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