Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Please can someone tell me how do i get the cats to use a flap?

26 replies

mckenzie · 18/10/2010 19:40

It's a PetPorte flap, their microchips do work with it as we have tested them. How do I get them to use it though. They are RSPCA re-homing/rescue cats so I have no idea if they have used one before.

TIA

OP posts:

phipps · 18/10/2010 19:43

You need to show them .

Or push them through or hold food on the other side and entice them in.

Grumpla · 18/10/2010 19:48

If they haven't used a catflap before they might be a bit confused so take it in steps.

Tie it open with a piece of string, cat on one side, tasty food on the other. I found smoked mackerel or roast chicken or something equally irresistible worked better than normal boring catfood.

Once they get used to coming through the hole with the flap (this might take a few days of regular practice, so you might want to lock it at night) then you can start lowering the flap, then take string off and wedge it with a bit of cork or something so it doesn't completely close & they have to push through or hook it open.

After a few days of this just leave it and they will probably go and push at it until they figure it out.

Good luck with your kitties!

Original poster

mckenzie · 18/10/2010 19:50

thanks very much guys. To add to the issue, one of the cats is rather on the large size to say the least! I'm not even sure if he'll fit through it

OP posts:

trefusis · 18/10/2010 19:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

OooeeeoooeeeoooeeEthel · 18/10/2010 19:54

One of mine took 3 months to work it out. We gave up persuading the ginger moron in the end. One day he worked it out all by himself.

Original poster

mckenzie · 18/10/2010 20:32

well the big lad was obviously cold enough and hungry enough and with me holding it open from the inside, he came through. It was a squeeze though. I'll try putting the lovely lady out later and then see if she will come back through it. Cats are supposed to be quite intelligent aren't they?

OP posts:

phipps · 18/10/2010 20:33

Some more than others .

Original poster

mckenzie · 18/10/2010 21:27

well the lovely lady has gone out now (although by me opening the back door) but lets see if she is clever enough to come back in through the flap.

OP posts:

Chinwag · 18/10/2010 21:50

Send them out when they are hungry, and entice them in using a bit of Tuna in your hand. (Or vice versa)

You need to help them push the flap for them initially, but they get it eventually.

Give them the tuna when they've got themselves through. Then do it again the other way.

AnnoyingOrange · 18/10/2010 21:53

LOL we used the trefusis posting method

tribpot · 18/10/2010 21:56

Does anyone have a cat who uses the illogical "hook the cat flap out over head with paw" method? One of my childhood cats did this. Instead of simply pushing her head against it to get in, she would try and hook it behind her with a paw and then sort of hurl herself through.

sharbie · 18/10/2010 21:57

my old cat used to hold up the flap with his paw and stick his head through (just to see if there was any food about) before coming in while still holding the flap open.i suppose they all find their own way to use it.

ChippingIn · 18/10/2010 21:58

We gave up persuading the ginger moron in the end Thanks Ethel - I needed a laugh!

Cat one side, food the other side - large boot shove through the flap - never fails (unless your cat is a ginger moron of course!!).

Original poster

mckenzie · 18/10/2010 22:01

The big fella has gone back out again (with me opening the door though) so I'm going to leave them both out for 30 mins while I get ready for bed then try again with some tuna. We're off on holiday on thursday and would love to get them a bit used to it by then to make it easier for our cat carers (mother in law and usual babysitter).
Both are cat lovers but I'm assuming cleaning someone else's catlitter tray is a bit like changing someone else's baby's nappy

OP posts:

OooeeeoooeeeoooeeEthel · 18/10/2010 22:32

Seriously, Chipping, he is really dense. If you tried your suggestion you'd just get one very flat furball against the flap - imagine all 4 paws out sideways and a look of incomprehension on his face.

fruitspooksandheBGBs · 18/10/2010 22:38

put a clothes peg on the flap so it is almost fully open. Gradually move the clothes peg over a few days till the flap is almost closed. Worked with all of mine even thou its rather a one way thing with a peg on as they have to squeeze under it from one side.

ChippingIn · 18/10/2010 22:45

Ethel - my cats both adopted me (much to the neighbours dismay - oops. I didn't feed them, honest guv!). The first time I had to put boyo in a cat carrier was like something out of the Garfield cartoon - he did that all four paws out at full stretch - complete splat cat look!!

Mine will still sit at the door next to the cat flat (if they can see you), just to test you - to see if you love them x (probably to exert their 'cat control' actually, but I choose to see it as them needing me to show them I love them!!).

OooeeeoooeeeoooeeEthel · 18/10/2010 23:02

I have 1 very intelligent Snowshoe cat who needs no help whatsoever, and 1 orange idiot. . He will now come in through the flap, but not out. To go out he finds one of us and yowls til we unlock the back door for him ( yes the one with the flap). Then he comes straight back in through the flap! Mine also has to be shoved into a carrier. I think perhaps our cats are very similar.

Original poster

mckenzie · 19/10/2010 08:17

I put both of them outside this morning (through the door) and have been tempting them back in with tuna for the last 15 minutes but to no avail. The big fella came through it twice last night so he knows what to do and the little lady came through it once, albeit with some help, so she knows what to do too. Am I being cruel to leave them a bit longer? They must be cold and fairly hungry (big fella has his own central heating but the little lady is all skin and bones).

TIA

OP posts:

OooeeeoooeeeoooeeEthel · 19/10/2010 08:31

Not cruel at all. You know they can do it - I would be inclined to leave them to it with the flap propped open today. They will soon work it out if they know the foods on the other side.

JenaiMwahHaHaHaaaaah · 19/10/2010 08:59

Oh I have such a lovely image of an indignant puss being posted to and fro now trefusis ! [hgrin]

ChippingIn · 19/10/2010 10:09

mckenzie - no, you weren't being cruel! They know what to do, they just don't want to do it.... did they come in through it, or did you cave in

Original poster

mckenzie · 19/10/2010 10:21

I didn't cave in but while I was upstairs DD let them in . And then gave them the tuna that I'd left out as a treat for using the cat flap!

OP posts:

ChippingIn · 19/10/2010 10:29

LOL

Bugggeration! Oh well, there's always dinner time!

alicatte · 19/10/2010 10:36

My two couldn't manage the electronic flap in the door but they are very small cats and the catch was quite stiff - one of my friends got a flap that opened as their cat approached but in the end she changed it because there was a howling gale in the kitchen when her cat sat just outside the door on the patio, surveying her territory.

In the end we had a hole made in the wall and put a 'small dog' flap in (removing the magnetic 'catch' so it was easier and would move a bit in the wind - we thought it would make the flap inviting) It worked - yes I know!!!

Flip

1 2