[Possum]

After our last cat died at the age of eighteen, OH vowed that we would never have another cat as it would be impossible to replace Henry. After 2 years of gentle cajoling I have made him relent. However, we have moved since we had Henry and don't have a catflap. We also have a smart new wooden front door and OH does not want to put in an "ugly" plastic catflap.


Does anyone know if you can buy catflaps with a wooden surround? Or is it possible to paint the plastic ones to blend in with the colour of the door (olive green on the outside, cream on the inside).

[shygirl]

We don't have a cat flap,our 2 house cats come in through the top window,even our 4 math kitten has mastered this.
Our other cats sleep in the garage.
We do have.  Plastic door that has been painted from white to brown, so I'm sure if you get the right a cat flap will paint no bother. Look at the craft section in b&q for th  right paint.

[luckylady]

You can buy woodgrain effect ones.  But if you want it to really match the door then they spray paint well.  I sprayed a woodgrain effect one black (to match all the black door furniture) about three years ago and it hasn't peeled yet and the door has no protection from the elements. Alternatively, could you put it in the back door? 

[goosepimple]

Nice doors are nice and I wouldn't put a flap in, you get ones that you can put in a window in the glass - a glazier can make the hole for you or you can do it yourself with a glass cutter made for holes, you'll prob get it at b&q.

[Possum]

Thought about putting it in the back door, but it opens onto a small courtyard with lots of gravel in it. I think it would become a giant litter tray if the cats came and went that way!

[goosepimple]

 

[doganjo]

I had new doors fitted a couple of years ago - no cat flap this time!  too many 'presents' arriving in the kitchen.  Rio just walks under one of the security lights to announce his wish to come inside, and 'gifts' remain outside.  He has access to the dog run with a pop-hole into the shed and a comfy bed if he down't come home by bedtime.

[Possum]

Hmmmm - doganjo, that's quite an interesting arrangement. One of our stable doors has got a pop-hole, so I suppose that could be an option. If the cat stays in at night, what happens if he wants a pee in the wee small hours? Does he just cross his legs until morning?

[in the hills]

Yes. We had no cat flap at our previous house. Cats got used to coming in at night and hardly any accidents. They can hold themselves just like a pet dog.


We have a cat flap now but lock it once puss comes home as we don't like her out at night. No accidents and she was a cat that was hardly ever allowed in the house before we took her on.


Flap just useful so that she has access to the house if we go out for the day.

[doganjo]

Hmmmm - doganjo, that's quite an interesting arrangement. One of our stable doors has got a pop-hole, so I suppose that could be an option. If the cat stays in at night, what happens if he wants a pee in the wee small hours? Does he just cross his legs until morning?

Yup!  He wouldn't dare do anything else    He'd get his backside skelped!   

[HesterF]

Or a litter tray? For what it's worth, we have a gravel courtyard and I've never noticed the cats doing anything there - I've no idea where they do go because I've never dug anything up in the flower or veg beds either so I reckon they go further afield - not in their (or your) backyard!

We used to live in Switzerland and there it's quite normal to see really sophisticated cat ladders going up the outside of buildings for cats who live in top floor apartments!
H

[Bramblecot]

If our cats want to go at night, they come and tap my side of the bed .  They are mainly outside cats but come in if they want to.

[HesterF]

Are you mad? It would drive me insane to be woken up in the middle of the night by the cats. I've only just managed to get my children sleeping through the night consistently!

H

[Alistair]

Maybe you should have taught the kids to use the toilet?, not sure they should be left out at night?

Mind one of mine gas left home so god knows where she us at night and the other one hadn't learnt to flush the toilet yet - he's only bloody 19

I'd just get a litter tray, an enclosed one - far less messy IMHO , my kids appreciated it.....


I hate kids

[honeyend]

For the last 10 years we have not had a cat flap and we have four cats. I have an emergency litter tray which they tend to use when its too wet for them to want to go out, I have even known them run in for a pee. They have their routine, Tom goes out in morning, come back at lunch and stays till just after tea then come in a 10pm. We have a diva who just pops out and come straight back in and spends school home time patrolling the pavement for people to tell her how beautiful she is whilst she rolls in front of them. We have moved in to temporary accommodation so one had decided no way is she going outside in case we move again while she's out.
 I use washing up bowls as litter trays, they are cheap and the litter seems not to end up on the floor as much. When we move again we will have eight, that should be fun.