What to do about another cat coming in?

[lavenderlou]

We have a 6 year old cat - had her since she was a year. She's a sweet, timid little thing. Spends most of her time indoors but likes to go out exploring 2-3 times a day (and night). She's always had free access to the outdoors through the cat flap and hasn't used otter tray since the first few weeks we had her. I've left one out when there's been snow etc and she hasn't used it.

The problem is that in the past couple of weeks a large neighbourhood cat has been hanging around a lot and I've caught it come through the cat flap twice. This particularly concerns me as we are off on holiday for two weeks in a few days with a sitter coming for half an hour or so a day, same arrangement we've always had. I'm concerned that this cat will come in and hurt her while we aren't here.

Obvious solution is to lock the cat flap but I worry that would be distressing for her as she's used to going out and she might already be stressed if we're away. There isn't time to get a microchip flap and not sure it would even work as she manages to pull off and lose every collar I've given her. Might be a solution longer term but not something to introduce while we aren't here to let her in if needed.

At the moment, her food is quite near the cat flap, so maybe it would discourage the other cat if we moved that further away? Or are there any other cat deterrents that might work?

Sureflap, it works from your cats micro chip nit a collar.

Thanks, I'll look into that.

Second the Sureflap microchip one, no collar required.

I don't know how else to deter cats, unfortunately. We have one that came in when the catflap door was needing replaced, food nowhere near the door but cat still tried it all the time. I scared it away repeatedly but it came back when I wasn't around.

How do you set up the microchip ones? Do you just need the chip number?

It reads the chip from the cat.

Mine is turned off because the clicking noise scared my cat 🙈😂 but, you press the buttons a certain way and put the cat through it and it just reads the chip.

I had the same problem! Definitely look into a microchip cat flap, should be fairly easy to install if there's already a cat flap in place. When installed and in setup mode you just need to put your cat near it so it can scan the chip and allow that cat through in future. My cat got the hang of it quickly and it opens up straight away when they are close to it. We use the pet safe microchip cat flap.

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/9181559?istCompanyId=a74d8886-5df9-4baa-b776-166b3bf9111c&istFeedId=30f62ea9-9626-4cac-97c8-9ff3921f8558&istItemId=ixilqqtrw&istBid=t&&cmpid=GS001&$ja=tsid:59157%7Cacid:278-707-7346%7Ccid:20213315256%7Cagid:%7Ctid:%7Ccrid:%7Cnw:x%7Crnd:3585442324896314841%7Cdvc:m%7Cadp:%7Cmt:%7Cloc:1006458&utmmsource=Google&utmmedium=cpc&utmmcampaign=20213315256&utmterm=9181559&utmmcontent=shopping&utmcustom1=&utmmcustom2=278-707-7346&gbraid=0AAAAAD9II9kXoAuJrItaXDB3KoFuXYdBl&gclid=EAIaIQobChMImZSBzp-1gAMVYYpQBh3xuAK1EAQYASABEgIOfDD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

How is she with the other cat ? My female cat had a male friend that would come in

Trollop 😉

Definitely not friends to go by all this hissing and growling! She peed all over the floor by the door too (not that it deterred the other cat).

Unfortunately can't fit one of those catflaps. We have an awkward door with glass panels and DH had a lot of trouble fitting the smallest catflap - had to carve out a section of the door and fit it in. I'm wondering if it might be better to put her in a cattery while we're away, although she would hate it.

Lol

Also discovered we can't lock it as she has broken the catch charging through the cat flap at speed 🙄

You can have cat flaps fitted in glass, but you will need a new glass panel fitted with the hole for the flap already made. We have had this done and a microchip cat flap installed and it's the best thing. No other cats getting in at all.

Yes we have glass French doors and they cut new glass then fitted the flap. Not cheap but excellent for what you want. We still have the old glass if we ever decide to sell, we can just put it back.