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The litter tray

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

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Original poster

how do I get my cats to use new cat flap??

12 replies

simpson · 13/05/2011 22:08

I have just got a new back door put in and the builder also put in a cat flap for my 2 kitties.

ATM they are refusing to use it (although its still early days) how can I encourage them??

I have held the flap bit open a couple of times and they have come in/out but don't realise they can do it themselves.

Help!!!! I am desperate to get rid of litter trays in the house too so want them to "go" outside iyswim.

OP posts:

ChippingIn · 13/05/2011 22:09

Food one side - good shove the other side :) Repeat - ad nauseum.

NoodieRoodie · 13/05/2011 22:13

Push cat through the cat flap

When the cat comes in through a door you've accidently left open chase the cat round the house like a mad woman, take it back outside and poke it back into the house through the cat flap!

It's as simple as that!!

NorbertDentressangle · 13/05/2011 22:14

Easy.

Hungry cat on one side.....food on the other

lubeybooby · 13/05/2011 22:15

put catnip on the door of the flap so that the cat rubs on it and bats it with a paw etc, it will soon notice that it opens and work it out.

Original poster

simpson · 13/05/2011 22:30

Have had food on one side for a while they are still not coming in

Have shoved them in/out a few times today....

catnip might be worth trying.

My cats are sooo spoilt I think they expect me to hold the flap open for them every time

OP posts:

pinkhebe · 14/05/2011 15:55

I taped ours open for about a day, then left him outside when it was dinner time, he did come in

DontCallMeBaby · 14/05/2011 22:39

I also taped the catflap open for a day (actually we have two flaps, with a tunnel in between, I taped up both, then let one down, then both ...) One cat got it straight off, the other had to be shoved through a couple of times. The former was so motivated to get outside he'd have started digging a tunnel if we'd not got the flap though.

Original poster

simpson · 14/05/2011 22:46

well update is they are happy to pop in/out of cat flap if I hold it open

But they have not got the hang of butting it with their head to open it despite being shoved through helped

They give it a half hearted attempt by batting paws etc.....

OP posts:

DontCallMeBaby · 14/05/2011 23:30

But if you're there to observe their pitiful attempts, you're there to hold the flap open - why are you, as their human servant, not holding the flap open? :o

Mine have the catflap off pat, but will sit at the back door looking hopeful if they can see us inside, and will NOT use the flap.

Original poster

simpson · 15/05/2011 00:01

dontcallmebaby - you are soooo right

One cat was already in the house, the other doing pitiful attempts to get in but as soon as she heard the food cupboard open, she (the one outside) was in!!!

Ever get a feeling you are being played!!!

OP posts:

Havingkittens · 17/05/2011 16:56

Yep, taped it up here too. That's what they recommend on the box/website or wherever my other half read it. It worked. Slowly. Took about a week or two for him to get used to it but now he's in and out like a fiddler's elbow. Lucky for you it's warmer. We got ours in February so having the cat flap taped open all day and evening was a bit chilly.

unclefester77 · 20/05/2011 16:01

Or...get a big pencil, prop cat flap open. Each night sharpen the pencil a bit so it's smaller. After about 2 weeks pencil is very small stub and cats have got used to sensation of the flap as they crawl through (ideally pencil is so short that they have to start shoving cat flap with their noses).

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