Cat banging on catflap before going through it

[Allsortsmakesnormal]

I've got an 18yr little old lady cat who for a couple of years now can't go through the cat flap without banging on it with her paw for a few minutes before coming in or out. This is a problem because it's a sureflap so makes quite a loud swinging and banging noise every time it clicks back into place and she is waking up the whole house every morning at 5am or earlier doing it. Apart from completely locking it at night, which would be a last resort, any ideas how to stop it? She gets shut in the kitchen at night so I didn't really want to stop her from going outside if she wants to.

Oh! Ours does this too. She has a microchip controlled flap to the great outdoors, but a one way flap from kitchen to conservatory (so we don't get little visitors brought in). So, when she comes in and wants to come into the kitchen, she sits and knocks. With one paw to begin with, and if she gets no response she knocks with both paws, then peers through to see if we've responded! She sits and has a breather before starting again,

At 18 I’d be more worried about her going off to die.

Maybe she’s trying to frighten other cats off before she goes out? Either way I’d lock it till you get up. Ours was in the kitchen overnight and it never did her any harm.

You’re only allowed to live because it’s hard to recruit these days. Imagine having to wait for the human to get up before the most important person in the house can enter.

Mine does this too,I've just got used to it.

Mine miaows pitifully outside it and has trained me to hold it open for him. He's perfectly capable of using it when I'm not around though.

Sorry but mine does this as well. Mine is a fine figure of a cat and I think it is because have the door opened is preferable to having to squeeze ones frame through the hole. (Even if I do have the large version of the cat flap)

She's only had a cat flap for about 5 years and used to be just shut in the kitchen before that but she's not happy in there overnight anymore. I hear her scratching at the door to come out into the rest of the house which she never used to do. She just wants to come and snuggle with me in the bed but I would never get any sleep if I let her throughout the night so she has to wait until morning. She's also taken to yowling loudly on the landing whenever she fancies it. She's definitely hard of hearing and is on tablets for high blood pressure.

The yowling makes me think she might have feline dementia - she could be whacking the cat flap for reassurance or to figure out where it is before she goes through.

I look after a 20yo cat with dementia and he yowls in a similar way - it may be worth speaking to the vet as there is medication that should be able to help ease the symptoms.

Mine dies this, except it beeps when she comes near (microchip activated). So she stands there and makes it beep till I open the bloody front door for her, then saunters in cool as a cucumber.

Genius. I love a cat flap story.

My 15 year old pats the flap several times before he goes out and yowls loudly the second he comes back through the flap. I have had to just accept this over the years. He's my overlord and this is just how life is.

I did once lose my shit and lock him out after several 3am coming through the flap whilst yelling loudly events.... One trying to drag in a seagull I was traumatised almost as much as the gull.....

Sadly my overlord just ripped the flap off to make his point and we have been subjected to 3am yowling to announce he's home ever since.... I have never dared lock it since....

Sometimes you just have to accept your lot in life.

My cat used to do that when he got old. Along with the yowling on the landing. It was feline dementia. He basically forgot how to use his cat flap (though he'd make it through after a bit of the banging.

I don't know why the agonised yowling in the early hours comes from, but it's standard dementia behaviour in cats.