How do I stop foxes getting in through cat flap?

Owain_Moneysaver

4nnabella wrote: »

The main thing I don't understand is how a company can, on one hand, be spouting all the claims on this website http://www.microchipcatflaps.co.uk/ -

A google search of the Usenet archives will reveal considerable discussion of James Winsoar's various business activities over the last ten years.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Change the cat flap.

Stop leaving food out. Keep it in a tin.

A super soaker will dissuade any visitors - feline or vulpine - from the garden.


BTW, the worst smell of all is dog fox poo when it has been eating wood mice.

foul foul foul foul foul foul foul foul foul foul foul

luckycat99

Thanks guys for all your reponses!

The cat flap is lockable and we do lock it at night - basically the setting it is on means that only my cat should be able to get in and out of it, as it is programmed to his micro-chip. So if he isn't actively stepping through it, it is electronically locked. I don't really want to board up the flap after spending so much on it too.

We have had some foxes hanging around (2 of them and my poor little puss is only wee). The thing that made me think it was foxes ratehr than a tom is that when I found the empty Whiskas sachets in the kitchen it looked like Edward Scissorhands had been at them - they were shredded and those sachets are tough to get through. So I assume that a tom couldn't do that and would also have sprayed in the house (which he didn't).

I've had a look online and local councils generally say that they won't do anything about urban foxes as there are too many of them and that the number of local foxes are self-regulating so if some are killed - the women foxes (vixens?) are made to breed more to make up for the short-fall.

The foxes that have been in our garden are not shy at all, I went out to chase them off and there was a bit of a stand-off where one of them kind of went towards coming for me (in a growly assertive way), and then thought better of it as my fury and indignation meant I chased him off with a mop (I was naked too as I'd just got out the shower - I dread to think what the neighbours think :eek::rotfl:).

I would feel bad for shooting it (even if I could) but if it got its teeth on my little puss, there's no knowing what I'd do to defend him!! I don't want it to come to that though. I just want the bl$*dy cat flap to keep things out - despite the disclaimer they sent me!!

Sorry for long post!

Thanks for listening

JoeyGrey

I'm really surprised that the fox has got through the cat flap - I have one and my cats struggle to get through it even WITH their microchips. I had a magnetic one before, and the local cat bully kept forcing his way in through it, but he's never made it through this one.

My tom cat can chew through the box that the sachets are in, and then through all 12 sachets in a night if I leave it out of the cupboard. Are you sure your cat isn't having a sneaky midnight feast while you aren't looking?

If it is a fox, then I can understand your frustration. Just wondering if one of those ultrasonic devices that emit a high pitch sound would work - I think they are to stop dogs barking, but it might frighten or annoy the fox enough to keep them away.

luckycat99

Thanks - would that upset the cat or is it only for dogs/foxes? Would it upset next doors dog?

There is definitely something bashing it's way through as we've chased it off enough times - we can hear it bashing the cat flap - then when we run downstairs we can hear the cat flap banging as though it's just run out of the house.

We were thinking of setting up a webcam to see what is doing it? Or sleeping in the kitchen with a big bucket of water to throw over it!

JoeyGrey

I don't know to be honest, I just remember one of my mum's neighbours getting one. The bucket of water sounds like a good idea - it would certainly think twice before trying to get in again . Not much fun cleaning up the mess though.

Wonder if borrowing a dog for a few hours to get the smell in your house might work - are foxes scared of other dog smells do you think?

luckycat99

We tried a dog before - well we borrowed dog do and scattered it round the garden. Thing is the dog we borrowed it off is a big softie - so not sure if they pick up on that in the scent? I think they can with dog wee??!!

morg_monster

an ultrasonic deterrent will irritate your cat and next door's dog;they are generally sold to deal with cats and dogs.

I would set up the webcam one night where the moon's out (webcams aren't great for videoing in the dark, but if you leave a light on the intruder may not come in). We use the night setting so our petporte is locked at night, and when it seemed to be resetting itself over night, we set up the webcam to discover our cat Lila pressing the buttons to let herself out as soon as we went to bed!! Cheeky monkey!

Another thing is, I don't really understand how a fox could fit through a petporte?! They are not the largest catflaps out there! My cat seems to fill the hole as she passes through it! But maybe foxes are more flexible than I think!

If it is a fox, or another cat, or anything - if it is managing to get through the flap, i think the only answer is to remove the catflap or block it up at night. IE make some kind of cover for the flap which you can remove in the morning, or push something heavy against it?