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!

??

maybe look at other cat flaps? Or putting it in a different position? It wasn't an issue at all.

We had cats for 26-27 years, (last one died a few months ago,) and we always just cut a catflap sized hole (for the catflap) as we had wooden doors. When we moved into this house, (about a decade ago,) we had big sturdy UPvc doors. I thought 'how on earth can we drill into an £800 door to fit a chuffing cat flap?!'

Luckily we have a little panel at the side of the front door that's below a little window at the side of the front door, so we got a UPvc window and door fitter to come and take it out, drill a catflap sized hole, pop the cat flap in, and put it back, then seal around it... 11 years later it's still there. Still solid, still sealed well.

Sort of like on this pic. Could this be an option? On any of the outside doors? Are there any doors or panels that could come out, have a catflap put it and be popped back?

Our cats always used their catflaps, but not when the back door was open. They just came in through there. When it was nice and warm and we had the windows open, they'd hop onto a garden chair and come in through the windows. You could leave a window open for them to come in and out (at the back where it's more secure, if you are enclosed,) but only when you're in the house of course!

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This. We got a little shed from Tiger sheds. You can put a fluffy blanket in it and it's very cosy.

You can also cat proof your fences and contain him within the garden if you don't want him roaming. If you don't want to do that then you need to accept the risk that he may be hit by a car.

That's true too!

they'd both meow for you to open the door if someone was home 🐱 (& were persistent!) but happily used it when no one was in.

I can still hear my dad 'bloody hell cat use the bloody luxury cat door!' (As he further rewarded it by making a big fuss of it!!!💕)

(Good men should not die young 😢 life is unfair)

6 cats here and no cat flap. I'm just a full time doormum.

I do have a small kennel on the patio that up to 3 can shelter in if needed
In fairness, outside of summer, they have pretty regular indoor and outdoor hours that they dictate, obviously. 😂

I’m still at the the stage that they stay in the garden thankfully. My two are rescues since 5 months and the same age as your one. But one of them is thinking about going further. But they are still terrified of other humans. I currently open door take them out, bring them in, we have no cat flap either.

when I get to another stage I have a shed where I can make up a bed for them or the garage and I’ve got space for a little shelter. I planned all of this for pets before I rescued them.

I have x2 Cats one uses the Cat flap the other will only go through when it's wedged open.
I can't prop it open all day so she knows to sit by a door, we let her out and she sits in the garden to be let in at night. They get into a habit, I do leave a litter tray out at night but she only uses in desperation.
My chum leaves a small window open for her Cat, it's used like a Cat flap.

I have a cat flap, supposedly one that responds to a microchip but that bit doesn’t work any more. I also have a cat who loves outside and loves it so much he wants to bring it inside to show me. Rats, mice, alive, dead, he thinks I am interested. So now the catflap is locked and he has to ask demand that the door is opened. His response to this is to be in and out every five minutes. It makes visitors laugh as I leap up to attend to his needs but rather than than rats in my tea towel drawer again.

Also a slave to opening the door repeatedly. Ours only go out during my WFH days (x3) and weekends. I would be interested to know how to cat proof a fence. They’re 7 months old and have already literally clambered up the 6’ high fence, wobbled along the top and hopped down onto next doors compost bin.

We leave the kitchen window open on the latch while we’re out.

He will whinge until we let him out but we leave the greenhouse door ajar in the colder months and wide open in the summer so he goes in there. That's when he is not giving the neighbours his Oliver Twist look. He's in at around 6pm for food and in all night.

And I assume ours is not the only cat who, on discovering it's raining outside the front door, will then ask to be let out the back instead....

Slave to the door here as well. We got a little house from Amazon that he sits in if he's abandoned outside for too long.

What will you do with him when you go away? I used to cat sit for a neighbour who didn't have a cat flap and it was a right pain. I worried about her cats all day when I was out - and when I was home, spent so much time popping next door to see if they wanted to go out or come in. Yes I am a soft touch but also an animal lover.

I think a cat flap is an essential bit of kit for an outdoor cat. If it's really not possible (what about other doors or windows?) maybe you have a shed, garage, summerhouse or porch you could put a cat flap into, so he can use that if he wants to sleep / shelter when you're not home?

We leave a window open all year round so they can access the garden. We have never had a cat flap.

You can put cat flaps through a wall. We have bifolds and didn't want the cat flap on the front door. Dh did a cat flap through the wall and into the utility.

We have a cat flap we are still slaves to the door as they can only get into the porch. They prefer to exit and enter from every other door/window in the house…

My sister has a perfectly good cat flap but one of her cats much preferred a flying leap from a low roof and through the open bathroom window.

It was quite alarming if you were on the toilet to be fair.

InsTall a flap! Otherwise you can’t go out for the day etc/risk him being left out all night. Just put it in the front door if you’re worried about bifold

I just open the door. If he's out I don't wait around for him, he just has to wait outside until it's convenient for me to let him in.

Yep, alongside my regular WFH gig I am also a full time cat concierge. We have a bench next to the back door so he can hop on there, pop his fat head into the window and give his instructions. We also have a perfect little cat annexe. It’s a fully insulated cat house and has some of the wool from our Katkin delivery inside to keep him cosy during the times he refuses to come in when asked.

It’s much cheaper to put a cat flap through a wall. We managed without for 5yrs but finally caved as it was ruling our lives letting them in and out and trying to find them when we were leaving the house! Highly recommend - it’s life changing for everyone and our cats are so happy with it!

You can put one in a wall sometimes, maybe look into that

You’re way over thinking it. Cats are their own boss, you’ll always be their slave 😂. As long as he’s neutered he shouldn’t wander. We’ve never had a cat flap, they can just hear when you’re home and come back when they want to. Sometimes I leave a window open but not often as he will bring stuff in. But when he does want to come in he just jumps on the window ledge.

Door slave here. If the weather is good I leave the kitchen window open for him. That's his preferred way to go in and out.
If the weather isn't good he doesn't want to go out.