Training Our Cat to Use a Cat Door

In this video, I introduce our three-year-old cat, Lily, to the new Cat Mate cat door that I installed in our kitchen exterior door that opens into our garage. Next, I experiment with several methods for training Lily on how to use it. At first, Lily was confused (spoiled) because we had been opening the door for her to go outside whenever she wished, and then we would leave it ajar so she could push it open by standing on her rear legs and leaning on it with her front paws whenever she wanted to come back inside. But after installing the cat door, we stopped this annoying arrangement and kept the door closed. When Lily was waiting patiently for us to open the door for her, we would hold the door flap partially open by hand, or by using a strip of tape and guide her through with a gently push. In a few days, Lily understood that the cat door flap was the new way to get in and out. But the strong magnet that holds the door flap closed confused Lily when she gently pressed on it. To help her understand how it worked, with Lily standing or sitting in front of the cat door, we would push on the flap so that it swung back and forth, opening, and closing until the magnet overpowered the momentum. Then, we would leave Lily alone in front of the cat door to think about what she had seen. Eventually, the call of the great outdoors, and the food and treats indoors along with our unconditional love conquered Lily’s intimidations. In just 5 days, Lily mastered pushing the cat door flap open with her head, going in and out on her own.
The problem: how to give our cat, Lily the freedom to leave and enter our house without our assistance.
The solution:
Step 1: install a cat door in our kitchen exterior door that opens into the garage. For now, we will continue to leave the garage doors cracked open for Lily to exit and enter our front and back yards at will.
Step 2: train Lily to use the cat door.
Background:
When Diane and I brought Lily, our Flame Point Siamese kitten home from the Olympic Peninsula Humane Society in August 2018, 3+ years ago, we thought that she would be an indoor cat. But during her first year with us, we couldn’t resist introducing her to our fenced-in back yard and beautiful gardens. And Lily took to the exciting world outdoors like a bird in the air. We were conflicted over allowing Lily the freedom to go outside unattended, knowing the risk of the busy road in front of our house, the local wildlife including hawks, eagles, raccoons, coyotes, the many local deer, not to mention feral cats and loose dogs. But Lily always returns home, and still does, to get a meal and treats, drink some water, take her daily afternoon naps, snuggle with us in bed overnight, and of course to get tons of love and attention from us.
For two years now, we have allowed Lily independent access to the outdoors by keeping the kitchen door to our garage cracked open, securing the man-door to our backyard open with a bungee cord, and keeping the garage door raised high enough to let her enter. This worked well, but at the expense of cold or hot air entering our house, along with a reduction in the security of our home.

[@rogerlewis1017]

2 years later and still helping us cat lovers thank you

[@mgarcia2445]

Aw, Lily is beautiful. God bless her.♥

[@Thinkforyourselves64]

It’s so cute watching that last leg get swallowed up by the cat door lol and the lingering tail lol

[@tabbymrp]

I installer a catflap yesterday, my cat refuses to use it . Thanks for the video, I need your patience!

[@Thinkforyourselves64]

I love that fast motion twitch of her tail! You might try sitting behind her treat and calling her from the other side. Worked for me!

[@caitlinbush4785]

This really gave me a sense of the perseverance required. I will need to dedicate more time to training my cat. Thanks for sharing your process and the love for your cat ❤

[@dorish8730]

Thank you soooo much for this video! I got a cat door similar to this imstalled today and even our snack-loving cat didn't manage to go through without our help at first. But with the tape trick I tried again just now and removed the tape after a couple of successes and he manages now!! :) this was soooo helpful, thaaaank yooouuu!

[@randallwingett]

Glad it helped!

[@JeansDolls]

We are on day 6, of cat flap training 🤦🏼‍♀️

[@jenniferludwick4685]

Thank you so much….the tape trick just might be the trick I need. I need a bit of your patience too…thanks again…🐾

[@randallwingett]

Happy to help!

[@spaceydayz2]

I installed a screen door for our cat today. The same day she that I installed it, she opened it to come inside on her own. I just spent today opening and closing it for her for training and she did it on her own after a few hours.

[@softi4991]

I LOVE Lilly! She looks like my blue lynxpoint siamese who passed some months ago :( In fact, the same month and year you made this awesome video ;) Thank u for sharing!

[@laney4282]

Thank you for this! I've been trying for a little while now to train my cat. Lily is so precious. And just a tip for her safety, make sure Lily has a collar with your phone number and if you have an iPhone, an AirTag will always let you know where she is - you can add one to her collar!

[@soydemarte00]

Qué bueno! Gracias por la idea

[@59Alaskan]

She's a sweety..made ME root for her!! Thnx!

[@jennifergonzalez3895]

Sooooo cute

[@cdropbox]

great!

[@SurvivorIce]

Isent this cat door quite small?

[@toniporto8000]

I was thinking the same thing. It’s very small for that cat.

[@debbrajoseph3934]

Ohhh 5 days 😮

[@goaro2007]

The door is to small

[@katsudon1237]

Its not. Cats are liquid

[@debbrajoseph3934]

How long did it take I just hung mine to night and pinned up the flap till they came in but there feral so I was gonna leave it open for abit

[@xxkillerkittyx7985]

I tryed everything with my cat to try learn her to use the cat flap nothing working at all she not given in any tips more tips to try get her to use the cat flap

[@cotasa]

Put a tape and leave it open

[@txtpeer5179]