Cat Chat Feline Forum

Hello,

I posted a few months ago prior to travelling on a lengthy journey with my two geriatric ladies, and received some great advice.

We've now been hosted by family members for about five months and - apart from getting a little rotund and an increase in yelling, despite my best attempts to keep them entertained in two rooms - they've coped very well with the change. I'm very much hoping to move into a small second floor flat with two balconies, one of which would be suitable for turning into a little catio with the addition of mesh, and I'm wondering if it is sensible to have a cat flap fitted into the sliding glass door. Neither of them have ever used a cat flap before and they are almost-sixteen and almost-fifteen years old. It would be a great advantage if they could potter in and out at will, even just to sniff the air or sunbathe. In their former home, a house with a garden, we didn't have a cat flap and I ended up being on permanent daytime door-duty, unless they used one of the open downstairs windows in summer. Does anyone have experience of teaching an older cat to use a cat flap?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

So pleased your girls are settling so well, after if I remember right you were quite concerned about them for the move.

I've never succeeded in teaching a cat to use a cat flap, but I'm not sure if it can be done in glass. Assuming a door onto a balcony is at least double glazed, a new glazing unit would have to be made as there is a vacuum between the panes, and if it's single glazing it could be too weak for a cat flap. Also, a cat flap has some frame both sides of whatever it's installed into and there may not be clearance for the door to slide. Look into it but I'm not sure it's possible.

I know people have fitted flaps into glass doors, but it is expensive and tricky - more a specialist job than diy. There are specialist companies online that could give you an idea of the cost, but If you are renting it may not be feasible. Then there is the risk that your cats might not use it however carefully you introduce it - I have introduced middle aged cats to one without much trouble, but it is a very individual thing. I would look into cheaper, easier alternatives - perhaps a long panel you could fit between the doors when they are part open, with a cat flap or sliding panel at the bottom.

I have experience of something similar.
I live in a ground floor housing association flat with a double glazed rear patio door. I am not allowed to make any structural alterations, and that includes the patio doors. Although I could have replaced a double glazed pane professionally with a cat flap inserted. However, the cost was more than I wanted to pay (£450)
After 3 years of living here my 8 year old cat showed an interest in going out, so I got a local tradesman to make me a plywood panel the full height of the door. It fits into the top and bottom track, with a microchip cat flap near the bottom. It can be removed fairly easily.
The cost of that in labour and materials was about £250. I might have been able to get a cheaper tradesman though if I had been prepared to wait for one to become available.
My cat took to it quite easily the only thing that put him off at first was the 'click' it made as it released the flap, but if you are 2nd floor, leading to a netted off balcony you wouldn't be likely to need a microchip flap

BTW PetSafe make a pet-door similar to the above description of what I had made.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/PetSafe-Slidin ... 1664&psc=1
I don't recommend it!
I bought one and returned it for refund.
It is very difficult to fit many UK size patio doors. It is too tall (min height as made is 194cm) It has to be cut down to size and fitted with a smaller glass panel it is also designed to fit a different shape of top and bottom tracks and only has a magnetic rubber flap.

Many thanks for the advice. I just noticed on the photos that there's a small window between the cat-proofable balcony and the internal hallway of the flat, so this may be a more geriatric-brain-friendly (not to mention free) way of giving the cats free access during the day, when it's too cold to leave the glass door from the living room ajar. I will update if/when I have a fully-functioning catio (oh, and somewhere for me to sit too would be nice ).