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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.

Original poster

Rehoming without a catflap

47 replies

Ilovecrumpets · 28/12/2017 09:01

Maybe a silly question but I’ve no way of putting a cat flap on my house but I’d really love to have a cat in my life again. Someone is home the majority of the time and I have a wooden playhouse in the garden that I could put a flap and warm bed in.

Would this be a barrier to being accepted by a charity for rehoming do people think?

OP posts:
PoisonousSmurf · 28/12/2017 11:20

Our cats used to climb out of our small downstairs bathroom window.
It only opened at the top, so we built a little platform out of wood on either side. Worked well.

Beamur · 28/12/2017 11:21

I can't the what the fuss is about cat flaps. I have one now, but have had cats before without having a cat flap. Maybe some people just shut their cats out all the time which isn't great.
If you don't have one then you put down litter trays or provide some outdoor shelter if they won't come in.
One of my cats is from a small local rescue, they don't do home visits and I don't recall being asked about a cat flap.

RavingRoo · 28/12/2017 11:21

They have a lot of cats who can’t go outside for whatever reason. You could adopt one of those?

CheekyFuckersAreEntertaining · 28/12/2017 11:24

We don't have a cat flap. They are absolutely not necessary at all. Our cat master simply tells us to let her out and then makes us let her back in again when she wants back in. It's no trouble at all. We live to serve.

I don't have a cat flap for various reasons, one being that I can't really afford a fancy microchip one that only allows her and her alone to use it. If we didn't have one of those we'd have every Tom, Kitt and Hairry popping into our house.

We don't even have a litter tray as she prefers to be let out like a dog. We let her out, she does her business on our lawn and comes back inside if she wants.

Ollivander84 · 28/12/2017 11:37

I adopted from CP and no cat flap. But he was meant to be an indoor cat, as he tested FIV+. Turned out he wasn't Grin
When I'm in, the window is open and he can go out. When I'm out, he's inside. And inside from sunset - sunrise

thecatneuterer · 28/12/2017 12:00

We (Celia Hammonds) home to homes without cat flaps, except in the case of very timid or semi feral cats which have to have a flap. While a cat flap is always a good thing a confident and friendly cat can manage without one. Particularly so if, as with the OP, someone is around a lot and there is shelter in case they get accidentally shut outside.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 28/12/2017 12:10

Catflaps are now required by Battersea if you are going to adopt from them.

That must be a relatively new thing as I don't even remember being asked about a cat flap when Mum adopted George 3 years ago.

thecatneuterer · 28/12/2017 12:16

Pinksparklypussycat - I also homed a cat from Battersea in 2001 and didn't have a flap.

Judydreamsofhorses · 28/12/2017 12:36

We don’t have a catflap. Madam goes out first thing in the morning, then gets called in before I leave for work. DP isn’t working right now, so he can let her in and out during the day if need be, but while it’s cold she’s not fussed anyway, then she usually likes to go out again about 10pm and will come to the window when she wants in. She’s never out overnight, and we have a litter tray in the kitchen which she will use if she’s desperate.

We have a utility room between the kitchen and back door, so would need either to have that door open all the time or two cat flaps. In the summer she likes to be out a lot more, and if she won’t come in we leave the back door open and lock the utility room if we’re going out - we leave water/dry food there then, but usually she comes in when called anyway, and tends not to go more than a few gardens either side.

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 28/12/2017 15:15

To confirm to all - seven years ago when I last got cats from them, Battersea didn't mention catflaps. Registering again in October 2017 they have insisted I get one.

Original poster
Ilovecrumpets · 28/12/2017 15:16

Sorry yes to clarify I didn’t mean the cat living in the playhouse! It would live on the house and be let in and out ( with a litter tray in the house). Playhouse was more just another option when outside

OP posts:
Original poster
Ilovecrumpets · 28/12/2017 15:17

And thank you for all the replies

OP posts:
Whitney168 · 28/12/2017 15:18

We have been told by them that we must have a cat flap and provide proof before we can adopt from them.

How on earth do they think you can provide proof you have a cat flap ? Presumably the word prove means they are not doing home visits. You could take a photo of any old door with a cat flap in to show them? Confused

HunterHearstHelmsley · 28/12/2017 15:21

I've got three cats and no cat flap. It's never been a problem. Generally there is someone in but, if not, we will round them up before we go out. If they don't want to come in then, they have access to somewhere warmish and dry until we get back.

Beamur · 28/12/2017 16:07

Maybe if one charity refuse you, try another?

CheekyFuckersAreEntertaining · 28/12/2017 17:46

Cat flaps are lockable. Proving you have one doesn't mean they will be used anyway! My old Gran had one which was always locked as it stopped the huge Tom forcing his way in despite it being a collar activated one. Her cat, like all other cats who live in cat flap free houses, was let out on request. I think it's ridiculous that animal charities are demanding one. I have more control and knowledge of my cat's comings and goings than if she were allowed to pop in and out when she liked.

purple12 · 01/01/2018 14:39

Just adding to the voices of people who have cats and don't have catflaps - although I work at home so can often act as servant to cat - and he is very vocal so lets us know when he wants to go out (or come in) also we have a downstairs window he can jump in and out.. we keep him in at night but in an emergency, there's a small kennel in the garden that will keep him dry (this is just a worst-case scenario - although sometimes he likes sitting in it in his 'regular' outdoor time.

Beamur · 02/01/2018 21:43

My neighbours have cats but no flap. I have a key to their house.
If they are out I have been trained to open their door and let the cats in when requested...

bettydraper31 · 02/01/2018 21:46

We rehomed from Battersea last year and we don’t have a cat flap so it’s not true that they won’t. X

Weezol · 02/01/2018 21:52

Look around for smaller cat charities. They are not as dictatorial.
I was matched with an indoor cat by a local one. Friends have also got cats from there without the the need for a cat flap. Theirs just demands his slaves open the front door as required (he won't use the back door. He's not a tradescat ffs).

BabyTa · 23/08/2023 17:50

mimibunz · 28/12/2017 09:08

Please don’t adopt a cat and then make it live in the garden! Can’t you provide a litter tray? Cat flaps aren’t required for adoption.

Every cat charity nowadays requires a cat flap. It's so ridiculous & prevents many cats from being adopted into loving homes

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 24/08/2023 09:19

BabyTa · 23/08/2023 17:50

Every cat charity nowadays requires a cat flap. It's so ridiculous & prevents many cats from being adopted into loving homes

Show quote history

One rescue I contacted wouldn't rehome to me as I have a cat flap and they wanted the cat to only have supervised access to the garden. The garden is cat proofed but they didn't like that either! I don't think they know what they are doing sometimes

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