Introducing Your Cat to a Cat Flap

If your cat likes regular access to a garden and the outdoors, having a cat flap is very useful. It means that your cat will be able to go outside when it needs to, even if you are out. This can be beneficial for some cats who love coming and going as they please without running the risk of being trapped indoors or outdoors! However, some cats are wary of using a cat flap.  Here are some tried and true methods that'll help make cat flap training a breeze.

Top tip

Before introducing your cat to the cat flap, it’s important to make sure that your cat is settled into your home and introduced to the outside.

How to introduce your cat to the cat flap

Step 1:  Play with your cat near the cat flap, and let your cat sniff around it. This will be the first sign to your feline friend that there’s nothing to be afraid of.

Step 2: When your cat seems calm and happy near this new object, you can begin training. Start by holding the cat flap open - some can be held temporarily with a clothes peg and place treats near the opening.

Step 3: Once your cat is happy eating near the cat flap, place some treats on the bottom lip of the flap.

Step 4: Head outside, leaving your cat inside. Place more treats on the bottom lip, and then put treats right outside the cat flap, too. Call your cat and gently encourage them to step through the flap. It helps not to be right outside the opening of the flap - your cat will want to see where they’re stepping!

Step 5: Once your cat is outdoors, praise them and give them more treats!

Step 6: Head inside, and repeat the process, this time enticing your cat indoors.

Step 7: Once your cat is coming and going comfortably, close the door to the cat flap.

Step 8: At this point, you may need to teach your cat how to push on the flap door. Some cats may not like the noise of the door opening and closing. Just keep going with lots of treats - your cat will grow accustomed to the noise. 

When to start using the cat flap

If you have a kitten, you can commence step one - playing and feeding near the cat flap - from time to time. However, it is best to wait until your kitten is six months old before letting them outside. They should be microchipped, vaccinated and spayed/neutered at that point.

If you have recently adopted an older cat, it is best to wait at least 2 - 3 weeks before teaching them to use a cat flap. In those first few weeks, they'll be getting used to their new family and home.

What to do if your cat is scared of the cat flap

First of all, be patient. Some cats are just a bit more cautious than others and want to go at their own pace. Gradually repeat this process a couple of times, and then allow your cat to explore the flap by themselves.

There are also a couple of factors that might be making your cat wary of their cat flap:

They can't see through the cat flap

This is easily solved by getting a transparent door for your cat flap. Plexiglass is a great option because it is clear and won't break easily. Some cats prefer this, as they'll be able to see what (or who!) is behind the cat door before heading outside.

It smells like other animals

This is particularly common when moving into a house with an existing cat flap. The flap's indoor side may smell like the last cat who lived there, and the outside portion might smell like neighbouring cats, foxes, or other wildlife.

There are a couple of ways to remedy this: First of all, clean down both sides of the cat flap with vinegar and water. This will get rid of the existing smell. Next, rub the indoor side of the flap with catnip. Make sure not to use it on the outer part of the cat flap, as this will attract neighbourhood cats and start the problem all over again!

The flap is the wrong size

Cats come in lots of shapes and sizes, and so do cat flaps! If you’ve got a particularly large cat, you might need to get a cat flap to suit their size. If the cat flap is uncomfortably small, your cat probably won’t want to try and squeeze through, as they’ll feel trapped and defenceless.

Senior cats might also need you to lower the cat flap, as arthritis and other medical conditions can cause even small heights to be painful. Finally, it is also vital to ensure that the cat flap is at your cat’s eye level. Think about it - you wouldn’t want to go through a door that you couldn't see through!

It's the wrong time of year

It is always best to introduce a cat to a cat flap during the spring and summer. Cats love warmth, so a cold and wet garden in the middle of winter isn’t going to be very appealing.

No matter how slow their progress is, do not try to force your cat through the cat flap. This will be incredibly uncomfortable (for you and your furry friend), and it will probably just lead to your cat associating the flap with bad things. 

Your cat has no interest in the cat flap

It is also possible that your cat doesn't want to go outside. Some cats, particularly if they've only ever lived indoors, won't be interested in the big wide world outside your door. If this is the case, that's fine. Just make sure that your indoor cat has enough mental and physical stimulation. You can do this by playing with them using a good variety of toys, giving them many places to perch, and making your home an exciting place to live.

Sandra James

Owner & Founder

The Cat Butler was set up by Sandra James in recognition of the fact that a stay in a cattery can be unsettling for many cats and also their owners.