Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To get a cat without a cat flap?

126 replies

Ansumpasty · 31/07/2018 20:14

Never had a cat before but considering adopting one as the children are desperate for a pet.

I would want the cat to be able to go outside and don’t like the idea of a little tray.
How do you go about this...are they let out, similar to go a dog, last thing at night to wee and first thing in the morning? I’m clueless!
Would it be selfish of us, and hard work, to consider getting one without a cat flap? Thanks!

OP posts:
AnotheBloodyChinHair · 31/07/2018 20:18

Cats usually do their business at the neighbours' gardens but they need a cat flap to go in and out as they please. Unless you train them to open doors...

Beamur · 31/07/2018 20:18

Well, several of my neighbours don't have cat flaps, but are about a lot during the day so can easily let their cats back in. They also all have litter trays.
Shutting your cat out all day/all night, isn't great either.
Is there a reason why you can't have a cat flap?
I have 2 cats, a cat flap and no litter trays...

Vitalogy · 31/07/2018 20:19

You'll be the door opening slave if you don't get one Grin

Nah, I've not got one atm as it's glass doors, but will be getting one when we move.

DickensianHysteric · 31/07/2018 20:19

We had a cat for years and never had a cat flap. She used to sit by the door when she wanted out and then we'd open the door and rattle the key last thing at night and she'd come running back in. You get to know their routines so you definitely don't need a cat flap.

ForalltheSaints · 31/07/2018 20:22

My mum and dad had cats for 30 years and never had a cat flap. Litter tray in case the cat needed to go in the night (when older they did not stay out), and they all knew when to ask to be let out and come back in.

DickensianHysteric · 31/07/2018 20:23

Yes, sorry I forgot to mention we had a litter tray for overnight as well, the poor cat didn't have to cross her legs all night!

BarefootHippieChick · 31/07/2018 20:25

You don't need a cat flap, I've had cats for 20 years and have never had one. I just let them in and out when they want and they're always kept indoors overnight.

whatsmynametoday · 31/07/2018 20:25

You will literally be opening and closing doors all day...

We have no catflap, have a litter tray but it's not used much. One cat can get out the little windows so is in and out as she pleases. The other is too fat for that and so is let out when I see she wants to go out and let in when I see she wants to come in... she has set up a den in the shed for if she's hanging around outside waiting for me!

QuestionableMouse · 31/07/2018 20:26

Mine uses the windows.

Which is fun in the middle of the night when she lands on your head.

NapQueen · 31/07/2018 20:26

Is there a reason you cant have a cat flap?

We have an outside litter box (massive lidded plastic box with a hole cut in) and our cats are able to come in and out whenever they want. We lock the cats out when we have people round for dinner once a year

Raven88 · 31/07/2018 20:27

I would get a litter tray because you might find some surprises in hiding spots. Can you have windows open that are at a reachable height for the cat.

carrie74 · 31/07/2018 20:28

We don't have a cat flap into the house (but there is one into the garage, so there is shelter and a bed in there if they want it). Both cats love being outdoors. Our eldest is really old and doddery now (in fact we're saying our final goodbyes on Friday), and even he's spent most of the summer outside.

PlayingForKittens · 31/07/2018 20:32

Cats can't really be trained toilet wise like dogs so while they are fine to not have a forgo flap and use windows or human slaves you do need a litter tray.

funnelfanjo · 31/07/2018 20:34

You can be a door slave live without a cat flap quite easily, but you absolutely cannot do without a litter tray unless you want to be dealing with little surprises in unexpected places.

Admittedly, our cats haven’t used their tray since the nice weather started but in winter they poke their noses out the door, change their minds and retreat to the box.

happymummy12345 · 31/07/2018 20:34

We've never had one in any house we've lived in. Litter trays for indoors, and if he wants to go out we just open the door. It's not hard to open a door

Singlenotsingle · 31/07/2018 20:35

Life is easier with a cat flap, otherwise you feel like the cat's own personal door person, getting up to let her in and out.

BertieBotts · 31/07/2018 20:36

You don't need a cat flap, but you can't just let them out for short periods twice a day, they need to be able to come and go. That means you open a window or a door for them and they let you know when they want to come back in.

BertieBotts · 31/07/2018 20:37

If you don't want to let a cat in and out, what about a rabbit or a guinea pig?

viccat · 31/07/2018 20:39

It depends on a lot on your routine tbh. If you're at home during the day, it's probably fine not to have one. If you're out 7am-7pm then you absolutely do need one.

In general though, having a cat flap is about safety - if your cat was being chased by another cat, or even a human with bad intentions, having a microchip cat flap is like giving the cat a key to their own door.

The only exception would be a very docile cat who never leaves own garden or a garden with high fences/walls or catproofed fences; otherwise your cat would in effect be locked out all day (or all night) if they left own garden and you can't get them back in when you have to go out/go to bed.

Laiste · 31/07/2018 20:41

Cat owner for the last 30 years and never had a flap :)

I don't like the cats out all night so once they're in they stay in at 9 or 10 ish pm. Just like you would a dog. Unless it's summer and they'll go in and out the windows till i shut them in. They'll come and ask when they want to out for a pee in the morning; it's always about 7am ish if someone hasn't already opened the door.

If i'm going out for just the morning or just the afternoon i'll shut them in and they'll go out when i get home. If i was going out for the day i'd shut them out with access to food and water.

Laiste · 31/07/2018 20:42

I should say there always is a lot of coming and going at our house. So rarely any whole 12 hour stints of in or out.

fhefelineofthespecies · 31/07/2018 20:42

Ideally cats should be free to come and go as they please during the day and then shut in at night (when most RTAs happen).

If you're around during the day then you can probably get away without a cat flap as several pp seem to, but if you're at work then it's really best if you have one. Cats are creatures of routine but it tends to be the routine of their choice! There are also lots of other reasons cats need access to the outdoors besides toileting; the physical and mental stimulation of all the sights, sounds and smells is really important for them which is why indoor only cats need lots of additional stimulation.

wrt a litter tray, lots of cats prefer to toilet outside even when a tray is available but it's still a good idea to have one anyway. Some less dominant cats prefer to go inside, and even if you do let them out at night there's still the odd time you need to keep them in e.g. pre vet visits etc!

Battersea has some really good cat care guidance on their website.

Sparklingbrook · 31/07/2018 20:44

We don't have a cat flap. If we are in we do the door duty. If we are out she either stays in with a litter tray or she has her cat house in the garden and a bed in the porch if she doesn't want to come in when we go out. Always in at night though.

www.bitiba.co.uk/shop/cats_accessories/cat_baskets_beds/cat_house/outdoor/371447

Goth237 · 31/07/2018 20:46

You are absolutely BU. Cats need to go in and out as they please to use the toilet. You need a cat flap OP.

Littleredbrickmammy · 31/07/2018 20:50

My parents had cats for 25 years and never had a catflap. They both would be quite vocal at a door or on a windowsill if they wanted in and the same when they wanted out. The first cat never used a litter tray she hated they! She preferred to go outside and accidents where very rare. 2nd one needed one.