We have problems with a cat that keeps coming in through the cat flap to eat my cat's food.
I thought it was a stray but through facebook etc it seems to belong to someone I vaguely know, who lives quite locally and knows it goes for a wander. I first noticed it hanging around 9 months ago, then in summer DP found it on our stairs in the middle of the might and chased it off. It disappears for weeks and then is back all the time.
When I said something to the owner about being worried it would be beating up my old girl, they said their cat had come home badly scratched and bitten and they thought my cat was beating it up 
. I really don't want to make more of a fuss.
And actually I have witnessed my cat holding her own and chasing it out etc -but then they seem to fight mainly through the cat flap -which involves loud banging (in the night -sure the neighbours aren't impressed ...) but that seems to limit injury - my cat at least hasn't got any war wounds.
I was just going to lock the flap overnight for a week or so until it got bored - but just recently it has been coming in at all times - day and night, when we are in - you hear the cat flap open and my cat goes running off.
I rarely get to see it apart from on the other side of the door - I can't get to it because by the time I've moved my cat out the way and opened the door it has gone - over the wall or up the path - and don't want to chase it up the path cos there is a road at the top and I'm worried it would run into the road and get killed.
Unless anyone else has any better suggestions? I think I am going to have get a controlled cat flap.
First I'll say my cat (13) isn't currently chipped - vets are closed at the moment - but I'm assuming it is still possible at her age and won't cost an absolute fortune? And I probably should get her done anyway.
She wore a collar for years (has bald patches on her neck) with an ID tag but also was very good at losing it -I'm assuming got it caught in something. I'd much rather she didn't have one ...and most of the other type of controlled flaps seem need the cat to wear a collar
(Not too worried about her getting lost /being hit by a car - we live in a small community - in fact someone knocked down and killed some else's cat and a neighbour sent them to my house - after the poor guy had apologised to me (on the phone - I was out) DP discovered her asleep on our bed 
)...but still we could tell him who's cat it actually was)
Microchip controlled seems like a fantastic (if quite expensive) idea but then reading reviews people seem to have problems with them malfunctioning etc and locking allowed cats out ...or clever intruder cats being able to follow the cat in or open them anyway ...
So anyone here got any experience/recommendations/advice?
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The litter tray
Intruder cat - advice - microchip cat flap?
unlucky83 · 04/01/2016 15:05
Right I'm going to order a sureflap then -give it a go - I'd rather she didn't have the stress....and I want to know how much she is eating/drinking especially now she is getting older ...
Although from an exercise pov not doing it might be better for her - she isn't big but I don't think I'd describe her as petite - has a bit of middle age spread going on 
...and I haven't seen her move so fast for years as she does when she hears the cat flap go ... 
Well...flap ordered, cat booked in for chipping on Thurs (with vet costs £21.50)...
and I now after daily, sometimes twice daily visits for the last 2 weeks ...I haven't seen the intruder for 2 days ....
Just because you didn't see him, doesn't mean he wasn't there at some point!
I suspect you'll find that when she works out how safe it is, your girlcat will still dash down in order to do Ner Ner Ner at any potential intruders gazing in frustratedly.
Ha We didn't get a flap until mine was about 6yo and it took her weeks to be able to use it ...I used to open it for her, leave a trail of ham (her treat of choice at the time) to it, in it and through it , wave bits of ham at her from one side of the flap, prop it open etc etc - all to no avail. In the end I had to take the clear flap off and have a gaping hole in the door until she got used to the idea of going through the flapless hole (over a week!) She would look through it, piteously miaowing to come in ...then start with the ham trail again with flap in place ...until she finally got it.
My main recommendation from the experience would be is not to try to teach an older cat to use a cat flap in Winter...when there are howling freezing gales... and you don't get a piece of ham frozen to your bare hand as you thought they might find it easier to go out rather than come in ...
(Just realised its Winter now too ...hoping she gets the hang of the sureflap quickly ..).
Oh I don't know. Sounds as if she managed to get a great deal of ham out of you as well as having you scrabbling on your hands and knees ? I'd call that great fun if I were her.
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