How to use a cat flap responsibly

27th October 2020

If you have a cat flap installed for your cat, this can be a great access point to the outside world for your pet. But how should you use the cat flap responsibly so that your cat doesn’t become stressed or take a dislike to the cat flap?

Keep neighbouring cats out

A Microchip Cat Flap that only permits access to your cat is an essential piece of kit to ensure that your cat stays happy and healthy. They don’t need to wear a restrictive collar to operate the cat flap, and no other cats in the neighbourhood will be able to use it. Neighbourhood cats entering the home can cause significant stress to resident cats, leading to stress-related illnesses, fights and spraying in the house. By keeping intruders out, the home environment because a safe, secure space for your pet.

Cat flap training

When you first install a cat flap, you will need to train your cat to use it. It’s important that you do this at your cat’s own pace, rather than forcing them through the cat flap when they may be reluctant to use it in the early days. Forcing your cat through the cat flap could create a negative association with the cat flap. Instead, tempt them through with some tasty treats or prop the flap open while your cat gets used to using it. Allow them as many days or weeks that they may need to acclimatise to it.

Locking the cat flap

Many cat flaps have a lock or, in the case of some SureFlap cat flaps, a curfew mode that enables the door to be set to lock and unlock at the same times each day. If you live on a busy road, it’s a great idea to lock the cat flap during rush hour or overnight.

To further protect your pet, the Microchip Cat Flap Connect and Microchip Pet Door Connect offer a remote locking feature, so that the door can be locked from anywhere; handy if a storm rolls in or you forget to lock the cat flap before you leave the house.

You may need to exercise some caution when locking the cat flap though. If your cat is a real outdoor explorer, they may find having the cat flap locked stressful if they can’t patrol their outside territory whenever they want to. You may need to experiment with the times for locking and unlocking the cat flap that has the least impact on when they want to go outside. The great thing about having a curfew mode is that the door can be set to unlock during the early hours so that you don’t have to get out of bed if your cat likes going outside at the crack of dawn.