Looking for a tough cat flap

fejjie

We currently have a Staywell catflap fitted in our door, the most recent of many.

Problem is, when we lock it, the cat just throws herself at it, eventually breaking it open.

She's snapped the flap itself, broken the locking catch, burst the inside panel off. I thought I'd seen a flap with a panel that dropped down to seal it, but these only seem to be on dog sized ones.

Can any of you kind people help?

Savvy_Sue

Can you get someone to install a shutter in front of it? In the short term, not pretty, but a piece of thin plywood and gaffer tape to see if it works ...

Can you put something in front without it becoming a trip hazard, or preventing people from using the door?

(I'm presuming this is to stop the cat going out rather than the other way round.)

Savvy_Sue

Or would putting a curtain in front of the door help? ie if the cat can't see the catflap, will it forget it's there? So you lock flap, and pull curtain across.

no1catman

But why would you want to lock it? Surely the idea of a cat-flap is to allow them - your cat(s) to come and go as they please.

As long as you one you have installed is coded to only allow in yours - either by magnetic-key collar attachment, or via the microchip in its neck.

Maybe if the cat is ill or just had surgery, and you having instructions from the vet to keep it.

But there again, I'm viewing it as someone who would love their cat to go out unaided - especially at 4.00 in the morning, and then again at 6.15 am - only to come in through the 'flap ten-minutes later!

fejjie

The reason that we want the cat to stay out, at least some of the time, is she never does! She stays inside, wrecks carpets and wallpaper, occasionally uses her cat litter tray. I've owned over 35 cats and never known one like this one.

fejjie

Just realised, I'd not made it clear, we want to keep her out sometimes.

no1catman

Ah yes, a bit of peace when they are out. That I found the downside of the cat-flap - coming in too quickly. Feel your pain over the carpet, bought a new stair/landing carpet about two months before the new cat - didn't take her long to start scratching it. Now she only scratches the side of the landing step.

missbiggles1

I've installed several cat flaps and they all had a drop down panel you could use to slide in to close it. Perhaps you get these with the cheaper cat flaps and not with the ones that have a locking mechanism. Like this -

https://www.amazon.co.uk/PetSafe-Staywell-Original-2-Way-715EF/dp/B00B17ETR6/ref=dp_ob_title_pet

fejjie

Brilliant, I'll have a look at these.

elsien

I'm no expert on cats, but if she can't get back in when she wants to won't that just make her less inclined to go out in the first place?

fejjie

She has always been able to go in and out up until a few weeks ago. She's wrecked stair carpet etc, and won't go out unless we put her out. If we put her out, unless we block up the catflap - it currently has a piece of ply wood nailed over it, she attacks it until she gets in, and the proceeds to wreck carpets, tear wallpaper, wee on the floor.