# Teaching my Cat to use a Cat Flap



## HighlandQuine (Mar 23, 2009)

Hi, I wonder if anyone has any advice?

We have two cats, one 12 1/2 and one who's 4, both female. The oldest one we've had since she was a kitten and the younger one we've had for nearly a year, she's a rescue cat. They're both indoor cats, always have been and are quite happy with that.

About 10 weeks ago we got puppy, he's almost 7 months now and a big boy (weighs in at over 3 stone already!) and we're having real problems trying to teach him not to chase after the girls, an ongoing and long battle! Anyway, we got a couple of gates with built in cat flaps so that the girls have a safe place to go where he can't get to them and also one for the room where their litter trays are.

The younger one has not got a clue how to use the flap. We've tried opening it, showing her it moves, putting her in and out but to no avail. If we put her in the room to use her tray she'll stand in there and cry until we go and get her instead of coming back out. If she needs to go and we're not there to put her through or open the gate she'll go and pee somewhere else.

I'm really at a loss as to how to teach her that she can go through the cat flap and I'd be really grateful if anyone 's got any tips or hints that might help.

Thanks


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## Lavenderb (Jan 27, 2009)

Have you tried putting her at one side of the flap and you stay at other side and hold a piece of ham or meat and see if the smell is enough to tempt her through.


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## HighlandQuine (Mar 23, 2009)

Yeah, we've tried that, she just doesn't move. We're honestly at a loss as to what to do.


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## Lavenderb (Jan 27, 2009)

How about propping the cat flap open for a while so the cat can see the opening and hopefully walk through. Then you could gradually lower it until closed.


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## HighlandQuine (Mar 23, 2009)

We've tried that as well, she just sits and looks at it! 

Honestly, she's not the sharpest tool in the box this one, but she's adorable and we love her to bits!


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## Lavenderb (Jan 27, 2009)

So the other cat uses it ok?
Is the little one strong enough to push it open. I'm stuck with anything else to suggest apart from showing the cat the cat flap instruction manual lol.


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## HighlandQuine (Mar 23, 2009)

LOL! I think we might have to do that! 

Yeah, the older one uses it fine, no problems at all, she's a smart lady though, but this little one is something else. 

Thanks for the suggestions though, much appreciated!


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## Janee (May 4, 2008)

I have sort of the same problem as you. Two of my cats are fine but my semi feral (who isn't chipped) does NOT use the cat flap.

It hasn't caused a problem TBH. But s/he shows the same behaviour as your cat. Just sits in front of it and waits for the door to be opened. If you hold the cat flap open for he/r s/he will jump through.

So I wonder whether it is just a matter of adjusting to the slowest (which is a nuisance seeing as your other 2 have got the hang of it quickly). 

You may have to fix it open for a week or more. Use the treat method to get her to go through the open flap each way so that she knows that is good to do. Then when you release it make sure you will have a day to devote to getting that cat through. You will have to be there to encourage with a treat every time she wants to go through.

Encourage with treats.


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## HighlandQuine (Mar 23, 2009)

Thanks for your reply. 

We've went back to tieing the door open again and are just on the lookout for her as much as we can be so if we think she might want to go in we're right on it and trying to encourage her to go through. This'll be a work in progress I think!


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## Toots (Jun 13, 2009)

Hiya,

I have a bit of a dilemma....I recently had a cat flap fitted about a week ago. My cat has (just about) mastered using it to go OUT, however, she's not keen on using it to come back IN. She HAS been successful when I've held the flap open for her and she's then happy to walk through the tunnel (its fitted in a wall), but she's not mastered actually going through the tunnel herself and nudging the flap at the other end to get in.

Any suggestions?


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## Janee (May 4, 2008)

Devote several hours with a bag of treats.


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## bichonsrus (May 16, 2009)

Stop opening it for them , they will soon learn lol. When i had a cat flap and was teaching dogs and cats to go through, the cat would only go out if we opened it and vice versa so next time she went out and wanted to get back in i DIDNT OPEN IT FOR HER she was there sitting looking at it for about half an hour then she let herself in, cats are very clever dont forget that lol and they love people doing things for them if they can get away with it lol.


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## Marcel (May 25, 2009)

Cats are very clever,mine soon taught me how to open the window for them !!!!!

Sorry I can't be any more help to you


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## Toots (Jun 13, 2009)

UPDATE: Spent practically the WHOLE weekend on hands and knees and waving bits of chicken.....we have progress......she now goes INTO the tunnel at least voluntarily......I think storms are forecast for tonight so maybe tonight's the night she'll actually come in on her own accord!!!!!

Thanks for all your posts.....extremely helpful.


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## clementineanicet (Nov 22, 2011)

Have you sorted out the problem?
My cat use the catflap to go out but not to come back! i don t know what to do!

Any idea how I can teach him?

Catcuddles Cat Sanctuary


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## Eleni17 (Mar 5, 2013)

Hi, we've just fitted a new cat flap that recognises the micfrochip hoping that our cat will feel less stressed. We've had to disable that function and simply have it as a normal cat flap 'cos our cat is so freaked. So far he's going out but won't come back in again......just stays outside mewing and crying. I notice that your cat wouldn't come back in again. What did you do please? any tips?


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## Toots (Jun 13, 2009)

Eleni17 said:


> Hi, we've just fitted a new cat flap that recognises the micfrochip hoping that our cat will feel less stressed. We've had to disable that function and simply have it as a normal cat flap 'cos our cat is so freaked. So far he's going out but won't come back in again......just stays outside mewing and crying. I notice that your cat wouldn't come back in again. What did you do please? any tips?


Perseverance I think is the solution.

Mine took a while to get the hang of coming back in - going out was fine. I would just let them learn their own way...

I remember going to work one day and the cat was out. I came home in the evening and was so overjoyed to see her food had been eaten and she was sleeping on my bed so I KNEW she had FINALLY cottoned on how to use it to get back in!

Good luck and let us know how you get on!


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## wellsandmittens (May 29, 2011)

Our cats, after at least 2 and a half years of daily cat flap use, will still pretend they don't know how and try to get us to open the door. It helps a lot if you're not around so they know they don't have an option!


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