DCat has stopped using the cat flap

[Laska5772]

Dcat is about 12 .. he has always used the cat flap, but now just wont.. I have just returned from 2 days away and he was there at the door desperate to be let in , and the food I had left him (wet food in pop-up catmate trays and dried food separately ) hasnt been touched.. He did this a couple of weekends ago also , but i have been 'making ' him come through cat flap in between. ( by lifting him up to it and shoving him gently through ratherthan lettinghim go through back door) . Ive also tried encouraging him with Dreamies etc. Hes just suddenly gone off it.. He will go out of it so I dont think hes been hijacked.. and its a chip catflap. (batteries all work, it opens etc, ) so no other cat can get in

He does have to jump up to it -its in a window , and he needs to jump on water butt first - but he has been doing that since a young cat.. He also still jumps on walls and runs up trees, so I dont think its that.. .(the lid has not come off the water butt either.. )

Any ideas on how can i get him to love the cat flap again? .. Winter coming. and he is very much an outdoor loving cat

He is getting older...try a ramp up to the water but.

Would a ramp system of planks be a possibility? Maybe he's a bit ginger about the impact of the jumps at his age? Perhaps worth a Heath Robinson try before building some sophisticated system...

Great minds!

Hi just thanks for answering..We have put in a 'step' (garden table) next tothe water butt so its easier for him but it doesnt seem to have helped . Do you think an ramp like this with little steps would be the answer?

We are thinking of replacing back door now because of it ( the current one is solid wood and dh wasnt keen on putting in a cat flap in it)

MrsW yes. . i am now thinking of that .

We bought a plain upvc panel & put the flap in that with silicone sealant.

We have a second flap in the back gate. Ndn make their cats jump down off the gate

Ok.. I put the garden table next to cat flap and lured Dcat through with Dreamies earlier (although he wasnt that keen) ..

But Dpusscat has just come in for supper all by himself!! Result .. Will get DH on platform building this weekend (not very Mn PC I know, but I am useless with wood and hammer and he trained as a carpenter..)

My cats are pretty young & agile but even so, wherever they are off the ground they'll trail around the top of the wall to use the tree in the corner to climb down from (one of them used to use a stepladder leaning against the wall, but we've unkindly moved that )

At 12 I can imagine a ramp or 2 would be most welcome

He's now full of supper and curled up next to laptop..

Is it touching his back or neck as he comes in and out and causing pain? Worth a vet check?

I dont think so wolfie .. He was a vets a few weeks ago and she gave him a good going over. Apart from losing most of his teeth ( which he had before we had him at 2 yrs old -being a stray - he was a rescue cat) he is very strong. She said he seems in very good nick . Ive never seen him flinch when you rub him and he will let you rub all over his legs and body.. I am wondering if he has just got a bit lazy or forgetful.. 12 isnt that old though is it? (our previous cat was 16 when she had a stroke and we had to have her PTS )

Cats are so good at hiding pain! He could be arthritic- only an X-ray would diagnose though.

Our old girl had really rather severe arthritis and I had no idea. She never limped. She jumped on the super king bed or on the back of the sofa.
She ended up on tramadol. Unless vet was asked to check for arthritis They may not have done so.

Ok thanks.. A good call. I never thought of that Random.and wolfie .I will definately take him back and get her to check asap ..

I'd hate to think he is in pain.. (but he always is so good natured, happy to play rolly around games with us with us and never seems to squeak or be in pain..) But he is the most good natured cat we have ever had.. never has shown any bad temper even when i know at least once he must have be in pain after an injury..

Ours had a huge disgusting abscess- whole ear inflamed and oozing puss. He let the vet squeeze it all out, still as chilled as ever...

Yes! random Dcat had something like cat flu earlier this year (even although he had had the jabs) .. When he was so sick he could hardly move he was still purring whilst the vet was trying to hear his lung finction with her stethoscope .. (daft thing) Hes fully recovered now..

Of course purring can be a reflex action to calm a potential adversary when he was in a weakened state , I expect that what the poor old thing was doing..

He is snoring right now..