Conference misery::feline_v1

    We got an electronic cat flap for the very same reason. (Hint - save
    the old cat flap for when you move house, its cheaper than buying a
    new electronic one!)
    
    We also had exactly the same probs. One of our cats didn't have any
    trouble getting used to the new door once she had learnt that the click
    didn't mean anything! Percy on the other hand just couldn't get it
    right!! He would push and push and sometimes just couldn't get through
    the door! He ended up just sitting there for a while and then trying
    again later. Eventually he got in.
    
    One thing to beware of - powercuts. The door stops working and they
    get stuck one side or the other!
    
    Keep on trying - its gets easier, they learn, especially if its raining
    and they want to get indoors!
    
    
    Lisa plus P&R
    
    PS Buy a spare tag for when they lose their collar!
    

    We installed an electronic catflap recently too, it was our first
    catflap for our first cats. Here is how we got the kittens used
    to it.
    
    1. We put the collars on the kittens and installed the catflap as
    soon as we got it, but kept it locked at first as the kittens were
    too young to go out, This way they got used to the tags and the noise 
    it makes when they go near the door.
                                       
    2. When they were ready to go out we would tie open the flap for
    them, then they got used to going through it, and the noise, but
    had no problems getting back in.
    
    3. Next we disabled the electronic lock, so that there was no way
    it could lock itself, this got them used to pushing it open, as
    they were still only tiny they sometimes found this a bit of a struggle
    so they would team up and push through 2 at a time!
    
    4. Now, after a couple of months, the catflap is fully working.
    Sometimes I can see them try to push through & it doesn't open but
    they just walk away and come back in a minute to try again. However
    if they are in the garden and hear the rattle of fork against feeding
    bowl they run through the catflap full tilt without stopping, if it 
    ever fails to open I'm sure they would crash through it & bring the 
    whole door down in front of them!
                                                  
    I did read somewhere that some cats can NOT be taught to use a cat
    flap, something about having their bum exposed to danger while they
    are crawling through it, this seems strange to me as cats are always
    crawling into boxes & through bushes etc. Does anyone have any experience
    of a cat which will not use a catflap ? 
    
    
    Martyn, Calvin & Hobbes.
                                   
    

    I would think that these would be set up so that they'd be
    openable in the case of a power failure.  They seem to be designed the
    wrong way.
    

    There is a switch on the cat flap that you can set if the power is off
    to disable the catch, so it will work. You have to be there to throw
    the switch though!
    
    Lisa.
    

    Thanks for the suggestions.
    
    Martyn, we're trying your idea of tying the flap open - now the
    weather's warm enough - and it seems to be working.  Puss is now
    going in and out with no problems.  So we'll carry on like this
    for a few weeks and then see how she reacts to the flap being down
    again.
    
    At least I feel a bit better about it now - I can't bear it when
    Puss looks at me with that hurt look in her eyes.
    
    Keeping our fingers crossed
    Sue, Puss and Littlun
    

    The saga continues.
    
    We tried fixing the flap so it was tied open during the day.  This
    worked OK, Puss was going in and out, no trouble.  We had the flap
    closed at night, and Puss managed to get herself out, but couldn't get back
    in again.
    
    So everything was fine.  We figured that given time Puss would get used
    to the flap, the clicking noise, and the technique of getting through
    the flap, and eventually she'd suss out how to get back in again.
    
    Our problem now is that the electronic catch has stopped working.  The
    "On" light is still lit, so we know it's not the power supply.  But if
    we put any of the tags (including the spares) near the flap, they don't
    activate the mechanism.
    
    So I've now got 2 cats who can get out, but can't get back in again.
    
    Has anyone else experienced this, or got any suggestions what might
    have gone wrong.
    
    I'm really not happy with it, and am seriously considering going back
    to the manual flap - visiting toms included.
    
    Sue, Puss and Littlun
    
    
    

    It seems to me that there is a setting on those electronic flaps that
    controls the direction of the flap.  You can set it to allow cats
    only one way passage or both ways.  Check to see if your flap is like
    that and if so, what the setting is.
      Nancy

    Does the flap work on batteries?  If so, perhaps the batteries are
    low enouigh so that they turn on the power light but not lift the
    flap.
    

I have a dog/cat door question....

I have a puppy and an indoor only cat.  I would like to put a DOG door
in without the cat being able to use it.  Separating them is not an
option.  Is this possible with the electronic doors or can the cat
follow the puppy out?
Can they be installed in glass doors?

(The cat going out is not an option because there are coyotes in
the area along with all the other hazards)

Other facts:
the puppy is a min. schnauser(14 lbs.) 
the cat is 8 lbs.
the cat and puppy are not buddy buddy, in other words, the cat does
not follow the dog around she would rather be left alone.
the coyotes are not an issue with the puppy because she can't get out
of the yard and the coyotes don't come in.

Thanks for any suggestions,
Becky

P.S.  This note is also posted in CANINE

    With the electronic cat flaps I have seen you would have problems,
    
    Firstly they are only electronically selective for coming INTO the
    house not going out, but if you put the flap in the door back to
    front you would have all the electronics on the outside and come
    the first rainstorm, flash, bang no electronic cat flap.
    
    Also it would be possible for the cat to follow close behind the
    dog and get out that way.
    
    Also the electronic catflaps are cat sized, Dont know what size
    your dog is but it would have to be pretty small.
    
    M.
    

    Re: a few back
    
    The flap works on the mains electricity - so I don't believe it's lack
    of power.
    
    After further investigation (grovelling around on hands and knees
    waving collar tag in front of flap), it seems to be "an intermittent
    fault" - sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
    
    Makes me think there's a faulty connection somewhere.
    
    We phoned the manufacturer to ask for advice - all they could say was
    that we'd have to send it away to be repaired.  A number of problems
    spring to mind: gaping hole in back door whilst its away; as its an
    intermittent fault, they may not think there's actually anything wrong
    with it.
    
    So, it looks like we'll have to dismantle the thing at the weekend, and
    see if we can find the problem ourselves.
    
    Still annoyed,
    Sue, Puss and Littlun (confused cos sometimes she can get in and
    sometimes she can't)

    How long have you had the door.  Is exchanging it for a new one
    an option?

    Only a couple of months, so exchanging it should be OK.
    
    I think at the moment I'm just trying to avoid the hassle of
    dismantling the flap, while I take it back to the shop/return it to the
    manufacturer.
    
    If I take it out, I'm not sure that the old manual flap will fit,
    because we had to enlarge the hole in the door to fit the new one.
    
    Anything for a quiet life
    Sue, Puss, Littlun, and an intermittent cat flap
    

    So just stick a piece of plywood over the hole for a day or two :-)