# cat flap or no cat flap?



## catface (Jul 19, 2010)

Hi

I'm getting a rescue can soon, and starting to get things ready for the arrival. Thing is - we don't have a cat flap, and our landlord doesn't want us to put one in.

The shelter says that as long as she has access to outside shelter - which she does (nice big open shed) - that will be fine. 

What are others experiences - can you manage without a cat flap? She'll be out during the day when we're at work, and in in the evenings and at night.

Cheers


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## hobbs2004 (Mar 12, 2010)

catface said:


> Hi
> 
> I'm getting a rescue *can *soon, and starting to get things ready for the arrival. Thing is - we don't have a cat flap, and our landlord doesn't want us to put one in.
> 
> ...


First I hear that cans need access to catflaps 

Personally, I would prefer my cat to have access to the house when she is out, not just find shelter in a shed. But that is my preference. I am sure others will be along soon to give your the different view.


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## Chez87 (Aug 11, 2010)

I don't have a cat flap and we get along fine. I would like one ideally, but it is not my house (we rent from my OH's dad) and also, there are two doors we'd need to put cat flaps on, as there are two doors to get from kitchen to garden. My cat jumps on the windowsill and bangs on the window with her paw when she wants to come in.

Obviously if I'm out, and she's out in the day, it's not great, as if something happened, she wouldn't be able to get in.  She generally is out half the time. The arrangement so far has worked fine for us, but we live in a relatively quiet area, so I'm hoping it stays that way and nothing bad ever happens!


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## catface (Jul 19, 2010)

Sorry  I meant cat!!

It would be my preference too - but unfortunately that doesn't really matter! I know it's not ideal; but is it sufficient I guess is what I'm asking?


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## catface (Jul 19, 2010)

Thanks for that! So when I'm at work would it be ok for her to be out all day? Or would it be best for her to be in? I guess it depends on her preference/temperament when she gets here?


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## Paddypaws (May 4, 2010)

Hmm....Personally I would not be happy without ensuring access 24/7 for all my cats....it's not just an issue in the day time...what if she does not come in at the right time in the evening? Will she have to be locked out all night?
TBH, NOT having a cat flap is a right PIA!
My parents have had plenty of cats over the years and have never had a cat flap, many of the cats prefer sleeping in the cozy beds provided in the sheds than the house! But they have 'specialised' in anti social cats so it kind of works. Well, if you count getting up out of bed at 5am to let various cats in/out as working.
Is there no way to make an arrangement to replace the door/panel when you move out so that a flap can be fitted meanwhile?


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## catface (Jul 19, 2010)

Don't think so - the landlord sounded fairly sure that he didn't want the door massively tampered with


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## Lulu's owner (May 1, 2009)

On the issue of catflap versus no catflap (separate from whether your cat stays outside all day, which personally I would feel unhappy about with my own cats) a lot depends on the cat's own personality. A happy, outgoing cat will be glad to have a flap, but a shy, nervous one can be worried by the home having this opening that is vulnerable to intruders (especially if there are any aggressive toms around). There are high tech solutions available that only let your own cat into the house of course, and maybe they can solve this problem, but I have only had experience of low tech catflaps myself.

One slight drawback of catflaps, by the way, is that they let terrible draughts into your home, so it's worth taking that into consideration when deciding on its position when you are able to have one.


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## tyrole (May 5, 2009)

We have no catflap and manage. Spend most of the evening with the backdoor open brrrrrrrrrrrrrr freezing :lol: I don't even shut the door when Max is out the garden.
What hours do you work?


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## Merenwenrago (Sep 5, 2010)

i dont have catflaps my cats, go outside/inside through the small gap in the windows


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## catface (Jul 19, 2010)

I am out between 8 - 5.30  

Thanks for all the advice!! Very helpful


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## Colette (Jan 2, 2010)

I won't tell you its wrong, each to their own - but personally I would never leave a cat shut outside all day every day. 
There are so many potential things that could go wrong - from the minor (its cold and wet and the cat has to hide under a car all day) to the more serious (trying to escape a dog or fox / fireworks terrifying the cat etc).

I think not having a cat flap is less of an issue if the cat is only going to be let out for short periods when the owner is in (eg an hour or two in the evening) or if there is someone at home so a door or window can be left open, or at least opened on demand if the cat wants in.

Would you consider keeping the cat as a mostly indoor cat - ie shut int he house while you're at work, with access to appropriate toys, litter tray etc. but then letting her out when you are there to let her in, say evenings and weekends? This might give her the best of both worlds.

But all day? With NO access to safety / protection from the elements / comfort? Sorry, no offense to anyone but it doesn't sit right with me.


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## Chez87 (Aug 11, 2010)

Yeah I must say its a bit different for me as I go to uni and work part time, so it's rare that I'm out for a whole day. And if I am, my OH or housemate will be around. Annie normally likes to be out in the evening when I'm home anyway, as she sleeps through the day. And I get her in every night before I go to bed.


