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Author Topic: Am I Able To Teach A 6 Month Old Cat To Go Outside and Use a Cat Flap?  (Read 6322 times)

Offline blackcat

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Re: Am I Able To Teach A 6 Month Old Cat To Go Outside and Use a Cat Flap?
« Reply #16 on: November 28, 2007, 20:28:17 PM »
I think the thing with busy roads is that the threat is ever-present so cats are less likely to wander that way. With quiet roads, they never quite get the hang of the fact there is a risk there, so are more inclined to hang around on the road. Have lost more cats on quiet roads than on busy ones I have to say ...
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Offline Catjane

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Re: Am I Able To Teach A 6 Month Old Cat To Go Outside and Use a Cat Flap?
« Reply #15 on: November 28, 2007, 15:01:00 PM »
As said below ... DO make sure they're microchipped before being let outdoors!

Most cats learn very quickly, my little Sabby learned how to use a catflap at 5 months old (yes, he was neutered by then), straight away!  You could almost see the grin on his face!  I 'taught' him by waving a treat at him from inside, to coax him through, and showed him how it swung open.  That was it, really.

It's true about quieter roads though, which is kinda counter-intuitive.  My bro has lost 2 cats to RTAs in the last 2 years, and he lives in a remote hamlet miles from anywhere!  Trouble is, they (the cats, not my brother's family!) quite happily sit in the lane, then BAM!  an unexpected car comes round the corner and it's goodbye kitty :(

I live close to a very busy road, but because there's a constant stream of fast traffic and noise, my lot won't go near it, and have learned to avoid car noises.  It all depends on the cat really.  My best friend's cat is car-shy, and has never lived anywhere other than a quiet cul-de-sac.
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Offline Gillian Harvey

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Re: Am I Able To Teach A 6 Month Old Cat To Go Outside and Use a Cat Flap?
« Reply #14 on: November 28, 2007, 14:00:03 PM »
If you've got a garden would it be possible to make it cat safe? so that they can come and go through the cat flap (once they've learnt to use it!) as they please, but not get out of the garden itself. There are lots of sytems that will do this, but its quite easy to do yourself with brackets and mesh with existing fencing. Quiet, low traffic roads arent always safe, I lost several beloved cats on a quiet country road where I used to live. Cats don't have road sense.
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Offline CurlyCatz

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Re: Am I Able To Teach A 6 Month Old Cat To Go Outside and Use a Cat Flap?
« Reply #13 on: November 27, 2007, 20:52:44 PM »
Hi and  :welcome:

I would like to pick up on the only 4 cars every 30 mins in your street and have to say it only takes 1 car to kill or seriously injure !

I pretty much sit on the indoor fence nowadays.  Are the cats vaccinated & microchipped ?

You will have to send in piccies when you get them home  :)
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Offline blackcat

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Re: Am I Able To Teach A 6 Month Old Cat To Go Outside and Use a Cat Flap?
« Reply #12 on: November 25, 2007, 19:41:50 PM »
might be an idea to print out the council rules on dogs and drop them through his letter box. Dogs should NEVER be on the street unattended by a responsible person who has them under control. >:( Apart from anything else, they have no clue whatsoever. Shadow would throw himself under a passing car at the drop of a hat. And he is one of the smarter dogs I have known ...
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Offline bluecat

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Re: Am I Able To Teach A 6 Month Old Cat To Go Outside and Use a Cat Flap?
« Reply #11 on: November 25, 2007, 19:35:32 PM »
On the subject of road safe thier is a dog locally well one of two always with a blonde dog but the one in question has no road sense at ALL !  and i canot belive the owner has let them out :censored:  It is a matter of time before he gets run over as he strolls a across a very busy main road  :scared: Twice myself now i have to stop the car  he will just sit in the middle of the road and scratch his ear before moving on i cant stress enough how busy this road is
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Offline LeoSilver

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Re: Am I Able To Teach A 6 Month Old Cat To Go Outside and Use a Cat Flap?
« Reply #10 on: November 25, 2007, 19:22:51 PM »
Susanne that is SUCH  good idea!!!

I wil do that and get the litter box with the flap. Also what i'll do is let them out when they get a bit older and have more common sense IF THEY WANT TO.  :thanks: for everything guys
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Offline Susanne (urbantigers)

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Re: Am I Able To Teach A 6 Month Old Cat To Go Outside and Use a Cat Flap?
« Reply #9 on: November 25, 2007, 18:48:44 PM »
Most cats learn how to use a cat flap.  Some take a little persuading but most get there in the end.  I don't know what sort of litter tray you're using, but perhaps you could try a covered tray with a flap in the hood so that they can get some practice in with using flaps!

I agree with the others about not letting them out before neutering and keeping them in for a few weeks when you get them.  Given the time of year, I'd be tempted to keep them in for a couple of months or more and wait until the nights start getting a bit lighter before you allow them to venture outdoors. Not only will it be safer for them then, but they'll be a bit older and will have developed a bit more natural caution.
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Offline Michelle (furbabystar)

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Re: Am I Able To Teach A 6 Month Old Cat To Go Outside and Use a Cat Flap?
« Reply #8 on: November 25, 2007, 18:44:33 PM »
If they dont mind staying indoors i would keep it that way !

