Cat flap lessons

[Puffinity]

PuffinCat is becoming increasingly feisty and we'd love for her to be able to come and go as she wants and stop shredding our feet. We have a garden and cat flap. However. PuffinCat is not particularly blessed in the brains department and can't seem to figure out the cat flap (this is a cat who regularly struggles to find her way out of the litter tray). How do we teach her how it works?

[itlypocerka]

Start by having it propped fully open at all times. Keep it like that for at least two weeks. Then prop it so that it is at about a 45 degree angle open so she can see through and push it a bit more open as she wriggles through. Again stick with that for at least 2 weeks. Then start removing the prop occasionally. It won't always work but it might.

[GinAndOnIt]

Oh thanks for this thread, I'm watching with interest. I've been wondering whether to get GinCat a cat flap. We only got rescued him in March so he's just been using an open window or using me as a doorman

But he's 10 and never used a cat flap, so I wasn't sure if it would just be a waste of time and he wouldn't know what it was.

[Puffinity]

Thanks for the replies! Could we just tape it open? Is it OK to do this when we're not in? And would it be too confusing if we closed it at night? Don't want her out at night as we're near a fairly busy road.

[anyusernamewilldo]

I tape mine open in the day, but not overnight, I don't tend to leave it open if we are out at work all day yet, but will do if we are popping out.
It will not be confusing having it open in the day and locked at night, you can continue to do this for ever if you want to keep her in overnights, I think it is safer.
After the taping when mine is sitting there looking at the flap, I push it open a bit and he will stick his nose through, then I leave him push it so he gets used to the feeling IYSWIM, from there they usually work it out for themselves, it does help I have others he can follow the lead of though.

[Vinorosso74]

Our last cat wasn't the brightest so we had to show him how to use the catflap. We pushed it with our hands and kind of manouevered him through it and used food to lure him through (he was a greedy bugger). He soon learnt.
And yes to keeping it shut at nights much safer to keep them in overnight and stops any stray interlopers as they seem more active at nights.

[GinAndOnIt]

GinCat would be mighty pissed off if I kept him in at night - that's when he has his most fun

[Weedsnseeds1]

With previous cat I started by using a clothes peg to hold flap open. 20 years later she still hadn't worked it out. Current cat is a feline genious in comparison!

[PosiePootlePerkins]

I started off by putting lots of dreamies around the catflap! (Recommended on here) so she was interested. Had to be very stern about not letting her out (felt like a bad slave but needs must) She eventually became so desparate to explore she scrabbled at it a bit wth her paws then worked it out.
Was harder not to let her back in through the patio door (preferred method) but did prop the flap open a bit a first.
We put a table on its side in front of the catflap at night so she knows she can't go out.

[itlypocerka]

If you're going to have it shut at night and the cat isn't that bright, then when you shut it put a board or small bit of furniture in front of it so that the way is obviously blocked. If the cat can see the catflap and it's not functioning her tiny moggy brain will learn "I cannot rely on this way to work, I shall ignore it" rather than "those humans have blocked the way out temporarily"

[RubbishMantra]

I lock the boys' catflap at night, and it's rare I have to call them in at curfew, when the light starts to fade. This is also when they get their supper. The only problem is rubbish collection day, whilst I'm heaving out the rubbish, Little M scampers outside and skips about like an excited puppy.

Sometimes MCat sits in front of it and yowls if I'm late in locking it. He's a little black and white security guard.