Stupid Cat vs Catflap...

[SarahJ14]

Hi..i recently had a catflap installed (sureflap microchip one) into our back door for my cat who is approx 5 years old.(he adopted us a year ago)
Up until now he had been darting over the road toward our front door everytime it was opened and i was worried about cars. And the last few weeks he has started becoming a nuisance to our neighbour by letting himself in her house via her cat/dog flap and distressing her other cats to the point of one of them doing his business in places he shouldnt, obviously to mark his territory (her cat not mine) it has to be said that this is majorly her own fault since she started letting my cat in through her front door and feeding him. But only since her own cats started getting stressed did she stop letting him in. But now he just goes to her back door and lets himself in through her cat flap.

Anyhow i know im going on a bit, so my problem is that my cat goes out of our new flap like a PRO. But he seems too dumb to realise he can come back in as well for some reason. He goes out in the middle of the night then i find him in the morning soaked on the doorstep from the rain desperate to come in. I just dont get how he can sneak in and out through her catflap and not mine 😣😣😣 The only difference is hers is a large loose one, as her dog uses it too. Ours is smaller and more secure, but it doesnt stop him going out through it at all so im completely boggled.
Ive tried so many things to no avail so any tips would be welcome!!! Ive tried putting food inside the flap and he just sits there looking at it 😂Thanks in advance 😙 xxx

[MyKingdomForBrie]

I used dreamiest for this because our cats are obsessed - only works with something they love.

I hold the treat through the flap to them and let them eat it, then get the next one and give it an inch closer to the flap, then go on until they've come through the held open flap. Do that a few times then gradually lower flap til they are having to push a bit to get through and so on til they come through for a dreamie held in the crack at the bottom. They got it eventually!

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

We did the Dreamies training too

[SarahJ14]

Thanks! I will try dreamies.
Although i doubt it will work for Ted, as i tried for hours with Tuna, which is his most favourite thing in the world. I even smeared it all over the flap and put some just inside. He came up to it and licked it all off, i put the rest of it in a bowl inside so he could see it. Then he just sat there looking at it through the flap haha. He will come through if i hold it open. But i dont have to hold it open for him to go out through it. So i just dont get it at all!! X

[MyKingdomForBrie]

I had to spend ages holding it open and tempting them through, only one way exactly like your problem, then bit by bit lowering the flap so they had to push it a little bit more each time.

[SarahJ14]

MyKingdomForBrie- i think you've hit the nail on the head. I may have to tape some string to the flap to hold it up, and gradually lower it over time. I think its because the design of the flap means that from the outside theres like a mini "tunnel" where the chip scanner is. So its not completely flush to the door if you get me. Also ive noticed that he cant push it open with his paw coming in as his head needs to be there to read the chip. He uses his paw going out so i think thats what it is. Fingers crossed and thanks everyone 😊 x

[unlucky83]

I used ham to get my cat used to a cat flap - and had to take the flap door off altogether for weeks (in Winter - typical)... and leave a trail of ham (her favourite) ...but then she wasn't using a flap anywhere else...had never used one... and it was a standard cat flap.
Have you watched him come in or try to come in through it? Sureflap (I have one now) make quite a loud click noise when the chip activates it and when I was looking into it discovered that frightens some cats. Pretty sure you can deactivate the chip bit or something when they are learning - so maybe then it doesn't make the noise?
I think the solution is put tuna/dreamies/favourite thing in front of flap and get tough and ignore all whinging ...just don't open the door
That is as long as you are sure his chip is activating the door? It hasn't migrated or something...

[SarahJ14]

Unlucky83- yes the sureflap is what we have. He diesnt like the clicky noise and also he tries to use his paw to open it which is no good since the microchip is between his shoulders. So what ive done is tape the locking latch right down so its now just as a normal cat flap. He came through it today with some coaxing, but i had to call him to the back door as he was waiting at the usual front door. And i put his dinner in front of the flap so he could see it and walked away. Took him 2 minutes lol. But hes now back to being "shut out" again. He gives up too easily and ends up in next doors. But we have progressed a bit since yesterday. Lol xxx

[unlucky83]

sarah glad you have made some progress -and I know it is hard to ignore them...
My cat has taken to wanting to use the front door - she stands there and whines to go out, or follows you, under your feet, as you walk around the house... and then stands on the doorstep whining pitifully to come in - ignoring the fact she has the flap and can easily get to either door... if I try and ignore her she shoots in and out when you are going out /coming home - has nearly got trapped in it/tripped someone up a few times...
It cost me a fortune to get a flap put in the back door -at first had to remove a double glazed panel and replace with double glazing board to put a standard flap in (cost £110ish) then when we had an unwanted visiting cat £60 for the sureflap and £20 to get her microchipped.
I find myself standing with the front door open in a freezing draught whilst she dawdles muttering '£200 for a cat flap and you won't bloody use it' grrrr...