Any advice for those scared of catflap?

[buckeejit]

My 1 year old still won't use the catflap although he does spend a lot of time inside. My 3 year old has only been with us for about 6 months & uses it fine, although it will be bricked up soon. I'd like to have a catflap in the shed so they can stay out in the day while we're away. Any advice on helping him get used to it or a gentler/better suited type of catflap?

He'll reluctantly come through if you hold the door wide open but doesn't like the feeling of the door going down on him when he's going through. The other cat bullies & hisses at him often too, but then she does that to all of us.

I've heard that in cases like these then the microchip operated flaps are better as they open as the cat approaches and close slightly afterwards - so the cat doesn't have to push it open and it doesn't bang on their head. I haven't actually used one though so I can't swear that's the case.

Can you catnip it or smear some of his favourite treat on it? The idea being that once he's rubbed himself silly on it/licked off everything he will be less bothered by it?

Managed to teach a 17 year old cat to use one with treat bribery. He didn't like it but would use it when he wanted to.

There's a tip I saw on a cat behaviour programme once that worked for us - cat flap refusal can be about the fact that they can't see or hear through the cat flap so don't know what they are about to walk out into. We put a couple of pot plants next to the cat flap so that she can get out, check all is safe, and then mosey off. This worked after no end of bribery and coaxing failed!

I have used clothes pegs to prop open the flap whilst the cat gets used to going through the hole, then taken them off once they got used to that feeling.

I saw the same thing as Fizzyfeet.

Oh thank god someone posted this.

My stupid cat won't use the flap unless it is taped open!

Chicken on one side, cat on the other... worked with my greedy little beast!