Teaching cat to use flap

[Gronk27]

Hello,

We have a (guesstimated 5 year old) female cat who we rehomed from an elderly lady who passed away. She’s been with us 15 months and has settled in beautifully, very content and affectionate. She used to be let out through the back door and we don’t know if she had a tray, we don’t think so.

Since living with us she’s had a tray and we’ve been letting her in and out the back door. She’s not particularly adventurous but likes to pop out have a sniff around and come back in.

We’ve now had a cat flap fitted and following some internet advice she will now go in and out of the flap with it taped up.

However, I don’t see how she’s going to work out how to push the flap open? Any advice on the next step? (We can’t give her human food as a bribe she throws it up.)

Thanks

[iloveredwine]

I had to throw ham out the cat flap and my boy was so greedy he jumped through after it!

[iloveredwine]

dreamies then??

[Gronk27]

I might have to spend a bit of time either side with dreamies and see if she’ll push through! She can push a bloody door open

[Mrbay]

When my cats got a cat flap, I just spent time showing them that they can either use their nose or paws to push through.
I started with just holding them so their paws were in front of them and pushed them through the cat flap.
They soon learn that they won't get hurt.

[Frlrlrubert]

We did some cat posting, propped it open for a bit, then left it down but with the magnets taped up so it was really loose, with her on one side and treats on the other, then once she'd got that took the tape off the magnets.

[Aprilshowersarecomingsoon]

The push and shove method worked for us!!