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Teaching elderly cat to use cat flap

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Franbern Wed 13-Jun-18 15:51:45

Towards the end of last year I re-homed a female cat. Both the re-homing service and myself thought she was about 8 years old, but when her chip papers came through it turned out she was 16 years of age. Cat Rescue centre offered me to choose another cat, but she had been with me for six weeks by then and we had got used to each other.
From her behaviour I would guess that she had been an indoor cat in a flat. Took her months before she would venture upstairs.
After she had completed her injections I opened up the cat flaps for her. She needs two, one to go from the kitchen into the Utility room (where I originally kept her dirt tray), and one from there into the garden.
She was very nervous about going outside at first, but as the Spring has gone on, she is more confident about it, and I have also got rid of her litter tray and she 'goes' in the garden.
Problem is that the only way she will use the cat flaps is if they are tied up open. Fine in the good weather, but causes cold winds blowing into the house in the winter, etc. I have tried putting delicacies on one side of the closed cat flap and gently pushing her through. But this terrifies her and she just runs away from me after that.
Anyone got any good ideas what I can do before Autumn sets in?

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Alima Wed 13-Jun-18 16:13:23

We used to have a similar set-up to yours. Kitchen door leading to shed then door to garden. One of our cats didn’t like to use the flap. One of us put her in the shed then the other rushed into the shed from garden making a racket. The poor cat had only one escape route, through the cat flap into the kitchen. Haven’t looked back (and she still likes us!).

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shysal Wed 13-Jun-18 16:17:48

I had to withhold food before tempting the hungry cat with a tasty morsel held just inside, no pushing required! I propped the flap almost closed so that she could smell the food but had to nudge through. I needed to do this from outside to inside to register her chip ID on the mechanism. My other cat was through before I even finished screwing the flap to the door! They are all so different aren't they? I wish you luck. I am sure perseverance will pay off.

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Willow500 Wed 13-Jun-18 16:25:52

It definitely takes time as they have to push quite hard to get it open. As recommended above the only way really is to reward her when she manages it. Patience is really the only way I think. Good luck!

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tiggypiro Wed 13-Jun-18 18:12:14

The cat flap I have is quite hard to open and my young cat never would go through as she found it too hard. I removed the magnetic strip (easy to remove and put back on) and she would then go through. It did flap a bit in windy conditions but was fine.

I am however now cat-less as that little kitten who walked into my life almost 4 years ago walked out of it 3 weeks ago. I have done everything possible to find her and just hope that one day she will come back.

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phoenix Wed 13-Jun-18 18:16:53

Oh tiggy I do so hope she comes back!

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grandtanteJE65 Fri 15-Jun-18 13:19:23

Our two will only use the cat -flap if it is tied open. In summer we let them have their way, when the weather gets too cold for us to want the cat-flap open, they just have to ask out and in, in the good old fashioned manner.

Look at me, then walk to door to go out, sit in garden staring fixedly at kitchen window until one of their stupid humans works out they want in. Small open-ended cat shelter in the rockery facing kitchen window for the really bad weather.

Being large cats, I think they really prefer the old-fashioned routine of doors being opened and shut for them to squeezing through the flap.

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