Will I need a cat flap?

[JingleHell]

We are hoping to get a rescue cat very soon, and I've been reading some great threads on here with lots of good advice! My only worry is that some of the local rescue centres' websites say they insist on a home having a catflap. Just paid a small fortune for a new front door, and the kitchen door is all glass. I was assuming the cat would stay in at night anyway, and I'm a SAHM so I'm around all day so if it was cold, raining etc I'd be there to make sure cat was ok. We have a garage so I suppose the back door to the garage (which leads onto the garden) could be left open for shelter if I was out. Advice please!

I know lots of people who don't have cat flaps so not sure it's a massive problem. We do have one because I loathe litter trays!

If you can put one in the garage door and a bed in there for occassions when it can't get in that would be fine I'm sure

Thanks Connor. It was a long time ago, but when I was a child we had a cat and we didn't have a catflap OR a litter tray. I can't remember what happened I think the cat just got let out for most of the day and let in at mealtimes! I don't remember her being around much during the day although she was in at night.

When we first got our rescue cat we had the same situation as you - glass door at the back and unwilling to put cat flap in front door (although ours wasn't new).

The main concern the rescue centre had was about what would happen to the cat at night and we explained that we would bring it in at night - they loved that idea. We also stated that there was usually someone around during the day to let the cat in if necessary. All the things that you would be doing....

If the cat would also have access to shelter in the garage as well when necessary, I don't see why a rescue centre would refuse you a cat just because you lack a cat flap.

i thought that unless a cat learnt to use a catflap as a kitten then they would never learn? so you may get a cat that doesn't know how anyway?

Thanks Alegre, that's v reassuring

I don't have a cat flap, I let her out when she wants out, I let her in when she wants in - if it's nice I leave the back door open and I make sure she's in at night

I do have a litter tray because she comes back in to use it when she's out anyway, lol, and I figure, my cat I should clean it up anyway, hopefully it reduces the amount my neighbours have to

oh though of course the drawback is that teh asking to come back in is usually immediately after I've let her out...

I think it's a much better idea to have cats in at night

..saves all the hassle of dead bodies on the landing and then rehoming rodents in your kitchen!
...well minimises it, as they only get to do it in the day!

Ours go in and out the utility window, and then when they come in for supper it is closed and "no more outdoors!"

We recently got 2 kittens from the Cats Protection and we don't have a cat flap. The lady wanted to make sure that if the cats were out that they would have somewhere to shelter from the rain etc. We have a playhouse and guinea pig hutch they can get in/under so she was fine with that. I've had cats for years and never had a cat flap. I don't think I could deal with live 'presents' being brought indoors.

We put in a cat flap when we rescued our cat (she was about 16 months). She's managed fine with it but still prefers to sit and stare at the back door until one of her servants opens it for her

Tell them you with tether the cat with a piece of elastic to your knickers for safety

We put a cat flap in a glass back door and it cost about £220.