Kitten does not know how to open catflap

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I have a 6 month old kitten "Minstrel" who, I'm trying to teach how to use a catflap, and it's not going too well.

Minstrel has been outside quite a bit, when we leave the door open etc and ejoys it out there, but she can't get her head round how the catflap works.

If I prop the door to the catflap open she will come in and go out through the flap quite happily. But when the door to the flap is shut, she can't seem to understand how to open it, (she just sits there and looks through it).

We have another, older cat, who minstrel has seen go out of the flap, but I just cannot get her to push the flap open and go through.

Any ideas?

Cheers

Kedge

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All I can suggest is to keep trying since she's so young. Good luck ;-)

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Welcome to A2K by the way. I have a 7 month old kitten, but she's an indoor cat.

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Thanks for the welcome, A2K is an amazing place, the font of all Knowledge.

I'm tempted to leave the flap propped open during the day and then remove the prop during the eveneing. This way Minstrel can go out if she can work it out, but will probably just stay in sleeping in one of my t-shirt draws (her favourite place to sleep at the moment).

The only problem is that our house is not really big enough to have a litter tray lying around all the time.

I'm going to keep on persisting with her, but I don't hold out much hope, she does seem to be a bit thick Smile

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Good luck to you. Maybe you could jusy keep a small litter box in a corner somewhere.

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Buy some cat treats or some smelly fish and use them as rewards when she successfully opens the door.

This training is easier with two people--one on each side of the door, but it can be managed by one person.

Perhaps she's smart enough to know she is very young and she doesn't want to go outside all by herself.

Good luck.

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We've got her to associate a certain noise with being fed some tuna, or treats, so when she is out we can get her back in again.

I'll give it a go this weekend with me on one side of the door and my girlfriend on the other side with some tuna. She opens the kitchen door when she hears the tuna tin being opened so I'm sure she can figure out a catflap. (fingers crossed)

I'll let you know how I go.

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Good luck.

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Keeping my fingers crossed.

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The positive reinforcement idea of noddy's is good. Try this: When she been outside a while and wants to come in, get down and open the flap so she can see your face, then call her. When she gets to the flap close it partially. Keep on calling her. The point is that she should feel some resistance of the flap so she has to push it open a little bit to get in. Try that a few times with the flap closed a little more each time until she gets comfortable pushing on it. Even at the beginning when she barely has to push the flap, reward her with the tuna or other treat.

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well, I got home last night and found Minstrel outside, I brought her back in and about 10 mins later I heard the cat flap go. My other cat was sitting on my lap watching TV with me, and Minstrel was outside again.

It seems that she's worked it out for herself. Smile

Just got to teach her to go to the toilet outside now rather then in her litter tray.

Cheers for all your help, was going to try it this weekend, but it seems Minstrel was too impatient to wait until then.

Cheers

Kedge

Kitten does not know how to open catflap

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