Rant: The cat flap that became a false alarm factory

Installed a basic motion sensor in a kitchen six months back, right by the back door. The homeowner's new kitten, a tiny orange thing, figured out how to push the cat flap open from the outside. For a week straight, the system logged a motion event at 3:17 AM every single night. I went back, moved the sensor just eight inches higher on the wall, and pointed it down a bit more. Not a single false alarm since. How do you guys handle pet-proofing sensors in tight spaces?

2 comments

2 Comments

aaron_gonzalez6d agoMost Upvoted

Mounting a sensor on the ceiling is a solid fix, but I've found it can create a blind spot right underneath it. In my experience, that dead zone is perfect for a pet to walk through undetected. For tight spaces, I'll sometimes use a corner mount to angle the sensor down a wall instead. It keeps the coverage low but avoids that spot directly under a ceiling sensor.

black.patricia6d ago

Nice! I once had to mount a sensor on the ceiling to dodge my own dog.