How do you manage a cat without a cat flap?

[LavenderLxx]

Question for those of you with no cat flap…

We have a nearly 2 year old cat. We have had him since he was 4 months old - neautered, vaccinated, microchipped. When we first started letting him out last year at about 7 months he happily just pottered around the garden and would come rushing straight back in when we shook the treats tin.

He is now nearly 2 and up until about a fortnight ago still only stayed in the garden. But then he finally discovered that he could jump on the brick BBQ and scale the fence! We tried to discourage this but quickly realised it was impossible so bought a tracker to keep an eye on him. He only goes into the neighbours gardens behind us and to either side. So far hasn’t made it as far as the road. But unlike when he was in the garden and he came back when we shook the treats tin he now ignores us!! The problem is we don’t have a cat flap and there is nowhere we can put one! Those of you with no cat flap are you just slaves to opening the door?! It’s been fine while the weather is nice and we’re at home just to have it open, but im
not sure what we do if we’re going out and he’s not coming back when we call! Do we just leave him out there! I know he’s a cat and he’ll probably be fine but I’m very anxious about him being out if we’re not home… Words of wisdom please!

If you've got a door, why can't you install a cat flap? You can even get them for glass doors now. If you really have to leave him out, get a small cat house that he can shelter in.

Had a cat for a decade, no cat flap. I'm just endlessly letting her in and out, but WFH, which helps!
I'd suggest installing a little shelter / hiding box where cat can go if they are done with adventures but no one's around to open the door. Ideally this is off the ground, feels cosy and safe, but is basically a cardboard box.

We’ve got glass bifold doors at the back that after spending that much money on DH is loath to put a cat flap in!

Yes but it's expensive!

We either leave a door or window open, or act as the cats' doorkeepers...

I have a small - don’t know what you’d call it - like a second roof around the downstairs so I leave my bedroom window open and they come and go through there - walking along the roof and round to the back

Placemarking as we are in similar situation. I don’t even like leaving the window open if we’re home as I’m worried he’ll bring in mice/birds.

I guess it’s all a learning curve and hoping he’ll learn! He’s our first pet and very much loved so I think I’m overthinking it! I can’t bear the thought of us needing to go out and him being left out thinking we’ve abandoned him!! (Yes I’ve turned into a mad cat lady! 🤪)

My cat went through the little window at the top of the kitchen - up on the counter, onto the windowsill, we then put a large bin and a cupboard beneath to make the downward jump easier (although cat often took a flying leap anyway).

Also cat had a little notch cut in the side door to our garage, and had a cat bed in there.

We do have a cat flap, but it’s broken, so now we just leave the door open for our new cat. Worth noting that our old cat used to use the cat flap as a door knocker anyway. Sigh. 🤣🤷🏼‍♀️

I was going to put a cat flap in bifold doors until I realised that it would stick out too far and get damaged when you opened the doors.

You have 3 options :

Install a cat flap;
Extend your cat slave duties to letting him in and out and in for the rest of the summer/your life;
‘Get him a little house for outside so he can have shelter if he gets stuck outside

No matter which option you choose you almost certainly will end up opening the door yourself; I’ve yet to meet a cat that will use their cat flap when there’s a perfectly good human available.

We don't have a cat flap - we have a utility between the kitchen door and back door so it would be fiddly to put one in. Our cat (and our previous cat) hops up at the kitchen window to come in. He doesn't get out overnight and is in if we're out at work all day. He goes to the door if he wants out, but tbh he has a pretty set routine in terms of when he likes to be outdoors and it's easy to predict when someone needs to act as doorkeeper. Our previous girl was the exact same, and I really do think cats are creatures of habit.

If he's out and we're heading out for a couple of hour it's a judgement call which doesn't always work out - last week I was WFH and went to go and do a parcel return at lunchtime, it was dry, and I knew I'd only be about 40 minutes, so I left him out. Both of us ended up very, very wet. I don't know who was more pissed off.

Is there another window you could put a catflap into? They can also be put through walls. I have a cat flap into my summerhouse as well.

I love this 😆 it’s such typical cat behaviour and one of the reasons I love them.

That’s a good idea. Almost like a cat kennel?

I’ve yet to meet a cat that will use their cat flap when there’s a perfectly good human available.

NBin this house at least, "available" apparently includes 4am if madam fancies a middle of the night pee 🙄

We gave ours a key, but he never used it, he still mewed outside the door or glared at us through the french windows.

Ha ha, I love the stories of cats not using their cat flaps anyway!!

My parents had beautiful (very expensive, wood franed, bi fold doors. They homed a couple of cats that needed them, despite not actually wanting the tie of pets again) . My dad had a cat flap installed at great expense (& ruined the look of the bifold - hugely wide to get the views) and then because it was too high off the ground (due to the wood surround) for one of the cats, built steps either side for her...

I ❤️ my Dad so much & miss him every day.

Never had a cat flap. They had to wait until we opened the door.

I let them in and out as they wish. They tend to appear at the doorway to my study like silent furry ninjas and bore holes in me with their eyes until I notice them and stop what I'm doing to let them out.🥷🐈‍⬛️

Or I leave the door open if it's nice and they come and go as they wish, or they climb out of the window.

I have thought about a cat flap (and will if/when I get a new job that isn't 4/5 days at home) but I have French doors so it will cost about £600.

Slave to opening the door a million times a day, so much so the hamdle snapped off - I kid you not. Can't fit a cat flap as renting.

Got him a fancy waterproof cat shelter, lined with insulating stuff and a blanket on the bottom. He ignored it and will sit at the back door in the rain instead.

I don't get it 🤷‍♀️

As he's young & new to it all, he might learn if he doesn't come when he's called he might not to be able to get in when he wants to!

shake the dreamies & rewards him when he comes home. Don't rush to open the door for him if you haven't calked him. When you go out, or at any other time shake the dreamies & reward him for coming to you (even in he's in the house) if he doesn't come he stays outside until you return. It's not winter he'll be fine.

they're not stupid. They'll learn things if it's in their best interest to do so.

unless you go away for days on end he's not going to think you've abandoned him!

One of ours worked out how to turn the knob that locked it. We couldn't work out how he was getting out, until we found toothmarks on the knob!