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Cat Forum / General Topics / November 2004cat door problems
I put in a cat door a couple of weeks ago. To get them used to it I temporarily taped open the cat flap so it was wide open up until now. (It's a cheap cat door with a hard plastic swinging (from the top) door held in the closed position with a magnet). Seeing that they were used to coming and going out this door regularly, with no problems at all, I've removed the tape holding up the door so now they have to push it open to go through. No go. I coax them and have held it open until they start to go through, but the idea of being able to push against the door to go through just doesn't seem to want to enter their teeny weeny itsy bitsy brains. :( Is there some trick to getting them to learn how to do this? One of my cats I consider to be exceptionally bright, but neither of them can seem to 'get' this door. The magnet was holding the door in the closed position pretty firmly so I removed the magnet - now the door is very easy to push up, but still, no go. If I leave them outside and just refuse to hold the flap up myself, will they eventually grow bold enough to push against the door themselves and come in, or are they just not comprehending that that is possible, so don't try? -dg >Is there some trick to getting them to learn how to do this? I've always had cat doors and lots of cats. Some just don't get it and need help. I did the same, hold it up until they get used to going through it. Then I would hold it up half way open/closed. Then I also removed the magnet and let it swing free. I pushed them through, pulled them through, dangled a cat toy on a string through the door and had them chase it through the door. My cat door was in a glass sliding door so it's easier for me. I put food on the inside so they can see it then they must go through the door to get it. They will eventually get it. I had a purebred totally braindead persian who didn't get the door. After trying everything I did the food thing. He came in within a few hours. My cat door only went to the patio when I wanted to keep my litter boxes. Good luck. >They will >eventually get it. I had a purebred totally braindead persian who didn't get >the door. As I found out the hard way some cats never get the cat door thing. >Is there some trick to getting them to learn how to do this? It's easier if the cat flap is clear and not a solid color. >>Is there some trick to getting them to learn how to do this? > >It's easier if the cat flap is clear and not a solid color. Been there done that. Didn't help either way. |I put in a cat door a couple of weeks ago. To get them used to it I | temporarily taped open the cat flap so it was wide open up until now. (It's [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] | | -dg The magnet can hinder them, I usually tape up the part that holds it for a week. But now you've removed it so they'll get it. It's the first time, that's the problem, but the call of the great outdoors will eventually be strong enough. Carola > I put in a cat door a couple of weeks ago. To get them used to it I > temporarily taped open the cat flap so it was wide open up until now. (It's [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > themselves and come in, or are they just not comprehending that that is > possible, so don't try? Some get it some do. Worf just barges though it with a flying headbut, doesn't even slow down but Q (rip) never got the hang of it in 13 years and to the end always opened it by pulling the door towards him and ducking underneath to get through it.  SignatureI.P.Freely >Some get it some do. Worf just barges though it with a flying headbut, >doesn't even slow down but Q (rip) never got the hang of it in 13 years and >to the end always opened it by pulling the door towards him and ducking >underneath to get through it. You mean Q didn't just traverse the space time continuum? After all if he can travel accross the universe he should be able to to he other side of a cat door. > >Some get it some do. Worf just barges though it with a flying headbut, > >doesn't even slow down but Q (rip) never got the hang of it in 13 years and [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > if he can travel accross the universe he should be able to to he other > side of a cat door. No but I have hopes for the new Q but he's still a little young (9 weeks) to be allowed outside this indoor dimension just yet. He and his brother Teal'c seem content to stay in whatever room I put them in though and as Worf only goes out when he absolutely must I think I will have 3 'indoor' cats now. :) SignatureI.P.Freely >No but I have hopes for the new Q but he's still a little young (9 weeks) to >be allowed outside this indoor dimension just yet. He and his brother Teal'c >seem content to stay in whatever room I put them in though and as Worf only >goes out when he absolutely must I think I will have 3 'indoor' cats now. :) So how does Teal'c like his new hair? > >No but I have hopes for the new Q but he's still a little young (9 weeks) to > >be allowed outside this indoor dimension just yet. He and his brother Teal'c > >seem content to stay in whatever room I put them in though and as Worf only > >goes out when he absolutely must I think I will have 3 'indoor' cats now. :) > So how does Teal'c like his new hair? It is indeed warm o'Gray. :) SignatureI.P.Freely >I put in a cat door a couple of weeks ago. To get them used to it I >temporarily taped open the cat flap so it was wide open up until now. (It's [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] >themselves and come in, or are they just not comprehending that that is >possible, so don't try? Been there - remove the magnet. Most of my cats started refusing to use the catflap in the kitchen door when I replaced the door and the flap - the new one had a magnetic latch. It appeard that the cats couldn't tell that is was an opening because it took too much force to get it to start opening, and when it did start, the effect was too much like falling through. I removed the magnet, and all was well. T.E.D. (tdavis@gearbox.maem.umr.edu) SPAM filter: Messages to this address *must* contain "T.E.D." somewhere in the body or they will be automatically rejected. >No go. I coax them and have held it open until they start to go through, but >the idea of being able to push against the door to go through just doesn't >seem to want to enter their teeny weeny itsy bitsy brains. :( Some cats I never could get to use a cat door.......never figured out why. |
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