How to Teach a Cat to Use a Cat Flap
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The cat flap is fitted, and your cat sits and stares at it, or waits by the back door to be let out as usual. Many cats work out a flap on their own within a day or two. Others need help, because a flap that bangs, swings and hides what is on the other side is a strange thing to push your head into. This guide shows how to teach a cat to use a cat flap, step by step, including a microchip flap.
How we wrote this: the steps come from Battersea’s guides to cat flaps, letting your cat outside and signs of pain in cats, and Best Friends Animal Society’s guide to outdoor catios. All were checked on 1 November 2026. We did not test any cat flaps for this guide, and we do not show prices or ratings.
Before you start
Battersea says to make sure your cat has settled into your home, and has already been introduced to the outdoors, before you introduce the flap. For a new cat, Battersea suggests waiting at least 4 to 6 weeks after you bring an adult cat home, and around 4 months of age for kittens. Battersea also lists microchipping, neutering and vaccination as things to do before a cat goes outside.
Not every cat in the US goes outside, and that is your call. Best Friends describes a catio, an enclosed outdoor space, as a way for an indoor cat to enjoy the outdoors without the risks of cars, other animals, getting lost or being stolen. Best Friends notes that some catios are reached through a window. A cat flap into a catio is trained in exactly the same way as one into a yard.
If you have not chosen or fitted a flap yet, our guide on how to choose a pet door covers types, measuring, security and where to put it.
Which flap you have changes one step
Battersea describes three main types:
- Manual flaps open for any cat that pushes them, so neighborhood cats can come in too.
- Magnet or infrared flaps unlock for a tag on your cat’s collar. Battersea notes that a neighbor’s cat with a similar tag may also get in. If your cat wears a collar, Battersea recommends a quick-release safety collar; our best breakaway cat collar guide covers those.
- Microchip flaps read your cat’s own chip and can remember several cats. Battersea calls them the best way to keep other cats out.
For a microchip flap, Battersea says you need to program it with your cat’s chip before your cat can use it. Do this first, following the maker’s instructions, so the flap opens the first time your cat tries.
What you need
- A clothes peg, clip or tape to hold the flap open.
- Small rewards your cat loves. What they are is between you and your vet.
- A favorite toy, for cats who care more about play than treats.
- Time on a calm, dry day, with no dogs, visitors or noise near the flap.
Step 1: wedge the flap open
Battersea suggests fixing the flap in the open position with a clothes peg or something similar clipped to the side. An open flap is just a hole in the door. Your cat can see and smell the outside, and nothing touches them as they go through.
If your flap has a lock setting, set it so your cat can go both in and out.
Step 2: make the flap a good place to be
Battersea’s steps start indoors:
- Stand near the flap, call your cat over, and give them a treat.
- Put a few treats on the floor right in front of the flap.
- Repeat a few times. When your cat eats them readily, put a few on the bottom edge of the flap opening itself.
- Repeat this several times, until your cat is relaxed with their head near the opening.
Step 3: call your cat through from outside
Once your cat is comfortable, Battersea suggests going outside and leaving your cat indoors:
- Put treats on the ground just outside the flap, and a few on the bottom edge.
- Sit a little away from the flap, so you do not block your cat’s view of the outside.
- Call your cat gently and encouragingly.
- When they come through, reward them with another treat.
Then reverse it. Battersea suggests sitting inside and gently calling your cat back in through the flap. A cat who has learned both directions is much less likely to get stuck outside.
Step 4: let the flap close, a little at a time
Battersea says that once your cat is going in and out comfortably, you can take the peg off so the flap closes again. Many cats push straight through. If yours stops at the closed flap, the move from an open hole to a flap they have to push is too big. In our view, these smaller steps help:
- Prop the flap only partly open, so your cat can still see through but has to nudge it.
- Hold the flap slightly open from the other side and let it rest on your cat’s back as they come through, rewarding them on your side.
- Put a treat just past the flap, so pushing it pays straight away.
Never push your cat’s head through. Battersea warns against picking a cat up and putting them through the flap, because it can be stressful and leave them with a bad association with the flap.
Shy and nervous cats
Battersea says a shy or nervous cat may want to get used to the flap in their own time. In that case, leave it wedged open and let them explore and use it when they are ready. Do not hover or watch closely; some cats only try when nobody is looking.
If you are worried about other cats coming in through an open flap, Battersea suggests leaving treats out of it and keeping an eye on the flap area.
Older, three-legged and wobbly cats
Battersea notes that elderly and three-legged cats can be less agile, and that a flap or open door gives them more control. For wobbly cats, Battersea suggests fitting the flap with a step or ramp, since you may need to leave it open on a catch. In our view, if your cat struggles with the height of the flap, a sturdy step on each side is worth trying.
Night and toilet habits
Battersea’s cat flap guide prefers giving cats access to the outdoors at all times where that is safe, while its guide to letting cats outside notes that keeping cats in overnight lowers the risk of road accidents. If you lock the flap at night, Battersea says to provide a litter tray and things to keep your cat busy, such as toys and puzzle feeders. It also suggests always giving your cat an indoor toilet option, because some cats will not toilet outside in cold or wet weather or when another cat is around. Our cat litter and litter box buying guide can help you set one up.
When to see a vet or behaviorist
A cat who used the flap and suddenly stops, or who stops going out and starts hiding, may not be “being awkward”. Battersea lists being withdrawn and hiding away, and changes in normal behavior, among the signs that a cat may be in pain. It advises an assessment by your vet as soon as possible if you are worried. Battersea also notes that cats with long-term pain such as arthritis may stop jumping up onto raised places.
A cat who refuses the flap after a scare, such as a fight with a neighbor’s cat at the flap, may need a fresh start from Step 1. If fear or fighting goes on, ask your vet to rule out pain and then to refer you to a qualified behaviorist. A microchip flap can stop an intruding cat from coming in.
New to cat collars? See how to get a cat used to a collar, from a safe breakaway fit to short rewarded sessions.
Moving soon? Our guide on how to move house with a cat covers carrier practice, moving day, a settling room and how long to keep your cat indoors.
FAQ
How long does it take a cat to learn to use a cat flap?
Battersea says many cats work it out quickly. Others take days or a few weeks, especially shy cats. Short sessions with treats, and a flap left wedged open in between, speed things up.
Why won’t my cat use the cat flap?
Common reasons are that the flap is closed too soon, it is too high or too stiff, a microchip flap has not been programmed, or another cat is waiting outside. Go back to a wedged-open flap and rebuild with treats. If your cat also seems withdrawn or is hiding, see your vet.
Should I push my cat through the cat flap?
No. Battersea warns that putting a cat through the flap can make them dislike it. Let your cat choose to go through.
How do I get my cat to use a microchip cat flap?
Program the flap with your cat’s chip first, then train exactly as for any flap: wedge it open, use treats at the opening, call your cat through from each side, then close it.
Should I lock the cat flap at night?
That is your decision. Battersea’s guides weigh the stress some cats feel when shut in against the lower road risk at night. If you lock it, provide a litter tray and toys.