Cat flap - getting cat used to it??

[goldpendant]

Hi everyone,

We've been waiting forever to have a catflap installed and it finally happened last week (Sureflap microchip).

Cat (almost 1yo) is very reluctant having had us at home as his door slaves for the last few months.

We've tried taping it open, and he'll happily go in and out when it's fully open, but when we drop it even a bit he just ignores it! Tried treats, toys etc, no joy.

Does anyone have any ideas? Is it a case of perseverance? Or will he never use it?! It needs quite a push to get in or out so I'm not sure he's ever going to get the hang of it??

[HappyHammy]

Have you tried sitting on the other side with a dreamies with someone encouraging him through from the other side.

[DippyAvocado]

God, my cat was like this. It took me 3 weeks of training to get her to use it. First I taped it fully open like PP suggested (best in the warm weather!). Then I taped it partially open but that was a pain as you have to alter the position depending on whether they are in and out. Eventually I spent ages each day physically shoving her backwards and forwards through it. My cat hates touching anything with her head so I had to teach her to push her front paws against it to open it. It did work finally, although she still makes a bit of a meal out of it, daft creature.

[DippyAvocado]

Oops, you were the one who taped it open , not PP!

[Fluffycloudland77]

Why lift a paw if you don’t have to though?

It’s a battle of wills now. You V the sad furry face at the door.

[goldpendant]

Oh dear @DippyAvocado I think we might need to teach him to use his paws - sounds like we might have more luck that way!

[DippyAvocado]

I did think we would never get there but she picked it up eventually!

[Poppy10121]

We did what @HappyHammy suggests, one person on the other side of the door shaking Dreamies. He was more reluctant to go out than to come back in that way. It took a few weeks but now he is in and out all day!

[Paranoidmarvin]

I was going to suggest what I did. Open the flap. And then ever so slowly take it down a cm at a time. I would maybe go back to that and re start again. Took mine weeks to get passed even the slightest change. He still hates it. But he uses it

[Fluffycloudland77]

I always think they can use them but choose not to. Maybe they need to automate flaps so it slides open automatically as puss approaches.

[goldpendant]

Well, he's managed it both ways once or twice now, still very hesitant but I guess we'll see how desperate he is to get in and out! Thanks for all the tips everyone.

[Toilenstripes]

I got on one side, my dh on the other and we passed him back and forth a few times.

[Finfintytint]

Is there “cover” outside the door, like plant pots either side? Cats don’t like to exposed when exiting.

[MashedPotatoBrainz]

If they know how to use it they will if they have no other choice. My cats hate the cat flap and would rather have consierge service. When they do use it one goes through like they've been shot out of cannon and the others oozes through.

[Jux]

We used to just push our cats through a few times! That was back in the 80s/90s.

Since then, we've found that if one cat knows how to use it, then the others just follow suit, so I've not had to do it with our current cats as they just watched our (now deceased) older cats.

I suppose that these days you do have to coax? I wonder if just pushing your cat throug (gently) would work as coaxing doesn't?