Cat flap in greenhouse door?

Beefley

Has anyone managed to put a cat flap in their greenhouse door?  Long story short, neighbour's cat has taken to living in our greenhouse, mainly because he doesn't like their 10 (!) other cats and various dogs .....   We are happy for him to come and go as he pleases and he has a warm box in there to sleep in if need be (the neighbour knows he is here), but obviously with winter about to set in properly it's too cold to leave the door ajar, both for the cat and for the plants that are in there.     Has anyone put a cat flap in a greenhouse door?  I've googled it but it doesn't come up with much, other than some guy who put a homemade "out" only cat flap in so cats didn't get trapped inside his.  Thanks in advance.

pansyface

I thought about this a few years ago. There are plenty of flaps that will fit into glass doors (like this one for example)

https://www.petplanet.co.uk/p20926/pet_tek_glass_fitting_dual_glaze_clear.aspx?ptm_source=google&ptm_medium=shopping&ptm_campaign=under10_65736&campaign=18028239734&adgroup=&keyword=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIoMSRiNbQ-wIVBpftCh3i0gCCEAYYAyABEgIUyPD_BwE

The main problem will be cutting a hole in the door. Unless the “glass” is plastic you will probably come up against safety glass, which shatters rather than cuts into pieces. You may have to order a sheet of plastic for the door too. I don’t recommend horticultural glass. Deadly stuff.

KT53

Replace the glass in the door with polycarbonate and cut a cat flap size hole in that.  Should be pretty straightforward to do - famous last words!

bédé

Will the neighbours finance this venture?  Does it normally go "home" for food?

My answer is send it home.

pansyface

Cats are solitary creatures and it’s not kind to keep a lot of them at once. We once took on a neighbour’s neutered male cat after its owner, who already had a neutered female cat, brought in another male. Poor Ollie moved in with us rather than risk being beaten up by the new arrival. He lived with us as if he was ours. When he needed the vet we took him. We were happy to do it because he was a lovely calm friendly creature and gave us a lot of pleasure.

fidgetbones

We have a cat that has adopted us. He has a perfectly good home, but with another cat and a poodle. He prefers to sleep under a dismantled compost heap against a fence , or on a  chair under the parasol in summer. After a year of chasing him round the house, we gave in. He has one space on an old quilt in the front bedroom he uses for a long nap every three days or so. The rest of the time he has an outside kennel raised off the ground on a table.  It has a cushion in it.  His owners fetch him in a cage to go to the vets every now and then.  This ones called Ollie as well.

Beefley

Thanks all.   "Our" cat sounds like the two Ollies.   We have tried many times to reunite him with his owners, but he is normally back at our house before we are.  He is a beautiful, friendly cat and I expect we'll end up formally adopting him, as his owners are indifferent at best. 

Kili

@Beefley   I'd suggest you confirm that the cat will use a cat flap before you go to all the trouble of fitting one. Our cat simply refuses to use our cat flap. I have to wedge it up with a cardboard tube else she just sits looking at it all day. Maybe speak to the owners to confirm.

pansyface

I’ve met that problem, Kili, especially with the flaps that are linked to the cats’ microchips. They don’t like the click, I think.

Does your cat have an absolute favourite food? Our new cat would sell her soul for a thin shaving of gjetöst cheese.

 We stuck tiny bits of it round the flap so that she became accustomed to the noise when her head got close to the flap.

After a few days (and quite a bit of cheese) she finally managed to go through it. 😊

Nanny Beach

Going to stick my neck out on this one. Firstly,did the cat or owner say he dislikes the other animals? If I were you, I would speak to present owners,then if its agreed, the cat is yours. The food,vet Bills, insurance. Is there any reason why you would just want it in the green house? We always had 2 dogs and 2 cats, they all got on absolutely fine. I have had cats taken over by neighbours, several times ( I still paid all the outgoings) same with my oldest daughters beautiful cat,she's moving in a couple of weeks,and cannot get him back. My friend next door, she has "taken over", 2 cats, told me the owners were fine about it........until they both separately,(one lived opposite, the other round the corner) turned up on her doorstep to give her what for. She was most indignant!! I had my daughters cat last time she moved,4 years ago. He had never used a cat flap ( we've had dog flaps 25 years) we gave him a litter box,were keeping him in the conservatory. I actually saw him watch the dogs go out,and follow them!  

pansyface

The term “Copy cat” wasn’t created for nothing.🙂