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## Yatti (Aug 30, 2010)

I'd say no cat flap. Why? Imagine letting a dog out all day, completely and utterly unsupervised with easy access to roads, various toxins, predators and thugs. It's generally regarded that you wouldn't do this to a dog, so why do it to a kitty? 

In my opinion, I'd spend the money on saving for an outdoor habitat for your kitty, or train her/him to walk on a leash. The most important thing for a cat is mental stimulation, which gives you more chance to interact with her/him. The activity comes along with playtime.


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## catface (Jul 19, 2010)

one idea is to leave the door to the shed (next to the house) slightly ajar - and inside have her bed, food and water, so that she has got somewhere to shelter if no one is about. Does this sound like a good compromise?


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## Lulu's owner (May 1, 2009)

catface said:


> one idea is to leave the door to the shed (next to the house) slightly ajar - and inside have her bed, food and water, so that she has got somewhere to shelter if no one is about. Does this sound like a good compromise?


A lot depends on where you live, too. How close to roads are you? Cats that are left to their own devices tend to go off wandering looking for company.


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## catface (Jul 19, 2010)

I live in the countryside - very rural, next to one road - not that busy though


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## hobbs2004 (Mar 12, 2010)

Perhaps paradoxically but these are the roads that can be more dangerous to cats as their lack of traffic lulls them into a false sense of security. At least i remember a few people saying that including someone from the CP.


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## Chez87 (Aug 11, 2010)

Also, country roads tend to be the ones that cars speed along.


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## NicoleW (Aug 28, 2010)

If you can afford it, you can simple buy a backdoor and put it in yourself. Take the one that's on now and store it, so when you move you can simply switch them back and take a door with a catflap into your new house 

I was in B & Q the other day and had a look at some lovely back doors, £500 range but they were very elegant looking so a bit pricey.


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## NicoleW (Aug 28, 2010)

There's a pretty nice one in B & Q for £189.99


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## ChatterPuss (Sep 4, 2010)

Paddypaws said:


> Hmm....Personally I would not be happy without ensuring access 24/7 for all my cats....it's not just an issue in the day time...what if she does not come in at the right time in the evening? Will she have to be locked out all night?
> TBH, NOT having a cat flap is a right PIA!
> My parents have had plenty of cats over the years and have never had a cat flap, many of the cats prefer sleeping in the cozy beds provided in the sheds than the house! But they have 'specialised' in anti social cats so it kind of works. Well, if you count getting up out of bed at 5am to let various cats in/out as working.
> Is there no way to make an arrangement to replace the door/panel when you move out so that a flap can be fitted meanwhile?


This is the particular problem we are having at the moment. We adopted a cat 5 weeks ago ...correction..she adopted us and arrived as a stray. During the day she stays out all day while we are at work and is waiting for me when we get home. She has her tea and then goes off again for a couple of hours but comes 'home' again to go to bed in the house each night.

I don't particularly like leaving her out all day as at a weekend when we are home she does come back several times during the day and seems to stay around longer when she knows we are in and she has access tot he house.
We are going on holiday in a couple of weeks and our first task when we get back is to fit her a cat flap. As it is getting colder I don't want to keep leaving my back door open waiting for her to come home and the other night I had to wait up for her, despite being very tired as I did not want to shut her out all night :thumbup:


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## catface (Jul 19, 2010)

Thank you everyone for your advice and thoughts - all very helpful! It encouraged me to have another chat with my landlord, and after some negotiating - HE SAID YES!!!!! :thumbup: :thumbup: 

So pleased!! This is the icing on the cake and will mean our new little rescue cat will have a lovely new life with us! Picking her up next week - v. excited!!


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## Lulu's owner (May 1, 2009)

catface said:


> Thank you everyone for your advice and thoughts - all very helpful! It encouraged me to have another chat with my landlord, and after some negotiating - HE SAID YES!!!!! :thumbup: :thumbup:
> 
> So pleased!! This is the icing on the cake and will mean our new little rescue cat will have a lovely new life with us! Picking her up next week - v. excited!!


That's good news about the catflap. There are so many to choose from! I've always gone for the basic manual ones, and I like the four-way flaps best, but I've never tried the others and I'm sure they're great in situations where you've got other people's cats trying to get in as well. Some of the new electronic flaps that are programmed to your cat's microchip sound fantastic for a cat that doesn't wear a collar or is forever losing theirs because there's no collar needed of course.


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## Colette (Jan 2, 2010)

That's great news - it will make life so much easier for you!
:thumbup:
Have you had any thought about what type you want? Personally I like the ones that read microchips so only your cat can get in - but they are the most pricey.

Enjoy your new furbaby.


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## jenny armour (Feb 28, 2010)

i personally have indoor cats that have access to a large run via a dog flap (hence big cats), but if i had cats that went out i would prefer a cat flap. someone i knew had a rescued cat and the lady's son didnt think it was a good idea for the cat to be going in and out all day. she only had him a few months when he was run over. you always think if that had been able to get in if he was out at night that it might not have happened. if you cant have a flap then i would suggest you have a litter tray down for him at night


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