Ultimate (now no longer made).▪️1958 - Carlson was founded, specializing in well-insulated double action doors for commercial kennel applications.▪️1972 - Pride Pet Doors is founded making the same "flap" pet doors that Johnson once made and sold.▪️1976 - Patio Pacific is incorporated and markets a 'panel' pet door for sliding glass doors.▪️1986 - High Tech Pet Products begins marketing "electronic" dog doors that are opened and/or locked with an electronic fob.▪️1991 - PetSafe is founded and it eventually acquires other pet door companies such as Johnson (1998) and US Pet Products under the parent company "Radio Systems" name.▪️2005 - Endura Flap created a dog door for extreme weather.
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