I dont agree with cats being kept in that are unhappy though xx
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Offline Gill (sneakiefeline)

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Re: Am I Able To Teach A 6 Month Old Cat To Go Outside and Use a Cat Flap?
« Reply #7 on: November 25, 2007, 17:38:08 PM »
Please Leo be careful about the road cos cats just dont understand them and in a way the less traffic the more dangerous, cos the cars then arrive unexepected like.

Tan who runs this site lost two cats within a month  to RTAs and others have to, everyone was doing the best they could for their kitties but you really do need to keep them safe as you can cos roads are just so dangerous  :hug:
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Offline LeoSilver

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Re: Am I Able To Teach A 6 Month Old Cat To Go Outside and Use a Cat Flap?
« Reply #6 on: November 25, 2007, 17:30:28 PM »
Hi again guys


thanks for the advice tis v useful


the road i live on is not very busy at all,,, is only a residential dead end in a small village so roughly 4 cars every 30 mins 9or more)

really appreciate it thanks
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Offline Gill (sneakiefeline)

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Re: Am I Able To Teach A 6 Month Old Cat To Go Outside and Use a Cat Flap?
« Reply #5 on: November 25, 2007, 17:11:37 PM »
 :welcome: to Purrs  ;D

I am with the others here, great advice.

I have four outdoor cats but I have a big garden backing onto a field and hopefully they will not be tempted onto the road the otherside cos have a 6' gate and wall, many more mice in the field  ;D

They all learnt to use cat flap quite quickly but had to raise height of the step outside cos its a bit high off the ground for the ones with shorter legs.  :evillaugh:

Mine are all older but stayed in for a number of weeks when they first came here, for all the reasons that the others have given.

Good luck with the kittens  ;D
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Offline Rosella moggy

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Re: Am I Able To Teach A 6 Month Old Cat To Go Outside and Use a Cat Flap?
« Reply #4 on: November 25, 2007, 16:59:24 PM »
A big welcome to Purrs!   :welcome:

Without wishing any kind of offence (my cats are indoor/outdoor), how safe is their outdoor environment going to be?  That should really be your first concern.  

A 6 month old kitten can learn all sort of things including of course how to use a cat flap but you absolutely cannot teach a cat road sense and you need to understand that before you let them out. There is no such thing as a "road safe" cat so, if they are to be let outside (AFTER they have settled in properly say 4 to 6 weeks), is the area you live in VERY QUIET as regards traffic?  I'm thinking la quiet avenue like us although I lost my gorgeous boy Aslan last year to an RTA all the same :'(

As Blackcat asys, they absolutely must be neutered/spayed before they are allowed outside to avoid any unwanted kittens. Sorry if that sounds harsh but it really is essential that you ensure no more unwanted kittens. There are so many in cat rescues.
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Offline Sam (Fussy_Furball)

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Re: Am I Able To Teach A 6 Month Old Cat To Go Outside and Use a Cat Flap?
« Reply #3 on: November 25, 2007, 16:55:34 PM »
teaching a cat to use a cat flap is very easy in most cases ... you usually just put the cat in front of the flap and hay presto they work it out on their own.

I would say however at 6 months old they are probably still a bit young to be out on their own and will not have any road sense yet.  They are still "kittens" and as such prone to rushing aobut and not really paying attention to what is going on around them.

I would suggest you only let them out in the garden under supervision for a few more months.  Once you are sure they will come back when called (either come to their name or the rattle of kitty biscuits in the box or whatever method you use to call them) then you can introduce the cat flap.

I don't have a cat flap and my cats have never used one.  However when we went to stay at my mums for a few weeks while I was having work done on the house my 6 year old male worked out the cat flap within 2 days  :rofl:
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Offline blackcat

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Re: Am I Able To Teach A 6 Month Old Cat To Go Outside and Use a Cat Flap?
« Reply #2 on: November 25, 2007, 16:50:15 PM »
Firstly, if they are used to being indoor cats, why do you want them to go outdoors where they are exposed to risks like cars, louts, other cats whose territory they are invading etc etc.

Secondly, if they are only 6 months old, have they been neutered yet, if not, then they should not go outside until they have been (I speak from experience as mine ran away overnight when I was silly enough to let him out).

Thirdly, if you have just acquired them you should give them at least 6 weeks indoors in their new address so they can become accustomed to the smells, they way you call them, and even to decide if they want to stay with you.

As they are girls, if the go outside before neutering you could end up with two litters of six kittens each - do you want to have to find homes for all of them??

Glad to hear you are giving these wee lovelies a home, and welcome to Purrs BTW!! ;D
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Offline LeoSilver

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Am I Able To Teach A 6 Month Old Cat To Go Outside and Use a Cat Flap?
« Reply #1 on: November 25, 2007, 16:43:58 PM »
Hi

I am just about to get 2 beautiful 6 month old tortoise shell cats, but i have a problem, they have lived in a block of flats all their life and cannot use a cat flap or are roadsafe, I was just wandering if i would be able to teach them these things and how i would be able to go about doing that. Please get back to me pronto...  :thanks:

Leo :Luv: :) ;D 8)
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