Hi All,

My first post please be kind.

Our beloved cat Lou Lou used to have a big problem with scabs around her neck, after 2 years we finally deduced it was the food and collar. Once these were eliminated she cleared up and returned to super Lou Lou.

Anyway we have two cat flaps one on the outside door, which then leads to a small porch and another flap into the living room. The outside flap has a magnet but since we took lou lou's collar off I stuck the magnet in place so she can still get in.

we have noticed a tom cat who is quite nasty has arrived on the scene and has taken to scary the living daylights out of Lou.

so much so last week at 4am (lou lou sleeps at the end of the bed) we were woken up by hissing and crying, the tom had got into the house and scared everyone!

the only solution was to put the magnet collar back on lou lou, and guess what the scabs appeared again!

Sorry for the long post but apart form kicking lou lou out every night and all day while were at work (which we do not want to do) what solutions do we have?!

we cannot put a collar on her so any fancy catflap activation is out of the question....

how can we stop other cats getting in bar lou lou?

i know im expecting a miracle, dont laugh but is there anyway we could train her?

sorry for the long post and thank you for any help!

i

Hi,

That is really annoying. Is Lou Lou chipped because you can get cat flaps that only activate to a matched chip??? That way she would be able to come and go as she pleases and the horrible tom cat wouldn't be able to get in.

Sally x

__________________

RIP Bob 17/01/2009
We'll always miss you x

Hi, Welcome to PF,

What about getting a litter tray so you can at least lock her in at night?

This might be a totally stupid idea and I don't even know what the magnet collars look like (presume the magnet is seperate, hanging from the collar??)

Anyway, if that is the case maybe coating the metal magnet part in clear nail varnish might help with Lou Lou's allergy?

As I said, might be a stupid idea but thought I'd put it down anyway as I know people allergic to costume jewellery have used this trick with some success.

Thank you for all your replies, it really has upset the family, its amazing how much you become attached!

In answer to your questions, yes she is chipped. I have looked in the local vet store and have not seen chip catflaps? are these available in the U.K and how do you set it? This would solve the problem outright.

We could lock her in at night and use a litter tray as she was very good with these when young, but during the day the evil tom can still get in.

Good idea about clear varnish but its not just the magnet, its the whole trauma of having a collar on that freaks her out.

My wife thinks the Tom is a stray as he is very dirty and is constantly walking round shouting as if he is hungry, we have not fed him as it will be the end. We are thinking of giving the local cat protection league a call to come and 'pick him up' but how do you know 100% that it is a stray and not just horrible owners that don't care?

WOW!

just found this

Pet Porte Cat Flaps | The award winning microchip collarless cat flap | Keeping other cats out

its the chip catflap as suggested above, £100 but i reckon worth it!

what do you think?