Here is the situation. I have in a closet, a CatGenie automated litter box. The cats have access to the closet through a standard cat door. What I want to do, is have the door prevent entry while the litter box is running for it's 45 minute cleaning cycle. The reason for this, is if the cats enter the closet during the cycle, they'll just do their business on the closet floor instead of waiting. I suspect that they will only go on the closet floor, and not somewhere else if they find the door locked temporarily. I already have a surge strip with triggered outlets that provide AC power when the litter box is cycling, so I can use that to trigger the door. I cannot use off the shelf magnetic locks because they only work with a door that only swings one direction, and a cat door swings both directions.
Any thoughts?
Any thoughts?