# Cat + Doesn't Understand To Push Flap = Won't Go Through Cat Flap. Help!!



## BettyP1 (Sep 14, 2019)

Dear all wondered if you could help?

I have purchased a microchip cat flap and currently training my one year old rescue cat to go through. I've wedged it inside my slidey conservatory door at the moment. Very soon to be installed in glass back door.

I don't think my cat has ever been through a proper door cat flap. But she has no problem going through a partially open flap in her litter box.

She'll go through the microchip flap if held open for her, but when it's shut she looks through and does not understand how to push to open door.

It's an expensive window at the moment.

I've been at this for hours and it feels like a lifetime.

I've tried the following:

-Encourging through with treats / putting my arms / hands through
-Calling her
-Tough love
-Nice food other side
-Two people both sides of flap doing all of above
-Laser pointer trail (also with 2 people)
-Treat trail
-Held it partially open with blue tac.
Etc.

What else can I do, time is running out?!

Many thanks
Betty


----------



## TriTri (Oct 31, 2017)

Hi @BettyP1 
I wouldn't worry too much just yet as it would be extremely unusual for a cat to not be able to use a cat flap. As it's in a temporary position, does it feel secure? Could she be thinking it doesn't feel secure in place? I would start by doing this....with 2 pegs to hold it open and leave her to it for a while. Place a bowl of food the other side and ignore her and wait, or call her very enthusiastically, calling her name and praising her when she gets close. I suspect she will use it with the pegs holding it open and it will save you having to sit there waiting while you hold it open. Once she has used it like that half a dozen times, I would remove the pegs. Hopefully by this time, she will have seen the benefits of using the cat flap and think to push the door by herself. In the unlikely event she still hasn't pushed the door open herself, can you hold her and gently push her through? Just as her head approaches the door, push it with two fingers, almost as if you don't want her to know you are doing the opening and not her. If once doesn't do it, try it again and again. 
My Aunty has a rescue cat that once hurt herself trying to use the new cat flap when unknown to the cat, my Aunty had locked it! She wouldn't use it after that. I suppose there's a slight chance that may have happened to your dear cat in the past, but probably not!


----------



## buffie (May 31, 2010)

BettyP1 said:


> Dear all wondered if you could help?
> 
> I have purchased a microchip cat flap and currently training my one year old rescue cat to go through. I've wedged it inside my slidey conservatory door at the moment. Very soon to be installed in glass back door.
> 
> ...


Why is time running out ?  
Some cats will grasp the idea quickly others may take days/weeks to work it out , some never do.


----------



## LJC675 (Apr 24, 2017)

You may find that the magnet at the bottom is too strong at first, or the clicking noise puts her off. With my 2 after the keep it held open phase, I removed the magnet (did have to dig it out), well it was either the magnet or the other metal bit so they could push it easily. Then put it back after they got the hang of it. The magnet is actually really quite strong and needs a good push, which if a cat doesn't know how to open a flap will be offputting as they won't get the result they want when they 1st start pushing against it.
Also, are you trying it active, i.e. so the chip activates the lock, or with it turned off and set so that it will freely open, if you do this it won't click.
So a combination of no magnet and turned off makes it much easier for them to learn to push it open.


----------



## Calvine (Aug 20, 2012)

buffie said:


> some never do.


True: I feed two cats for a friend of mine and for two years now he has had the cat flap held open as neither of them will use it. I tried for about ten days while he was on holiday and they simply refused, both of them. I used to have an old cat flap which was grey plastic and thought life would be better for them if I got a transparent one. It took my ginger boy a good couple of weeks to work it out!! I would go into the kitchen and see this tragic gormless ginger face staring thro' the flap at me and mouthing ''Let me in!'' - eventually it clicked but it took a while.


----------



## ameliajane (Mar 26, 2011)

I've taught lots of cats to use cat flaps and I can't bear to see them confused and stressed and struggling so these are my two favourite easy (if slightly time consuming) methods.

Method 1. Disable the magnets and any microchip devices. Use a piece of tape to hold the flap fully open so the cat gets used to the concept of going in and out through the hole without having to push anything.

Once the cat is totally confident with this use tape or a pencil to prop the door _almost _fully open with flap held up away from the side the cat is on in the same manner the flap would open if the cat were using it normally. This means each time the cat goes through you have to fix the flap the opposite way to allow the cat back through.

