The Ultimate Cat Flaps Are Now Available!
Cat flaps are very convenient in that they allow your cat (or cats) to enter and benefit from the warmth and shelter of your home, and at the same time, allow them to exit for fresh air, exercise and toileting. And you don’t have to be present to let them in and out!
But conventional cat flaps have one big disadvantage – they allow other cats in as well. A “foreign” cat that has entered your house may take the food of, and "stress out" the resident cats, and there is always the possibility that it may also urinate inside the house – not a pleasant occurrence!
To try and solve this problem, manufacturers have come up with a range of “entry controlled” catflaps which require the cats to wear a collar incorporating a magnet or an infra red device. The downside of these catflaps is simply the fact that the resident cats have to wear a collar holding the triggering device. Many cat owners (including ourselves) prefer their cats not to wear collars as collars can be dangerous if caught on tree branches and other items. In addition, if the collar comes off the cat or if the triggering device comes off the collar, then the cat cannot gain entry to the house. Not desirable if you are away all day and the weather is freezing cold!
Many cat owners are unaware that "microchip" cat flaps are now available - where THEY ARE TRIGGERED BY THE MICROCHIP INSIDE YOUR CAT – so it does not need to wear a collar! And several models can be linked to an app on your mobile phone.
The brand that we personally recommend is Sureflap.
Check out the SureFlap website.
There are 5 options (the following names are all hyperlinks - so you can click on them for more information):
Normal size catflap - for normal-sized cats.
Same as Microchip Cat Flap above - but with the following additional features:
Able to connect to the Sure Petcare app (a mobile phone app) which means that:
*** You can see on your mobile phone when your cats are leaving the house or entering the house at any time - wherever you are.
*** Create a curfew - and program the door to lock and unlock at specified times. Alternatively, you can remotely lock and unlock the catflap at any time using your mobile phone - wherever you are.
(Please ensure that the required hub is included in your purchase - image as follows):
This is larger in size than the Microchip Cat Flap and is designed for large cats or small dogs.
Same as Microchip Pet Door above - but with the following additional features:
Able to connect to the Sure Petcare app (a mobile phone app) which means that:
*** You can see on your mobile phone when your cats are leaving the house or entering the house at any time - wherever you are.
*** Create a curfew - and program the door to lock and unlock at specified times. Alternatively, you can remotely lock and unlock the catflap at any time using your mobile phone - wherever you are.
(Please ensure that the required hub is included in your purchase - last image as above).
Set exit individual permissions for each cat. This means that you can allow some of your cats to go out whilst at the same time keeping other cats inside.
(Please note that this does not connect to the Sure Petcare app - so the cat flap cannot be controlled or viewed remotely from a mobile phone. Instead, you set permissions when you are at home by manually amending the settings).
Installing
All the cat flaps can be installed in doors, walls or glass. (Installations into glass will need the help of a qualified glazier. Your local window or glass company will normally employ such a person).
Microchip cat flaps cost more than conventional cat flaps. However, considering the technology that the Sureflap cat flaps incorporate, and the tremendous convenience they offer, they are fantastic value, and they are the preferred choice for the discerning cat owner who wants only the best for their cats and themselves.
Please note that the above products can be purchased directly from Sureflap or from Amazon.