How to train your cat to use a cat flap

[SoftKittyBazinga]

Can anyone remind me how to teach a cat to use a cat flap? 15 years ago I was successful. This time round the kittens are not going for it despite dreamies being thrown around at the entrance in quantities like ecstasy at a 90s rave.

But nooooo. They still prefer to stare at the door until I open it! 🤷‍♀️

one cat will go through…if I hold the flap open. If anyone has any tips to speed up the process that would be amazing 😻

Push them through a few times then prop it open for a while. Clothes pegs work quite well if you put them at the hinges to keep it open.

I'm having the same problem. Only one of them sussed it. Bloody animals!

I shall try the clothes pegs method!

Shove them through, they get it quickly enough after that 😂

I had it open for a few days. Then once they were happily using to space I closed it and went out for the day and they obviously wanted out enough to work it out.

Once they get used to going through with it propped open you can close it. Then you’ll spend some time saying “push it….push it with your nose… push it with your nose…JUST PUSH IT WITH YOUR NOSE…” until they finally struggle through.

Try a higher-value treat than Dreamies - we had to use steak to get our old boy through our new cat flap that had a tunnel up to it 😸

All my cats (six in total over the years), all went through after I pushed them through a couple of times, then went outside and pushed them back in again. Even the dimmest cats and there were two of them, managed to go in and out with no problem within a very short time.

I pushed them through a few times and then propped it open.

We're still half way through the training process as I let them out then prop it open for them to come back in.

Two if the three can now use it to go out when it's propped open.

Unfortunately it sticks a bit when not propped open so I need to fix that and then try to work out how to train them to push it.

Thanks! I can push one through. The other starfishes if you try. I will prop it open and see if that helps!