Training your cat to use the cat fl ap
Most cats will learn to use the cat fl ap almost at once but there are a few
who may be a little nervous at fi rst. The following tips will help your pet to
take full advantage of the outdoor freedom and indoor comfort – which
you want for your cat – and which your new cat fl ap provides.
The most important rule is to be patient with your cat. Don’t be in a hurry.
Let your cat work out for itself that it can go in and out of doors. Don’t
force it through the fl ap or it may become frightened.
Many cat owners install cat fl aps when they move house. If this applies
to you, make sure that your cat is familiar with his or her surroundings
before you fi t the cat fl ap. Take it on supervised trips outdoors on a
leash and make sure it also feels secure and comfortable in its new
indoor environment. Cats can develop long lasting fears in unfamiliar
surroundings.
Once you have installed your cat fl ap, leave the fl ap open for some time.
You can do this by using a long strip of masking tape; open the fl ap and
use the tape to keep it held open by fi xing the other end of the tape to the
surface above. Make sure that the fi xing is secure so that the fl ap can not
fall down accidentally. Let your cat become familiar with it and go in and
out freely.
Establish a motive for your cat to use the door. A good one is food. First
feed the cat near the door, inside and then near the door outside. Repeat
as often as you need to. Most cats, especially kittens, also have a strong
urge for freedom, perhaps to hunt. Cats are also social creatures – they
enjoy the company of other cats. This can be another reason for them to
explore outside.
If this is something new to your cat, it may take some patience to teach
your cat how to use it. When your cat makes progress, give them a lot of
praise - they’ve earned it.
Training your cat to use the Infra-red
collar key
Before allowing your cat to use the
cat fl ap, it is wise to acquaint your
self with the operation of the Infra-
red lock. You fi rstly need to power
up both the cat fl ap and the collar
key and then program the Infra-red
collar key to the cat fl ap.
From the outside of the house take
the ‘powered’ and ‘programmed’
collar key in your hand and then
move it towards the cat fl ap. You
should hear the lock mechanism
“click” and see the red latch drop
down inside the cat fl ap.
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