How do you keep neighbours' cats out of your house while allowing your own cats freedom to come and go?

Question

Sensible answers only, please! I don't want to harm them, I just want to keep them out of the house and away from my own cats' food.

Answer 1

I have had this problem over a number of years and my experience may help. You may spend up to £80, as I did and then find you need a different cat door afterwards!

I first bought the Staywell magnetic catflap. My two cats wore the magnet on their collars and all was well for a while. Only they could get in the cat door. (Remember that you cannot put this one into a metal door though). Then after a while a clever cat got in by coming up close to my cat as she went in the door. Two cats could get through at a time. Then I bought the Staywell Infra-red cat flap. It cost about £65. This worked a bit better. But you need batteries and must remember to replace them every six months. Also it is complicated as you must remember a sequence of buttons to press to programme it; and you have to finely tune the time delay mechanism to suit your cat's speed of movement when going through the flap. Too little time and the cat can't get through. Too much and other cats can get through too, like with the magnetic one. OK for a while, although I did have to buy a replacement collar several times as one of my cats kept losing it - and then...what happened was - it stopped working! After a great deal of discussion with the manufacturer, it turned out that this flap also is affected by metal and many modern plastic back doors these days have a bit of metal in them. My most successful cat flap was one in the wall of the house. I had two cat flaps fitted - one in the outer wall - just a normal one,and one in the inner wall, with a magnetic flap. A little tunnel was made in the gap between the inner and outer brick. Other cats were more wary of penetrating the little tunnel and it was difficult for a second cat to get behind my cat and push through to the second flap. So, I'd suggest to you - if the cats in the neighbourhood are not really clever and not too quick or aggressive, try the magnetic or infra red flap but check that there is no metal anywhere near the place you want to fit it. If they are clever, quick and aggressive then think of the double cat flap in the wall.

Answer 2

There is a special door you can install that works with a device on your cat's collar. It's kind of like a garage door opener. Only your cat will be allowed in. I'll look for a link of where I saw this.

Found it! Here's the description of the electromagnetic cat door:

Offer your cat greater freedom with this door. Your cat wears a small magnet on her collar, which allows her exclusive in/out access through the door. If other cats or animals try to get in, they're denied access. Door features a transparent flap, four-way lock and a high-density seal to keep out drafts and rain. Includes two collar magnets and all necessary installation hardware. Suitable for solid doors of any thickness and hollow doors up to 2 1/4" thick. Overall size of door is 7 5/8" x 9 1/2"; door opening measures 6 5/8" x 8 5/8" (flap opening is actually 6" X 6 1/2"). Requires one 9V battery (sold separately).

Answer 3

I agree with the previous comments about the special cat flap. My parents did this with our cat and it worked. There was a big tom that used to come in and eat his food and this has solved the problem. It takes them a while to get used to it. Sometimes he put's his paw out against the flap and wonderes why it doesn't open cos it's only activated when he puts his head near it - it's so cute. If it's not appropriate to do this to your door water is good solution. I love cats and I don't think that this is a cruel method but when I see cats fighting I sometimes chuck water at them. They don't like it but it's not hurting them.

Answer 4

You can buy an electronic cat flap with a sensor both on the door and one you attach to your cats collar. This will only allow your cat to enter . These can be bought from large pet superstores.

Answer 5

Put a sign on the cap flap saying "Authorised Cats Only" - "Keep Out"

Answer 6

Fit a cat flap with a chip in it that only responds & opens to a corresponding chip on your cats collar. That way only your cat will be able to get in.

Answer 7

I would love to know the answer to this. We have a large ginger tom who has already got both of our female cats pregnant, we think he is a feral cat as we have asked the neighbours and nobody owns him, he is so strong that he just bashes the cat flap until it jumps over the catch and he is in. I have just fitted a new cat flap but it makes no difference.

Answer 8

I have the same problem and it's a real pain.
I haved decided to get Lucy(my cat) Microchipped as there are catflaps you can get which are activated by it and will only let my cat in!!

Answer 9

You cant unless u stab them in the eye and kick them that what my ***** of a neihbour did,yes you cow i showed you up,remember the PAGE family ,just go and die with ur son jhenry

Answer 10

i would go with the micro chip one as the magnets are expensive to replace i had them but Ather people kept stilling the magnets off there collars.