CATFLAP (Chip)

dosh1

Hi,

I have a couple of cats and a standard 4-way lock catflap that they use to enter and exit. However so do the other 390 cats in the neighbourhood and so I am constantly having visitors which is driving me nuts.

Does anyone have any experience with catflaps that use the cat's chip to gain entry and exit? This appears to be the best solution all-round and then only my cats can come and go!?

Is installation of the flap as straightforward to the 4-way flap mentioned above? Are they fairly robust bearing in mind they are more expensive?

Any views or thoughts would be welcome.

JournalGirl

We've got one - it's really easy to use. We have three cats who use it happily. There was a big rough ginger tom from the neighbourhood who managed to defeat it by tapping it until it swung outwards a little, then catching it with his claw and pulling the door outwards.

We spoke to the manufacturers and they sent us (free of charge) a 'racoon proof' version. This had a second peg on the outside, meaning that the door wouldn't open out or in without the chip in place.

Strongly recommend it. Oh, and it fits as easily as a normal cat flap

dosh1

Thanks so much for this. I would be interested to know what supplier you used and also cost if possible?

PS That's uncanny that you have the same cat as me (profile picture)

helcat26

My fiend bought one that was activated by a magnetic device which you put on the cat's collar.
Unfortunately she came home to find the cat stuck to the fridge!

Red_Tabby

Hi

Microchip cat flaps are brilliant, we were being visited in the night by the local bruiser, who was terrifying my ginger boy.

Before you fit the cat flap, get it out the box and while your cats play with the box, put the batteries in, put the flap in 'training mode' and feed your cats some treats off the ledge of the flap and the cat flap will 'learn' your cats microchips.

The cat flap was dead easy to fix into the existing cat flap hole and cat used it it straight away.

So far we have only had to change batteries once and that was just after one years use.

We have the sureflap model and I would recommend it to everyone.

SensibleSarah

I've had several pet porte models (I used to conduct research for them so got lots of freebies) and they are great. Really easy to programme and can be plugged into mains or battery operated. The beep freaked one of my cats out so I turned it off & they started using it straight away. Cost around £80 new but you can often find much cheaper second hand ones on eBay. Well worth it to stop bully cats from coming inside. My dog does that job just as well now though - not that she'd harm a fly but the bully cats don't know that.

Mrs_Z

Yes, another vote for a microchip catflap. Got a double glazing contractor to fit one as it was for a pvc side door and the whole lower panel needed replacing. He came to measure, I provided him the catflap, he took it away, ordered the new panel for the door, fitted the catflap in it in his workshop and then came to fit the panel with catflap ready in it, which was about 10min job. The catflap (Sureflap) cost about £60, bought it over the net and is absolutely worth every penny. No more strange cats wondering in and our elderly girl uses it no problem and feels nice and secure at home. It is battery operated, but so far we have not yet needed to change the AA battery (almost 2 years) but I guess it depends on the usage.

dosh1

Thanks for all your responses. I definitely need one as there are many cts in the area causing havoc.

I've been looking into it and like Mrs Z I shall need a lower panel replacing as I currently have a catflap fitted (petsafe) and it would appear that all chipped catflaps need bigger holes cut out to fit the flap.

I shall make contact with a double glazing contractor......... Mrs Z, just curious how much your DG contractor charged for fitting the panel with new hole? Thanks

Red_Tabby

Hi again, I fitted my surefap into the same hole as an existing staywell manual 4 way catflap.

The staywell had been fitted by the double glazing contractor into the reinforced lower panel when the door was replaced.
After removing the staywell flap, I used a file to shave a few edges off the existing hole and made certain that the sureflap fitted snuggly.
It was that easy, if you have decent toolkit, I would whip the existing flap off and have a look at the hole and see what you are dealing with, you can always re-fit the existing flap and hand the job over to a contractor if it isn't a diy job.

Hope that your cats will soon be enjoying their new cat flap.

dosh1

Thanks for all your responses. Final question on the matter.

I have a Staywell 917 manual catflap into the porch (PVC panel). Looking at Sureflap they do two microchip flaps. One named cat flap, another named pet flap. I think the difference being that pet flap is for larger cats and dogs. Cat flap is for small to medium cats. However the catflap does appear to be alot smaller entrance for the cat and concerned my cats won't fit through it. They aren't huge cats but that aren't small either.

Anyone had any problems there? I guess the proof of pudding is in the buying and testing but thought it would save the hassle if people may be able to comment.

GwylimT

We have the pet door, we weren't concerned about the size of the flap but it lacks a curfew setting. The petflap does have curfew, so ours for example prevents our cat leaving from 7pm until 8am, but she can get back in the house at any time.