Cat burglar

[ewt]

The catflap to outside is blocked off with cardboard and tape, so that Bad Cats cannot come in and scare Potchka or steal her food.

Or, rather, it was. This morning I came downstairs and had to chase a black cat out of the kitchen. He was very clear that he shouldn't have been there, from the way he bounced and flew around the conservatory. He didn't look unhealthy or underfed but he must have been hungry to force his way in. The cardboard is pretty much destroyed.

So, today: more cardboard, more duct tape, and perhaps something harder (a cookie sheet would be ideal but I'll see what I can find that isn't cooking-related), to prevent feline intruders. Potchka was most unimpressed and will be getting extra prawns. She is already getting extra cuddles, which means it has taken me twice as long as necessary to write this post.

Comments

[velvetpurrs.livejournal.com]

I think I would probably put the cardboard outside the catflap, and to tape all the edges down well. Cats outside would have to take the cardboard off to be able to get at the flap that way rather than just barging through the flap and forcing the cardboard off the inside.

Of course, you might find that Potchka will not understand that the cat flap is closed, so you may end up with cardboard on both sides, or find out that it was Potchka that took the cardboard off from the inside.

[ewtikins.livejournal.com]

There was a layer of corrugated cardboard on each side of the catflap, and it was actually torn. Bad Cats are strong and have sharp claws.

Potchka is not terribly desperate to spend time outside (especially as there are Bad Cats out there), so I don't think that it was her doing.

[velvetpurrs.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's a determined invader! I wonder how long the bad cats have been coming in, sounds like they view it as a right :-/

Maybe put something big and heavy that can't be knocked over outside the flap to block it off as well?