Cat with no cat flap?

[richtea78]

Is it essential to have a cat flap if you own a cat?

I have been looking into adopting a cat but I can't really have a cat flap easily. The back door I have is an all glass French door type thing and whilst you can fit one and I would if I have to, I wonder if it's essential

I work from home a couple of days a week so could let the cat in and out easily on those days but the rest of the time he would be either in or out

I have thought about it some more and other options I'm considering are a cat flap on my shed or building a wooden cat kennel at the rear of my house so it would have somewhere to shelter. Another option is a tunnel through the wall but I've read mixed reports on these and that seems even more of a drastic measure than getting one in the door

The preferred options for me are the shed flap and the glass door. I'm a bit concerned about the security side of having it fitted into a glass door and it's that puts me off more than aesthetics or resale

Sadly the PH answer of getting the butler to do it won't work as he is scared of cats!

[dxg]

but you're the cat's butler and you'll find yourself opening the door for it at its beck and call...

[IanA2]

Having had cats for years, I would say that a flap is essential.

[grumbledoak]

You don't have to have a flap. Just be prepared for it banging on the door with a brick first thing in the morning when it wants to come in.

[Jasandjules]

Never had a catflap. Had cats for more than 20 years. So I will go with a no.

I do have a catflap for them to get to the utility room where their food bowls are mind

[richtea78]

I'm confused Jasandjules?

Anyway it looks like I will get one put in the French doors then and hope that any potential burglar is put off by the cat.

[anonymous-user]

I got a cat by accident, and quickly realised within a week or so that I would need a catflap to make my life a whole lot easier!
I took a grinder to my back door shortly after...

Oh, and if you live in an urban area, then buy a SureFlap catflap as they are the best by a mile. They open electronically via the chip in your cat, and no other cats can get in at all.

The magnetic ones are crap as pretty much all the cats round here have those magnetic collar things, and the Staywell infra red collar ones are absolutely terrible, they break and other cats can open them easily.

If you get other cats coming in your house you will really know about it!

[Jasandjules]

richtea78 said:

I'm confused Jasandjules?

Anyway it looks like I will get one put in the French doors then and hope that any potential burglar is put off by the cat.

We don't have a catflap to the outside world....

[richtea78]

Obvious now you explain it!

[Mobile Chicane]

I don't have a cat flap, since there's nowhere to put one without drilling through a foot thick wall, or a very expensive custom made oak door.

However a litter tray in the house for when I'm out, and a door propped open for when I'm home seems to suit Bob fine.

[dxg]

Seriously, though - a flap's not essential. Just let them out very first thing. After not making it back to the house in time before you leave for work, they soon don't make that mistake again. And there's odd night when they refuse to come in - and then wake you at 3am meowing on the windowsill...

[bigandclever]

We don't have a flap. They go out when we choose to open the back door, which is then shut behind them, and come back (most of the time) on recall. When they don't come back on recall, they stay out until we open the door which may, or may not, be the following day. 99 times out of 100 they're in for 'bedtime' though. They seem happy enough with this arrangement.

[Mobile Chicane]

I would never shut a cat out at night.

[bexVN]

Didn't have cat flap for many years. Wouldn't dream of not having one now. Would hate the thought of my cat being shut out all day whilst I was at work esp if the weather is rubbish. Compromise is to set up shelter outside in a eg shed (bed, water)

[Allanv]

bigandclever said:

We don't have a flap. They go out when we choose to open the back door, which is then shut behind them, and come back (most of the time) on recall. When they don't come back on recall, they stay out until we open the door which may, or may not, be the following day. 99 times out of 100 they're in for 'bedtime' though. They seem happy enough with this arrangement.

You are the same as us.

We had the last 2 for 19 & 22 years respectively and the new 2 for 2 & 4, they know when to ask to go out and we will check on them before bed.

They are not our masters, the big furry gits

[richtea78]

I think I will go for a flap in the French doors. Now just have to speak to the Cats Protection people to arrange it all

Thanks for the advice

[jmorgan]

Just bought a chip reading flap (both ways) and there are glass door fitting kits for them.

[TwistingMyMelon]

We moved from a house with a flap to one without, we have to open 2 doors to let them out

We were worried it would be a pain, in fact its a bit easier tbh as we always know where they are, instead of walking the streets for them.

One cat has decided to become a housecat, occasionally in the summer wants to go out , but all through the winter never left the house, the litter tray is a bit of a pita

Our other elderly 3 legged cat goes out 3 times a day in her strict routine, she even knocks on the door when she wants to come in and patiently waits!!!

We never shut them out overnight (well it has happened) and we call her in when we go to bed.

Bit of a pain if you go away for the weekend, as you have to make sure they don't go out a couple of hours before hand.

[MGgeordie]

Our house came with a catflap built into the door. After a couple of years we got a cat. She couldn't work it out, no matter how many times I shoved her back & forward through it.

We eventually got a new door as the catflap was too complicated for her to work out.

This is her....demanding to be let in yet again!!!

[Swervin_Mervin]

Never in my 35 years had a catflap, despite having had cats all my life. You just let them out when they want out, and then let them in when you want them in.

I did put a cat flap in our shed at the last place but only so they could shelter in truly dump weather.