Cat coming in and spraying

[Coldilox]

We have two spayed females. We have a magnetic catflap (they have magnets on their collars to open it). Over the last few months an inneutered male has been getting in by using brute force and has been spraying in the house. It's disgusting. Once we find it we can get rid of it but it's not always easy to find, and it's so upsetting to come home to a stinking house.

Managed to find the owner via a local Facebook group. Told her what was going on:l. She was mortified to be fair, she said she and her daughter hadn't wanted to get him neutered but now they knew he was causing problems hmthey would. The problem continues and got worse to the point he was coming in daily. Kept in touch, and he was neutered last Wednesday. Had a lovely few days of a non smelly house, but today we can home and found him in the house, and he'd sprayed

I know neutering doesn't always work especially when left until they're older. What can we do? Over the last few months we've had so ray on our curtains, the kitchen surfaces

I could have written this a few years ago (apart from the considerate owners part). Get a microchip cat flap. 100% solved our problem. Intruder didn't get in once after we put it in. Worth every penny

Also don't feel bad about hating......I HATED our intruder. Spraying my babies for was the final straw.

Babies cot

We've considered that but if he can break through the magnetic one will he not be able to break through a microchip one? I figured the locking mechanism would be the same? He's wrecked two of the magnetic ones which we've had to replace and microchip ones are more expensive!

Do you scare the cat when you see him? Obvs don't hurt him, but I'd yell at him and squirt him with water.

Yes we do that when we see him. He scarpers as soon as he catches sight of us. But a lot to f the time we're out or in bed so we don't see him

Does your flap lock with a corner catch or a middle catch?.

I totally agree with Oops4. The microchip catflap saved both my girls' sanity and ours

We had a normal one and would come down in the morning to find random catprints on the work surfaces.

Our girls don't climb so we knew it was not them.

It stopped their fear, which is more important. Also if this cat is about and you see him, splash him with a garden hose or squoosher thingy.

Worth the money

Oops cross post

Just to point out that neutering isn't an instant cure. It takes the hormones about three weeks to wear off completely I believe (not sure where I heard it but it sounds plausible). The horrible tom cat smell disappears within a week to ten days.

Fluffy, I'm not sure. It's a PetSafe magnetic one if that helps?

catneuterer, that's good to know, so hope is not lost completely!

A chip cat flap. Only works on cats where it recognises the chips. Annoyed me I had to spend £70 on a flap and £20 to get cat chipped but best £90 I’ve ever spent.

I'm happy to spend the money (both cats chipped already) just want to make sure it's not as easy to break through as the one I've already got, which should only open for magnets

I have a feeling the one I got had some sort of guarantee for that aspect.....have a look and see what reassurance they offer. If a random cat can smash it open I’d be wanting a refund!

We've had one for about 6 years and never had another cat get through it

Google images suggests it's a corner fastening one, very easy to lever them open. My cat can smash out of those & has done repeatedly.

A centre fastening one is harder to break. Even ours has failed to break out of his centre fastening cat flap & he will have tried.

Sureflap have a 3 year warrenty and I think a non resident cat breaking it would be cause for a claim.

Micrchip flap worked for us too when a big tom was coming in and intimidating our old girl. The lock is really quite sturdy. He was a big tom and couldn't get in.

Thanks all. Will research the different brands of microchip flap