Very gradually lower the flap in stages so the cat gradually learns to push a little against the flap in order get through. If this is done in very small increments the cat should have the confidence to experiment with pawing and pushing at the fully closed flap by the time you reach that stage. Help them out initially by pushing open the cat flap a tiny bit whenever they paw or push at it. Don't re-engage magnets/microchips until the cat is fully confident with using the cat flap.

Method 2. Remove the entire cat flap altogether and replace it (temporarily) with a cardboard flap attached at the top with tape so that it swings back and forth just like the real flap will do. Make a very small flap to begin with with large gaps to the sides and at the bottom then gradually increase the size of the flap. Once it is full size weigh it down to make it harder to push by taping coins to it. Once the cat is confidently using the weighted cardboard flap put the proper cat flap system back with the magnets and any microchip devices deactivated and prop the door slightly open with a small ball or pencil stub until the cat is confident again.

Whiles away a dull afternoon...


----------



## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

@BettyP1 - IME a cat will not go through a cat flap unless they see a point to it. You say the cat flap is currently wedged inside your sliding conservatory door, so there is no actual need for the cat to go through it, he can jump over it if he wants to get in. So to him there is no logic to going through the small space.

I would first get your cat flap fitted in its permanent position on the back door, then you will have a far better chance of training your cat. I suggest doing as LJC675 said, while training him - turn off the locking mechanism, so the flap operates like an ordinary old fashioned type of cat flap.

If it was me I wouldn't remove the magnets because if one does then during training the cat may get used to not having to push the flap quite hard. Then when you put the magnets back in, the cat does not realise extra pressure is needed, and gives up trying because he thinks the flap is locked.


----------



## Mrs Funkin (Mar 12, 2018)

Heh, well Oscar will come in from being outside through his cat flap but will not go out through it. he needs his slaves to open the door to check that the weather is suitable first  

So I'm with Chillminx on this - there's no point him learning as he knows one of us will come and be his weather checker first.


----------



## Tawny75 (Sep 25, 2013)

It took my two a couple of days to really learn how to use it. Lily still paddles at it on the way out to get it to open. I tried teaching them before we had it fitted but like Chillminx they did not see the point of going through it until it was in the door.

They too did not like the click when their chip triggered the opening latch but they are used to it now and have no problems. All I can suggest is you keep persevering, we found Dreamies in the tube part really helped.


----------



## Calvine (Aug 20, 2012)

ameliajane said:


> Whiles away a dull afternoon.


:Cat:Cat:Cat:Cat:Hilarious:Hilarious
You obviously have the patience of Job!!


----------



## Charliesmum6 (May 24, 2019)

Hi everyone, any ideas on if these tricks work on an older cat? 
Charlie is 9 (we think) and we're fairly sure has never had a catflap, we got one installed and he's fine using it as long as it's ducttapped open...but today I've come downstairs to find another cat eating his food! Turns out for a large cat (siberian) he's a wuss and was too afraid to do anything. 
The problem is that he doesn't understand how to push against anything and doesn't use his paws to investigate things so he won't paw at the door or anything. He also cannot understand that he can push doors open.
Any ideas? He's been really weird the last week and I think we've found out why if this intruder is coming in daily 
Thanks


----------



## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

@Charliesmum6 - I am hoping the cat flap is microchipped because if not the neighbourhood cats will continue to come in and steal poor Charlie's food even when the flap is not taped open. 

I think Charlie should be able to learn how to use a chipped cat flap at his age. It may take a few weeks. I would start the training by putting the flap down and pushing him through the flap (as there is no lock on the inside when the cat goes out. Then start training him how to come back in through the flap by holding his face up to the flap so the scanner reads his microchip and releases the lock, then push him through. Keep doing it and reward him with praise and treats if he gets any part of it right. The penny will drop sooner or later.

He doesn't need to use his paws to open it, like he would have done with the old fashioned kind of non-chipped flap, he needs to push with his nose.


----------



## Hello Livie (Oct 19, 2019)

I feel your frustration! I have a microchip cat flap and three rescues. One of them got it in twenty minutes, the other took days/weeks of holding it open with elastic and over the days slowly lowering it more. I took one of the magnets out Incase it was too hard to push open and that helped. Once he’d got it I popped the magnet back in.

It’s a pain but it does get better. Promise xx


----------

