moving house and cat flaps

[bacchahantes]

10 year old cat, always had a cat flap.

He isn't going to like moving.

New house doesn't have a cat flap, and we'd have to put one in through a wall or in a double glazed door. Based on thread on here that'll be about £250. In a door or a wall that going to go in about 6 month's time.

As then we'll be starting building work to have a space where we can have a door with a cat flap. So the glazed door and wall are going.

So can a cat who is used to a cat flap go to being a cat that doesn't have one for a few months?

We aren't in during the day and he lets himself in and out all the time.

I think your cat will be fine. My cat had a flap for all her life and then the housing association changed my back door and cat was 19 so I didn't get a flap and she was fine for two years without one.

He'll be fine.

We moved a couple of years ago with two cats. They did find the move stressful as they were in cat carriers for a long time due to delays.

There wasn't initially a flap (which I was pleased about as you're supposed to keep them in for a week anyway - hard with two older outdoor cats)
For a while we just let them out via the door with litter trays at night.

My one cat seemed to have anxiety (triggered by alpha male who was used to being let in by previous owner).

But now they are firmly settled with a magnetic cat flap.
Good luck!

It's cheap to put a flap in a wall. My builder charges around £50.

You need to keep him in for around three weeks anyway after the move and then yes, he'll just have to get used to it. Get a shelter for if he gets shut out during the day and make sure he's in at night.

Only 50£. ....I’ll lookinto that.

My mother's partner has previously put the flap in a glazed door himself (if you're not keeping it - otherwise may invalidate Fensa).

Neither dh or me have the skills to tackle s glazed door....that could go v wrong.....

Me either! The £50 option sounds good though.

When we moved, the cats stayed in one upstairs room (in cat carriers with food and water) and me regularly visiting them.inbetween directing the removal team! The room was off limits.

Due to delays with money being transfered they were in cat carriers for longer than expected. We left our house at a certain time with the cats in carriers in the car only to find then that the vendors were still in the house so we were parked up outside the estate agents for hours (the cats hadn't been to the loo).

Sorry for the rambling as I know you didn't ask for moving advice, but I didn't really factor in what to do with the cats if it took longer than expected.

You really can't do a double glazed door yourself (and I don't believe anyone has). A new panel has to be made in the factory with the hole sealed and all the air removed from the middle. So basically you're buying a new double glazed panel.

I was there when my mom's partner did it!

In a single glazed door, absolutely. In a double glazed one - even the double glazed companies/specialists can't do it!

The flap is dirty, apologies..

That's in the plastic panel of the door, not the glass! Yes, that's a piece of piss to do.

There's no plastic panel to put it in unfortunately. But the wall is an option if it's really not that expensive.

I have thought about the cat on moving day and a friend has offered to have him for the day as we aren't moving far.

We had a doule glazed glass door,my husband took the glass panel out and replaced it with a plastic one that he put the cat flap in. Most UPVC door suppliers can make one for you or will have one to fit.
It was pretty easy and shouldn't cost too much to get somebody to do I wouldn't have thought.