Trying to teach Mr FattyCat to use the catflap

[Dilbertian]

Any tips?

He's comfortable with new humans, comes to visitors for cuddles, but change anything in his environment and his little mind explodes.

Move his feeding station to the other side of the room 🙀

Open the side door to go into the garden (we'd only been using the back door until then) 🙀
Sit in the green sofa, when you usually sit in the blue sofa🙀
Shut a door that's always been open🙀
Open a door that's always been shut🙀

OMG laughing

However, I think you are a troll because there is no photo.

"How dare you doubt my existence. You are no true minion."

(Dilbertian, meanwhile, apologises for breaking the MN rule: parking threads=diagram, cat threads=photo.)

Pick up cat. Shove through cat flap. Repeat as necessary. Or you can sit there holding it open until they pop through by themselves but the former is quicker!

Pick up cat.

Pick up cat? Not this one. He does not do being picked up.

Shove through cat flap.

Not Mr FattyCat. It would be like trying to get an octopus into a sock. Also, catflap is in a wall, so there's a tunnel as well.

Flap is currently wedged open, with a few bits of dry food in the tunnel and the bowl on the other side in the house. FattyCat is sunning himself outside the back door. Every so often one of us sticks an arm through the tunnel and rattles his bowl of food at him. He glances over and then miaows at the door.

Oh god what a horrific and unique set of circumstances! I guess you could..refuse to let him out until he discovers and uses the cat flap? No,that's a ridiculous idea, what am I thinking.

Flap is currently wedged open, with a few bits of dry food in the tunnel

Have you tried a trail of kitty crack aka dreamies?

I'm doing it in reverse: refusing to let him in until he uses the catflap.

Maybe I'll give up for today and do it tomorrow morning, when he's really hungry, with his wet food.

Take Mr Handsome outside. Get back inside and shut doors. Stick hand through cat tunnel with dreamies on it. Add dreamies. Return hand so Mr Handsome needs to stick head into tunnel. Keep going whilst requiring Mr Handsome to get further and further into tunnel.
Took about 3 mins with Mr Greedy. About 30 mins with Madam.

I shall go and buy some Dreamies.

Yes was going to suggest the cat crack idea. Everything else goes on hold in cat land once dreamies are brought into the equation

So shut the door, wedge the flap open a bit and wave the dreamies in your cats face I say...

Not Mr FattyCat. It would be like trying to get an octopus into a sock.

My new cat is being extremely thick about the whole cat flap thing so I have it bungeed open at the moment. Hopefully she'll get there eventually.

Humpf Shehasadiamondinthesky I won't believe that your cat exists until you post a photo

He knows what to do. He’s not going to do it because he’s a cat though.

MrFattyCats life was a bliss until the unruly human started to change things...

Live this thread. He's gorgeous. Are you aware he really should wear sun screen when out doors. On his ears?! I wish you luck OP!

We sellotaped the flap up (as suggested in the manual!) Then shoved cat through and treated. If they wanted to come in we used a different door to go out and shove them through from outside - then treated. It takes 2 people. 1 to shove and 1 to treat.

Now my challenge is that at 'bedtime' when the flap locks DC (is that the right acronym for darling cat?) Is desperate to leave and I think going to break the flap trying.....we try to keep her away with a closed door but it has to be opened sometimes....

I block the flap by putting a tray over it, and pushing a chair against the tray.

I got him to take Dreamies from inside the tunnel from both sides. Tomorrow morning I'll try again before he eats. Hunger is even more motivating than treats!

Thanks for the sunscreen tip. I'll get some asap.

He came back through the catflap! I laid a trail of Dreamies into the house and eventually, hesitantly, he came in. Quite a squeeze for him to get through the flap itself - he is a very FattyCat.

Ate his breakfast and then went back to check the flap out again. But, no, it's too weird for him. So, rather than do his usual of begging to go out again, Mr FattyCat is curled up cosily on the sofa, while I'm in the kitchen with draughty ankles.

Quite a squeeze for him to get through the flap itself - he is a very FattyCat.

I hope that it is securely fitted.

Cats have been injured when they have dislodged the flap trying to access it. :(

or he could lose some blubber

or he could lose some blubber

He came to me obese when I adopted him 6 weeks ago. Of course I am restricting his diet and following the vet's guidance.

:)

I wasn't being critical also need to lose blubber.

He is gorgeous.

It's just that I had a student once who asked for an extension on an assessment based on the scenario of a fat cat accessing a catflap and ripping it from its moorings - I saw photos of the cat and cut paws and it wasn't pretty :(

Be wary of holding the cat flap open to encourage him. My two can let themselves in and out quite easily but if I'm stood in the kitchen they demand I hold the cat flap for them because they know I can.

Sorry, over- sensitive (I could also lose some blubber )

Sounds horrific. If DFC deigns to use masters the catflap I will be replacing it with a modern microchip one ASAP (there are some very cheeky cats in this neighbourhood!). If he doesn't , I will block it up again.

Poor little old kitty. All this new stuff to learn is just exhausting...