When Can A Cat Be Allowed To Use A Cat Flap?

Allowing your cat to roam free outside of your house can be a difficult decision, but one that is often necessary to ensure that your cat experiences freedom in the way that they require. Cats can be extremely loving pets but stand as one of the only pets that need such freedom, which means that doing it comfortably and safely can be a difficult task.

Although it might seem easy enough to install a cat flap and allow your cat to come and go as they please, it is unfortunately not that simple. Certain considerations need to be made to ensure that your cat is doing this safely.

When Can A Cat Use A Cat Flap?

The recommended age for a new cat using a cat flap is between 2-3 months. The main reason for this is that by this point your cat will have had the necessary vaccinations to ensure that it is able to leave your home safely.

However, even at this stage, it is important to ensure that your cat only has short excursions, initially using a leash or harness. This level of control will allow your cat to familiarise itself with the great outdoors, without being able to shoot off or become too overwhelmed when alone. During this process, you can start to familiarise your cat with your cat flap.

Once your kitten has reached 5-6 months in age you will have had the decision to have them neutered. Regardless of your decision, this is the perfect age to allow your cat to have more freedom. At this age they are more mature, and hopefully more aware of the outside work thanks to your prior training. At this stage, your cat will be able to use the cat flap more comfortably and independently.

When Should I Install My Cat Flap?

The installation of your cat flap should align with your plans to train your cat. If you’re following the advice in this blog post, it would be recommended to install your cat flap when your cat is 2-3 months old, this will allow you to keep it around for the entire training process.

If your cat can get comfortable around the cat flap, it means that they’re more likely to use it and view it as a positive thing. Introducing it late into the process would make it more unfamiliar to your cat, and therefore less likely to be used.

How To Train A Cat To Use A Cat Flap

The best way to train your cat to use a cat flap is by guiding them through the process. Since the cat flap will be unfamiliar, you’ll need to encourage your cat to use the cat flap. The best way to do this is using treats, which can prompt the cat to use the cat flap as well as reward your furry friend for doing so successfully.

It can be valuable to consciously teach your cat that it can access the cat flap from both sides and to be patient when doing so. Pushing through the cat flap will be unfamiliar to some cats, so it may take them some time to get used to it.

Benefits Of Owning A Cat Flap

The biggest benefit of owning a cat flap is the freedom provided to your cat. Roaming is natural for felines, and giving them the opportunity to do that at their own leisure is not only beneficial for them but also great in freeing up some of your own time. You no longer have to open and close doors or worry about leaving your cat outside if you don’t know that they’ve returned home.

Another benefit is safety, cats being able to come and go whenever they want to is safer because it avoids unnecessary time outside if they don’t want it. Without a cat flap, cats may look for other points of entry, which could lead to dangerous climbing incidents. A well-placed cat flap would be one on the back door, where it would be a lot safer.

Owning a cat flap is truly the better option for everybody involved.

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So, if you’re interested in having a cat flap installed or have any questions about how their benefits, feel free to get in touch here and we’ll gladly help.