How do you teach a cat to use a cat flap??

[MBradbury]

Here's yet another thread about cats taking over peoples lives! The situation is the gf has recently moved in to my place with her 3 cats. Two of them are about 2yrs old and the other 14. As I'm mildly alergic to cats (the things you do for love eh!) we try to keep them in the conservatory which has a cat flap. The only problem is the the older one just won't use it at all, even though she has used them many years ago.

We've done all the usual things, show her how it works, push her through etc etc etc but she just won't get it. This has got to the extent that the other night she spent the night outsid in the rain rather than come inside, she even sits and watches the other two coming merrily in and out.

Have any of you any suggestions? I know she's got a fur coat and is designed to be outdoors, but I'd rather she could just just learn how to use the bloody cat flap as the gf is starting to get worried.

[MrsRotty]

She's training you to open the door for her! We had a cat like this - he just sat, glaring accusingly at us, thru' the window!
Is it a see-through cat flap, because this made a difference with ours. We had a plain one that he wouldn't use, changed to one with a 'window' in it, and Bob was your uncle, in a manner of speaking!

Ali

[Gaffer]

Our fatso Tally wouldnt use a catflap either.

Charis we trained using copious amounts of prawns.

In the end, Dad settled for the easy life and propped the flap open with a stick.

Now Tally uses it.

Claire

[cwk]

When we moved to our current house, our two cats were about 11 yrs old and had never used a cat flap.

My solution was to leave their food inside the house, visible through the cat flap whilst they were outside. They soon learnt how to get in

It sounds to me as if you're in a battle of wills - just tough it out and show the cat who's the boss!

[MBradbury]

cwk said:

It sounds to me as if you're in a battle of wills - just tough it out and show the cat who's the boss!

The problem is I already know, and it's certainly not me!

[wiggy001]

Worth a go?

[stigproducts]

I taught mine by taking the magnet that hold it shut off. They were pushing it gently but it didn't budge easily so they walked away. Without the magnet it would move easily so they went through. After a while I put it back on.

[vixpy1]

Explosives will do the trick.

[vetteheadracer]

If you are having trouble with your pussy flaps isn't time for plastic surgery?


:coat on:

[Chim_Knee]

14 is fairly old. Can you get a Stanna Chair Lift thing for the cat-flap? It'll get the cat in and out AND leave it with it's dignity.

[wizzpig]

vixpy1 said:

Explosives will do the trick.

Teacher : "Did you train your cat to go through the cat flap Johnny"
Little Johnny : "Yes Miss, we stuck explosives up their ass. Worked a treat."
Teacher : "That's rectum Johnny."
Little Johnny : "Yes Miss, blew the fers to bits!"




i'll er.... get my coat shall I

>> Edited by wizzpig on Tuesday 2nd August 12:27

[Trooper2]

vixpy1 said:

Explosives will do the trick.

I tried that......it just ruined the door.

[ZR1cliff]

I recomend the "pull me pull you" persuasion method,tie some string round its neck and some round its tail pass one end of the string thru the flap to a mate and pull,now take it in turns,if he doesnt get the message after one can of Stella...well hell have another.

[vixpy1]

Trooper2 said:

vixpy1 said: Explosives will do the trick. I tried that......it just ruined the door.

Charlie Crocker said:

You're only supposed to blow the bloody doors off

[simpo two]

Open flap when cat is outside, hold food a foot away on the inside. Eventually hunger will take effect!

[planetdave]

Remember to starve it for 24 hrs beforehand

[ZR1cliff]

planetdave said:

Remember to starve it for 24 hrs beforehand

And electrify the garden fence so it cant escape next door on the scrounge.

[FourWheelDrift]

Tie a long piece of elastic to the collar of the cat, tie the other end to a large heavy object, like the house. Then push said feline through the cat flap and into the world beyond. Let cat run about and go some distance, then as the elastic takes grip it'll pull the cat back eventually through the cat flap. It'll learn that this is the way back into the house. *Warning* Do not look through the catflap to watch the cat's returning progress as they often have their claws out and grab other heavier objects on the return trip.

[timmy30]

We have a cat but no cat flap, said cat is let out in morning, back in evening, when it's out at night it gets the standard 11.30pm return to base call, if it misses that it can stay out over night ( which it only did once ), if it rains during the day it goes and sits in the hedge/ shed.

If your cat can't be bothered to use the cat flap it's not too bothered about being outside. Leave the moggie to make it's mind up.

>> Edited by timmy30 on Tuesday 2nd August 13:56