Any recommendations for cat flaps?

[Yavanna]

Hello all

I have a gorgeous cat called Serafina Pekkala ; my cat flap is in the back door, which is a double-glazed unit. It's one of those standard 4-way cat flaps with a magnetic seal.

I have always left it open (from both inside and out) so that Serafina can get access whenever she wants.

In the last 4 months, a new black tom has arrived - and boy, has he arrived! At first, I thought Serafina was eating more than usual because her wet food plate was licked bare (which she didn't usually do). Then I started smelling that distinctive musky odour of cat pee - again, not hers.

I then started catching Black Cat watching my garden from next door's shed roof, and making a racket. The first time he thundered through the cat flap at 3am gave me the heeby-jeebies! Serafina was on my bed at the time so I knew it wasn't her.

Anyway, he's been visiting day and night. Today when I got home from work he was actually in the house - he scarpered as soon as I came in.

Now, I don't like the idea of locking my cat flap to keep him out because poor Serafina will also be locked out.

I'm thinking of buying an infra-red cat flap but before I pay to have a new double-glazed pane cut to size etc, I wondered if anyone had tried these and whether they actually work to keep out intruders?

The alternative is an electro-magnetic one with a collar etc ; but because the frame of my door is (I think) UPVC-covered metal, I'm worried that won't work.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

[Bryn Mawr]

Yavanna wrote: Hello all

I have a gorgeous cat called Serafina Pekkala ; my cat flap is in the back door, which is a double-glazed unit. It's one of those standard 4-way cat flaps with a magnetic seal.

I have always left it open (from both inside and out) so that Serafina can get access whenever she wants.

In the last 4 months, a new black tom has arrived - and boy, has he arrived! At first, I thought Serafina was eating more than usual because her wet food plate was licked bare (which she didn't usually do). Then I started smelling that distinctive musky odour of cat pee - again, not hers.

I then started catching Black Cat watching my garden from next door's shed roof, and making a racket. The first time he thundered through the cat flap at 3am gave me the heeby-jeebies! Serafina was on my bed at the time so I knew it wasn't her.

Anyway, he's been visiting day and night. Today when I got home from work he was actually in the house - he scarpered as soon as I came in.

Now, I don't like the idea of locking my cat flap to keep him out because poor Serafina will also be locked out.

I'm thinking of buying an infra-red cat flap but before I pay to have a new double-glazed pane cut to size etc, I wondered if anyone had tried these and whether they actually work to keep out intruders?

The alternative is an electro-magnetic one with a collar etc ; but because the frame of my door is (I think) UPVC-covered metal, I'm worried that won't work.

Any suggestions?

Thanks


The magnetic one with the collar should be fine - it releases when the sender is within a couple of inches so the door frame should not cause a problem.

Also, active dicouragement of the black panther should help - if it has positive feedback (food) it will keep coming back, negative feedback (pepper? / shouting?) sound keep it away.

[Bill Sikes]

Yavanna wrote:

(interloper)

Any suggestions?

Thanks


A large string bag.