Lockable Cat Flaps, Electromagnet Cat Flaps & Microchip Cat Flaps
If you have a cat then you probably have a cat flap. Cat's are free spirits and like to wander so it makes sense to let them come and go as they please. Of course cat flaps don't last forever, I generally need to replace ours about every 3 years after which time the cats have pretty much destroyed it!
Cat Flaps come in three basic formats, first you have cat flaps that lock with tabs, these are great if you want to have basic control over your cats movements, so if you want to take them to the vet, you put the cat flap on "in only" this locks the flap so the cat can't get out again once they have come again and in the same way you can put it on "out only" as well as the usual "in and out" setting. Tab locking cat flaps are the most common and cheapest option.
Don't let your cat be like poor old Simon's Cat!
Other cats come through the cat flap!
If your cat is small or getting older, other cats will come into your house through the cat flap, scare your cat, eat their food and spray in your kitchen. To prevent other cats getting in, you need a cat flap that can recognise your cat. Cat flaps that lock to prevent other cats entering come in two forms:
Electromagnet cat flap with a magnetic collar
First the electromagnet cat flap with a magnetic collar, so your cat wears a collar with a magnet in, as it approach the cat flap, the magnet causes the cat flap to unlock letting the cat in. Other cats can't get in unless they have a similar collar. These cat flaps are fairly common, the issues with them are that the cat must wear a collar.
Microchip Cat Flaps
Microchip cat flaps work by generating and electromagnetic field around the flap that can read the microchip in your cat, as most owners have already had their cat microchipped, this could be a great option as it means the cat doesn't have to wear a collar and you can be sure that only your cats can get in as it reads the microchips id number. The potential issues with this type of system are that it is fairly new with little choice of make and they are more expensive to buy in the first place.
The new microchip cat flaps look good though still quite expensive
How many seconds does the cat flap take to shut after the microchipped cat has passed through. i.e. if it is being chased by another cat will that other cat be able to get through right behind the microchipped one???
Less expensive than PetPorte and it's working very well !
Does anyone make a large cat flap which works on a microchip?
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Both the sureflap and petporte are fairly large sized for even big cats at about 16cm hole, very large cats like Maine Coon cats and Norwegian Forest cats may not manage it though. There is not currently a microchip dog flap available to accomodate really big cats as far as I am aware
Cat Mate Elite 305 - Cat Flap that keeps out other cats, just add the disc to your cats collar
We have a tom cat in the neighbourhood which gets through our lockable magnetic flap by pulling the flap outwards and wriggling through. Once in the house it eats the food for our cats and then also spays, making the place stink. Any suggestions what I can do? Are there any flaps which lock both ways, i.e. only the magnet will release the door from both inside and the outside. Because cats only have to push the flap to get from inside to outside, this tom has worked out how to get in from the outside by getting his claws underneath and pulling the flap. Our two cats are chipped; would a flap which works with chips make for a safer flap?
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Go for a basic tab locking flap (these lock both ways with tabs) if you aren't bothered about automatic entry. If you are, go for a microchip cat flap, the pet porte is designed so that there are no edges for invading cats to grab onto to get it open, though I've never heard of an invader getting through a sureflap either. The key is you don't want anything that the cat can get a claw on ie foam or draft strip etc.
Hello
Will the cat flap still work if placed 2ft from the floor. My siamese cat can easly stretch to this height.
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Good Question and the answer is nowhere to be found on the internet, the specification conveniently omits the range. The issue is, the flap has to recognise the cat as it approaches the flap and unlock, if the sensor doesn't detect the cat the at ground level you are relying on it reacting quick enough while it's jumping. It probably will, the range is pretty good, but to be sure, I'd ask pet porte directly. If you get an answer, would you post it back here for the benefit of the owners of other acrobatic cats?