Cat Flaps

Do you use cat flaps in your home? I realise a lot of people prefer their cats to stay indoors most of the time, although our cat is fairly often outdoors. However, because my mother really doesn't like the cat, the cat's only allowed to stay in one room. So it is impossible to use a cat flap for the house.

But I thought of this thread tonight when it was raining heavily and our cat was out in the pouring rain. It took a long time for her to return and we assumed she was taking shelter. We did set up a cat flap on the garage door, but my dad tried to train her to use it and she never seemed to. The best place for her to taking shelter though would be the garage, so I'm wondering if she figured it out.

Did you have to train your cat(s) to use the cat flap, or did it just come to them naturally?

We have one of those cat doors that sets up in the tracks of a sliding glass door. We got one because we set the litter box out on the patio and to let our two girls freedom to come in and out. They were nervous at first with the flap but we taped the magnet down to make it a bit easier for them at first since it was new and the magnet was a bit strong in keeping the flap closed. Now they fly through the house and through the flap no problem.

If it wasn't for the fact that we're on the second floor we might not have ordered one. Not as secure as just having the door lock into its frame as normal.

Our cats are indoor only animals. We did put a cat flap into the room with their litter boxes though. I was tired of smelling their litter in the rest of the house (no basement) so I wanted to close the door on that room. We put the cat flap into the door and showed them how to get in through the flap to go do their business. It's worked out well.