Teaching elderly cat to use cat flap

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.

Oh tiggy I do so hope she comes back!

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.

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!

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.

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!).