AIBU to consider a catflap in an upstairs window?

[saxonglaxon]

We are new to cat ownership and considering where to put a cat flap in our narrow London Victorian terrace. Choices are:

1. Rear bifold kitchen doors straight into our small back garden.

Advantages - I'm sure the cat will love to have easy access to the back garden, which is safe and secure, and would be 'hers'. Disadvantages - It will be very expensive to replace one of the double-glazed panels in the bifold doors. Also, she'll run out whenever she sees a bird (I like birds in the garden, and would like to give them a decent chance of a headstart so they don't stop visiting - although we do already have a bell on the cat's collar which should help).

1. Front door.

Advantages - easy, relatively inexpensive. Disadvantages - goes out onto residential street with lots of parked cars, skips etc. She can still go round the back of the house next door, which is end-terrace, and over the fence, to get to our garden but might have to pass close to a fox's den to do that, and I don't know if she's also be crossing other cats' territories.

1. Upstairs bathroom window.

Advantages - goes straight out onto kitchen roof, from where she should easily be able to climb down to the garden. Disadvantages - well, it's upstairs for one thing - it might take her longer to get used to. Also it's a small secluded window and I'm wondering about security. We would get a microchip activated flap, but have visions of someone in a striped jersey grabbing the cat, holding it up to the flap, then sticking his hand through to open the bathroom window from the inside.

Any thoughts or insights gratefully received!

Have you a quote on the glass in the bifold doors?

Reason I ask is that we are facing a similar dilemma, just got a quote for a new sealed unit for our French doors, and it was the price we were expecting.

Birds would be warned off by the cat flap opening so they'd have a head start if your cat was going into the back garden.

Out of the 3 options, if be happiest with option 1 ...

I'd be happiest...

The upstairs one might be fine for now but what about when she gets old and can no longer climb into the garden.

Can you get out onto the roof yourself if you ever needed to 'rescue' her?

How about a cat flap in a wall? This took dh about 30 mins to do with a hammer. Knock some bricks out, flap either end. Cats have a slight tunnel to get through but worked it out quick enough.

well, if I was to do the window, I would make sure the window is locked, as it is easy for a human to open a chic cat flap.

I think the relative heights and levels of the window/roof/climb to garden etc would be the clincher. If there is a very simple step down (eg to fence, to shed roof, to garden wall) that is better than having to jump up one storey.

The birds will move as soon as cat touches cat flap, they can stalk in the garden, they can't stalk through a cat flap! It may be easier than you think to put it in the double doors.

You don't necessarily need a cat flap. You just have to open the door for them!

Lol at 'you just have to open the door for them'

Cats will fecking stand there all day expecting you to open and shut the door for them and half the time they won't even go through it

I know someone who put a catflaps either side of a very thick wall. The cat used to sit in the little tunnel inbetween .

I agree with Hons though. I've had lots of cats and much better without a cat flap.

Viva one of my mates has a cat tunnel. The cats needed to be stuffed in one end with a pile of treats (dreamies?) waiting outside the other end a few times, they soon got the hang of it.

hons - my cat wanders in and out at all hours of the day and night. He also pops out for 5 minutes and then comes in, only to sit at the window, and then pop out again for 5 minutes to discover it is still raining, so he come in again.

Before we had a flap we had evenings when he wouldn't come in when called, so he was stuck outside in freezing temps.

Would never have a cat without a flap now, just so much easier.

Also, chortle at the burglar/striped sweater/cat wrangling/window finangle.

We did the upstairs window onto a roof. Worked really well.

In terms of security it didn't make much difference as the thieves used an ax to get through the main door one night....

wobbly -

Certainly not 2, and 3, as MsBug says, could be difficult as she gets older.
Viva's solution seems the best, also her double flaps would reduce draughts. Do you have a side wall where the flap would not be obvious? DS2 has a loo which gives out to the gap between next door and his flap is there. DS1 has the flap in his bifold doors , but it was planned in advance of fitting.

Ha ha! Yes I knew a cat that sat in the 'tunnel' of the thick walls too :)

Our family dog had a whole series of dog flaps in our badly designed house. One from the utility room to the alleyway along the garage, one from there into the garage and one out of the garage door!

NB; dog flaps look big enough for humans but aren't. I spent a very uncomfortable night as a 17 year old stuck in one of ours when I forgot my keys. I was drunk and had the very excited dog licking my face. Not good.

I wouldn't risk attracting the attention of burglars in a city house. Just not worth the risk imo.

We had a hole through a back wall where a dryer tube could let out humidity/water. I took a chisel to that and widened it enough to allow a cat flap tube to go through. The cats still sit at the glass door asking to have the door opened, until desparate and then they use the catflap!

Unfortunately I don't think the tunnel idea will work for us. Our bifold doors are almost the full width of the (very narrow) house, and I'm pretty sure the tiny bit of wall on either side has steel inside of it. No side walls either.

We've had to replace the glass in a couple of the panels after mishaps, and it was approx £250 including the fitting, so I'm assuming a new pane with a cat-flap hole would be about the same. Haven't had a quote yet though.

Probably if I wait long enough the doors will have another mishap and the decision will then be a no-brainer.

I'd go for the bifold door option still. £250 is nothing weighed against the fear or experience of being burgled.

Having said that.... £250!!!??? Are they lined with gold filigree? I had an entire triple glazed door panel replaced for a fraction of that last year! Shop around some more, and ask around.

Some cat flaps can be put in glass doors without replacing the panel. It might be worth asking. We have two flaps, one from kitchen to porch and one through UPVC panel of porch to outside. Do get a chip operated one so only your cat has access. If you do replace a panel ask them to save the panel so you can have it replaced if you move or become catless.

The glass panels are quite big - approx 80 x 180cm - and of course we do pay a London premium on everything, but maybe you're right YeGods - I'll get some quotes.

We had exactly the same dilemma. We used to leave the kitchen window open - v secure garden - but freezing in winter and like stepping our cat won't come when called and, worried about him on cold nights, I'd spend hours calling him in - to no avail.

Wall was too narrow for flap in brick so eventually went for the flap in the bifold doors. Not 100% successful as I think it spoils the look a bit but best of available options. And yes, pretty expensive, although don't remember now as it was added to the cost when we got those doors. Cat sooooo happy though! And we can go away and a neighbour can feed him.

Fair warning, your cat might start to do its business on the flat roof, at least if my neighbour's cat is anything to go by. Not that great for the roofing felt when they try to bury it! :-)

The problem with having a cat flap is that, unless you get a magnetic one, any old cat can come in. Plus our cats sometimes appear at the window with a mouse in their mouth, gobble the mouse and then meow to come in. I'd rather the cat kept both the mouse and the almost inevitable vomited mouse outside!

Yes, we'll get a microchip flap Hons, so we can make sure only our cat can come in.

Am I being naive in assuming the bell on our cat's collar will stop her catching mice as well as birds?

hons - only our cat can come in, micro chip flaps are loads better the old magnet ones.
They also have a thingy so you can shut the cat out (until it has vomited!)