Getting a timid cat to use a cat flap

[Ineedaholidayyyy]

I have 2 cats ,both rescued from a cat rescue about 2 years ago. One of them was rescued from the streets as a young kitten, so he's always been an outdoor cat.

I've recently had a cat flap fitted as he spends all night outside and I hate the thought of him being cold outside for a full night, he's always waiting to come back inside every morning, he then stays inside for the majority of the day. I've tried to stop him going out at night, but he will just cry at the doors for hours and I feel cruel.

He's quite a timid cat in nature, and he's scared of the new flap. I've tried putting treats in there, food etc to entice him, but he won't go through it. Do I just hope that in time he will figure it out and get comfortable with using it?

Does the flap open into an exposed area as cats don’t like that? Especially when going outside. It’s good to have a wall or some form of coverage to at least one side.

I have a total eejit of a cat who is rubbish with cat flaps and I’ve spent hours shoving him through them. He eventually got the idea but he still has days when he just sits bashing the cat flap and I end up opening the door to let him in…

Is it for him to come in, have you tried leaving it open, putting treats down inside, pushing him through the flap.

It is fitted into a door rather than a wall, there is a slight bit of coverage , but not much so it may feel exposed to him. I've only been fitted recently but ideally I need them to be using properly by Christmas day as I'll be out of the house all day.

I've got 2 cats, the other one won't willingly go through yet but I can push him through fine, however the timid one just won't entertain it at all. I'm worried if I keep trying to push him through I'll make things worse .

Ours are ex garden cats so never used a catflap till we got them and it has the loud click when it activates the microchip lock.

Surprisingly our male who is an utter wimp sails through it like Pegasus. "CLICK and I'm gone"
We let them out through the door to begin with and they just cottoned on Certainly not the type of cats you could bundle through a door.
Bribery was key

Interesting. Would it help to put a pot plant or something next to it, at least for a while to get him started, do you think?

I know it's cold but I would suggest tying it open during the day. If they can be persuaded to go back and forward through the hole they will get used to the click. And yes a large plant pot on either side will make it feel more protected

Surprisingly the clicking sound doesn't seem to bother him. I tried keeping it open with string this morning but it was far too cold to leave it exposed for long periods. Had to let him in through the door normally this morning as he point blank refused.

However we've seem to have had a bit of breakthrough this evening, he's gone through it with a gentle nudge and treat on the other side , so hopefully we will get there!

Dreamies worked with my dopey boy. Had to leave it open first though to get him used to it

I propped open the cat flap for a while and also demonstrated how to go through it to the cat, using a fluffy toy cat. Thankfully my garden is not overlooked 🤣

I used a high reward treat -chicken - to teach my cat to use the cat flap. I went outside with it and my son was inside with her. When she came out had take the chicken off me, my son coaxed her back through with some more. She got used to it after about four goes like that.

The other thing to remember is that some completely capable and confident cat flap users don't see why they should if staff are available to open the door. You may find they will do it when you aren't there.

Agree with this, will he use it if you are out ? Mine will happily go in and out of the cat flap all night but will sit and yowl loudly at the patio doors ( next to the cat flap) to be let in again once he knows I’m up and about or in the kitchen.

Yeah good point about the staff haha, why should they use it when I'm there to let them in and out all day 😆 I work from home, so they've not really had the opportunity yet to use it whilst I'm out for an extended period.

We've had a bit of progress . Interestingly the timid one of the two is now using the flap to get out, but he hasn't figured how to get back in yet! I have to hold the flap open and he will happily come through it, I'm sure in time he'll figure out he just needs to push the flap with his head.

My other cat is just being stubborn ans he's trying any trick he can to not use it .

If we are in the kitchen he puts his head into the cat flap to make it click and expects the door to be opened and to be let in same going out. Funnily enough if we aren’t around he is very good with the cat flap.