Can I teach boy cat to use the cat flap? And can I stop girl cat from peeing in my pot plants?

[Pikachuwithyourmouthclosed]

My cats are being such dickheads. I mean, I love them endlessly, but honestly it's bloody lucky for them that I do.

Boy cat won't use the cat flap. He sits outside it wailing pitifully until I squat down and hold it open for him. Girl cat pops in and out giving him face while he sits forlornly watching her, apparently unable to comprehend the intricacies of it.

And girl cat pees in my house plants. She maintains eye contact while she does it. How do I stop her? I'm thinking barbed wire fences around the yukka?

Pine cones in the pots!! And tape flap open for a while until dcat has mastered the hole. Then untape and tasty snacks on the other side and some coaxing words from you!!

Has she always done it? How old? Neutered? How many litter trays in the house?

Okay. Pinecones. How many? Any particular type?

Wolfie - she went through a stage of doing it a couple of years ago and I really did wire off all my plants to stop her. We've had no litter tray for a long time. She goes outside. Now we've moved house and so had to have a litter tray for the time she's been inside. Am trying to phase it out but even if the litter tray is just outside and the door is wide open she'll race around in a panic and piddle in a plant rather than go in the garden or in the litter tray jussst outside about a meter from where it sits inside.

Oh, sorry, 3 yrs old. Neutered.

Justmade - I'll tape open the flap. Good idea. But I bet you a million dollars he'll stop being able to use it when I remove the tape!!

Re the cat flap, I could have written that, even down to the face his sister gives him as she runs in and out (sometimes just to taunt him). He won't even come through it if I open it - only the door will do. Do some cats never get it?

Can't help with the plant pot issue - boy cat here has developed a fondness for squatting off the edge of the rockery and taking a dump.

If you've just moved house she may not feel secure enough to pee outside. Keep the litter tray (2 cats should really have more than one tray between them.) She sounds like she uses the plant purely because you have moved the tray to an area she doesn't feel brave enough to pee in!
Cat flap? Never had one. Be a good cat slave and open the door!

I did have three but they both only used the one in the futility room so i gave up with the other two. I loathe the bloody things (the litter trays, not the cats!). Particularly because boy cat flicks litter pebbles all over the room.

But that's a very good point about get maybe not feeling secure to pee outside.