Cat flaps

[bluedogs]

we got a rescue cat at christmas. She is lovely, we did the usual thing and kept her in for the first month and then let her out. She loves going out but does not like using her cat flap. For the first couple of weeks when she started going out we didn't have the cat flap so let her out the door/window, now she only wants to enter/exit via door and window. I've pushed her through the cat flap loads of times but she is still really reluctant. Its one of the magnetic cat flaps. Most of the time I sit it out and will only let her in via the cat flap. But shes now at the point that she is getting distressed if you pick her up to get her through the cat flap. Any ideas anyone?

My guys struggled with ours, but it is a bit of a weird one as it goes through the wall so there is a bit of a 'tunnel' on one side. After two weeks of patience, getting him to push his head against it and showing him over and over again our 'less than bright' moggy has finally mastered it.

What I found helped was that I took it apart and removed the magnet around the flap part so that it was just hanging loose. Otherwise they were finding the magnet so strong that they didn't realise they had to push. I haven't put the magnet back in ours yet, although I think I could now they have the hang of it. Ours is quite sheltered so the wind doesn't blow it open or anything so I may not bother.

Good luck - she'll get there in the end!

We taped the door open for a few days until our cat got used to it. Some days he really struggles with it, you can hear him bashing it lots, And of course if we're anywhere near it, he won't go out, but sits by the door until we open it