Cats can tend to act like they own the house, and you – you have to walk let them out when they want to, and later let them back in; you can avoid this with a cat door. The simplest cat doors, or cat flaps are just plastic flaps – easily blown open by the wind unless weighed down, or installed with a magnet. Some flaps are made of harder stuff, but just light enough so your cat can push it open; soon, your cat will get used to coming in and going out on its own. This benefits the owner, who is freed from tending to the cat when it wants to go out, and the cat who may end up scratching furniture or getting into a potty accident when it doesn’t get what it wants.

You want a cat door that’s appropriate for your cat – and your cat alone – unless you’re after a flap to be used by pets of varying size (if you own cats and dogs, that is).
Both animals can use the flap, it’s not a problem. All they have to do is push on the flap to open it. You can set the lock on many flaps to open inwards, or outwards. But this does not limit other animals – rodents, racoons, squirrels, cats and dogs you don’t own – from entering your house. You should get a different kind of cat door for that.

If you want to avoid having stray cats or dogs or other intruders – including small kids and thieves – you should look into automatic or electronic cat doors. You will find the same configuration in many electronic dog doors – a special collar and a special door. The collar, when near the cat door, triggers the door into opening or unlocking, allowing your cat to get in or out, but not other animals. Some pet owners are annoyed to find racoons, feral cats, and neighbour’s intrusive cats inside their homes – and you want none of that. What triggers the electronic door can be an infrared, radio, or magnetic device.

You may need to train your cat to use the cat door. Just show your cat how the flap works – push it open for the cat to see up close. If you chose the electronic door, as opposed to the traditional ones, make sure your cat wears the special collar – a sensor – that triggers the electronic door to open. You need to accustom to your cat to the fact that his nearness to the cat door is what triggers it to open. You may have to use some enticement, like treats, to let your cat be comfortable seeing and using the cat door.

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Filed under: Pets Advice

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