Guide · · 4 min read
What age can a kitten use a cat door?
Most kittens can push a flap long before they should be let out. Here is when to start, how to set the door up for a small cat, and how to teach it.
By the Pet-Tek International team, Auckland — designers of Catwalk® and Dogwalk® since 1999.
Kittens are clever and curious, and most of them work out a cat flap far sooner than their owners expect. The real question is not when a kitten can use a cat door, but when it is safe for it to go through one on its own. The answer has more to do with desexing, settling in and size than with a number of weeks.
The short version
- Not outside until desexed. The SPCA’s advice is clear: a cat or kitten that is not desexed should not be allowed outside until it has been.
- Settle in first. The SPCA recommends keeping a new kitten inside for at least 6 to 8 weeks after it comes home, and a new adult cat for 3 to 4 weeks, so it knows where home is.
- Supervise early trips. Kittens should be watched outside until they are old and big enough to protect themselves.
- Microchip and register it before its first trip outside, so it can be returned to you if it wanders.
Your vet will tell you when your kitten’s vaccinations and desexing are done; plan the cat door around that date.
Fit the door now, open it later
There is no need to wait to install the door. Fitting it early lets your kitten get used to it while it is still locked, and the 4-way dial does the rest:
- Locked while your kitten is inside-only. The flap does not move.
- In only for the first supervised outings, so it can come back in but not wander back out without you.
- Open both ways once it is desexed, settled, and coming home reliably.
- Locked at night, always. Kittens that never learn to roam at night rarely miss it; see how to keep your cat in at night.
Setting it up for a small cat
Height. Install the door at the height your cat will need when it is grown: the bottom of the opening about 100–150 mm off the floor, so an adult cat steps through rather than climbs. While your kitten is small, stand a sturdy box or step on each side and remove it as it grows.
Size. Buy for the adult cat, not the kitten. The Catwalk® cat door and Catwalk® Standard suit most cats; if your kitten looks set to be a big cat, or you also have a small dog, the Catwalk® Maxi gives a 187 × 190 mm opening. Not sure? Our measuring guide explains what to measure.
The flap. Catwalk® flaps swing freely and close on a magnet against a brush seal, which a kitten soon learns to push. Hold it open for the first few goes.
Teaching a kitten the cat door
- Prop the flap open with tape so the door is just a hole. Sit on the other side with a treat or its dinner and call it through.
- Lower the flap and lift it slightly as your kitten comes through, so it learns to push.
- Let it push alone, rewarding every success.
Short sessions, a few times a day. Most kittens have it within a week. Our full training guide covers cautious cats too.
Collars, magnets and microchips
If you want a door that keeps other cats out, there are two ways to do it:
- Microchip: the SureFlap Microchip Cat Flap reads the chip your kitten already has, so there is no collar to fit or lose. It is a good match for a young cat once it is chipped.
- Collar magnet: the Catwalk® Multi-Magnetic opens only for a cat wearing its collar magnet. Wait until your kitten is big enough for a properly fitted quick-release collar.
Our microchip vs magnetic guide compares them side by side.
If the door goes into glass
Many NZ homes need the cat door in a glass door or ranch slider. A glazier cuts the hole, or makes a new double-glazed unit with the hole in it; see how to install a cat door in glass. For a wooden or uPVC door it is a DIY job: cat door for a wooden door.
Still choosing? Find your door, or read how to choose a cat door in NZ. Questions about your kitten and the door: info@petnest.co.nz. The SPCA’s advice on settling in a new cat is on spca.nz.
Quick answers
What age can a kitten use a cat door?
A kitten can learn to push a flap within a few weeks of coming home, but it should not use a door to the outside until it is desexed and settled in. The SPCA advises keeping a new kitten inside for at least 6 to 8 weeks and supervising it outside until it is big enough to look after itself.
Should a kitten be desexed before going outside?
Yes. The SPCA's advice is that cats and kittens that are not desexed should not be allowed outside until after they have been desexed. Use the cat door's lock to keep the flap closed until then.
What height should a cat door be for a kitten?
Fit the door at the height your cat will need as an adult, with the bottom of the opening about 100 to 150 mm off the floor. While your kitten is small, put a sturdy step or box on each side and take it away as it grows.
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