It appears that the dishwasher in question may be a portable that was
eventually built in place as they have kits that will allow that at a
later date.  The portable models sometimes have a separate panel that
swings out under the main door for more support, and that panel has
scissor arms on it at the sides, definitely bad for furballs.  What we
have done to our kitchen is to proof the refer -- they can still get
behind it for a run, but cannot get into it or under it -- hardware cloth
and some screwed on sheet metal saw to that.  The portable dishwasher was
always a problem and we just had to kick the kidz out of the kitchen when
dishes were being done via plexiglass drop in panels in the doorways --
22 inches tall with 1 inch PVC pipe split lengthways to allow the pipe to
be slid over the plastic panel at the top as a handle and to keep the
ferrets from gaining a toehold should they leap the 22 inches and manage
to get a paw over the top!  With the pipe there, they merely slide back
off!  The dishwasher eventually went away, however, if I ever got another
one, I would make sure, how the door opens and that, once it is
installed, there are NO auxillary panels or door supports.  That way, a
clean trim line can be established from the floor up to the base of the
unit (same as to the cabinet bases from either tile, laminate or vinyl.)
 
Basically, you have to get down on the floor and think like a rat or
mouse and then what would chase them... hmmmm, and if the space is big
enough for a ferret to get through... if it's head will fit through,
believe me, the rest of the body will follow.  I have a little girl that
for months baffled me as to how she mysteriously appeared in a top cage
with some older sick guys.  Finally, we figured out that she could make
out the difference in the space between the wires of the cage
construction -- and remember it -- and would make a beeline to that
spot, turn her head sideways and get it in the cage and POOF she was
in in a flash, almost to fast to see.  But she would never exit there
always wanting out the gate!
 
Point is, there are construction spaces under the cabinets that need to
be filled/blocked -- you'll be amazed what your hands will find when you
run them under the cabinet bases or look with a small mirror.  Same goes
for bathrooms.
 
And if they get into the cabinets -- which WILL happen -- where do the
voids there lead?  Plumbing gaps, etc and gaps from cabinet to cabinet
can allow then to move like mercury to places like behind the stove (you
thought you have that blocked pretty well, huh?) or worse yet, a vent
system to under the house or between floors in an apartment.
 
Point is here: it can be a lot more complicated than it looks and take a
bit more thinking on the hoomans part to stay ahead of the pea brain that
seems to out think us at every turn
 
Good Luck, and I'll have cheese on that burger
 
Putorius and the magnificent 7
[Posted in FML issue 4834]