Cat Flaps

Why are cat flaps necessary? There's more to it than you might think. Cats live in a world without doors. They don't recognize a door as a useful object; it is simply an obstruction to be got around or through, like a hedge or wall.

Cats instinctively have the need to patrol and check their territory and doors get in the way. It's a bit like your neighbour (if you live in a block of flats [apartments]) pulling the curtains back to see what is going on outside only cats do the inspection through scent and how it has aged.

Good feline territorial management requires a high level of self-discipline and routine. Cats need to go out and renew their scent by rubbing against objects and spraying (if not neutered - although cats still spray when neutered, but less).

The scent fades and in fading tells other cats that the "owner" of the territory is not around. This would allow the intruder to enter, which could lead to a confrontation and possibly a fight (bad survival technique).

In renewing the scent the natural and stable of order of things is maintained (good survival technique).

In order to achieve this balanced state and for the cat, therefore, to feel comfortable and content he has to pop out frequently and a bl**dy door gets in the way.

Thats where good old cat flaps pay dividends. Watch out, though, for security issues with cat flaps. Don't leave keys inside the house near cat flaps, for example.

Oh, I forgot, my cat likes to have the door opened for her, partly because she is too fat (almost) to get through it.

Photograph copyright and by .eti

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