cat flap problems

Grainne

my 1.5 year old cat is refusing to use her flap. my other tabby mastered it a young age but i've tried everything to to get my younger cat to use it but its not working. any suggestions? she'll use it if i keep it held open with tape and she'll jump in and out. obviously this is fine during the summer months but not possible during the winter. i've tried pushing her through it but she just can't get the knack of pushing the flap open with her nose or paws. really want her to have the freedom to come and go during the day as she pleases ....... any help would be appreicated.

BlackCat2008

Is the door translucent maybe she just likes to see were she's going, cats don't like surprises.

All cats like to make their own decisions and like a child the more you say broccoli is healthy the more they'll resist it, when the other one is a sleep leave something smelly(roast chicken form Sunday still warm) on the other side of the door and allow her to go get it her self.

Don't force her she'll only resist trust me on that one, the more I push them into their litter trays the more I have to clean the floors.

She'll get the hang of it when she see's a bird out side and wants to get it, don't open the door for her, if she wants the bird she's already know how to get out by now but will still see how far she can push you to open the entire door.

Good luck.

mymo

I found that If I let mine out hungry, then taped a piece of card so there's just a tiny gap, and open some really delicious(smelly) food and leave about a foot from flap then walk out of view. Wait patiently and when they're hungry they will give up bawling and make there own way in. (Don't forget to remove card after) Getting them one of them to use it to go out took longer. My daughter cracked that one with toys just outside flap. But eventually it worked. Although they will still wait for me to open the door if they can see me:rolleyes:
Don't force it, cats are stubborn.

mymo

Forgot to ask, is it a magnetic flap as sometimes key doesn't hang right on collar and they can't open flap.

christinadublin

Had two cats a few years ago, the youngest about 1 year. Got them a kennel for the backgarden with a flap on it. The youngest figured out how to use it straight away but the older one it took about 2 months. He will eventually figure out how to use it but it just takes time and patience.
Hang in there.

Jack B. Badd

On a related note, does anyone know how to train a cat to use a cat flap on a covered litter tray? Our cat has no problem using the tray when the flap is off but will just keep batting it ineffectually when on. She'll hit it with her paws but has serious issues with putting her head near it. She finally used the tray yesterday when I held the flap open for her. I let the flap close while she was using the tray and then she just sat inside making no effort to come out until I opened it again... I don't think food is going to work as enticement for a litter tray unfortunately. Oh, and I've already tried the "just push her inside" method advocated on another forum - it doesn't work and I don't want to scare her by forcing her.

carwash_2006

I don't tend to bother with the flaps on the litter trays. I just leave them off, I know it whiffs a bit more, but if it's whiffing just clean it out.

If you use a litter that you can scoop just the dirty parts it makes it so easy. I use the Worlds Best Cat Litter, it is a safe clumping litter, I don't recommend the clay clumping - if you want to see why there is a thread further back in this forum somewhere that goes into clay clumping litter. Some people also use chick crumb, it doesn't clump as solidly as the worlds best litter but it's a lot cheaper *groan* :pac: