Cat Flaps

[EvianBaby]

I asked in another area yesterday about cat flaps but just wanted some personal opinions.

I was going to get a magnetic one but having read some reviews of different makes online I'm not sure it's a good idea. My cat doesn't wear a collar at the moment although of course he would have to if I got this type but I've seen numerous people saying the collar picks up screws, etc and that the magnets often break.

But I quite like the idea that other cats won't be able to get in the house while I'm not there. Altough it seems some clever cats can work out how to get in anyway.

I've looked at the microchip ones but getting the glass for the flap is already costing me £300 and I can't afford another £100 for that sort of flap.

So, can anyone reccommend if the magnetic ones are any good or if I should just go for a bog standard flap?

[rojash]

None of our 23 cats wear, or will ever wear, collars. This is after two separate (with correctly fitted collars) incidents involving near strangulation. In the first case, the cat managed to get the collar trapped across the back of its neck and through its jaws. Fortunately, unlike most cats (who tend to hide when they have a problem) it cam and found me, and I was able to free it. In the second, we were alerted by crying, and found a cat hanging by its collar from a tree branch.

In our experience, cats that don't belong very rarely enter through a cat flap. I'd go with an ordinary, 3-way lockable flap.

[ChuckFickens]

23 cats?!?!?

[ChuckFickens]

OH and the ones that work on the chips really do work well.

Seeing as you are having to get the glass cut to fit the flap you're not going to be able to change your mind after you've got it fitted so I personally would stretch to the extra expense of getting one that's suits your needs the first time.

[China Doll]

I'm not even allowed two cats let alone 23... the world is unkind... ;o)

Eric just has a bog standard cat flap, you can turn the dial so it's totally locked, totally open, or you can do it so once he's in he can't get back out or once he's out he can't get back in. Generally our doors are always open anyway so Eric's mates come in anyway (he has three friends) but when the doors are shut no other cat has tried to come in the flap. This includes the several neibouring cats that have chased Eric home on many occasions.

[Prudie]

I don't think it's a good idea putting collars on cats at all really. The odd cat that gets in wouldn't bother me. I don't have a flap anymore and occasionally some scruff has wandered into the living room when the back door's been open but so what.

[wiltsman]

My cat at 13 years old had never worn a collar or used a cat flap.

Then when I did fit a magnetic cat flap in my door, and fitted my cat with a collar which had a magnet attached, it took him about three weeks to actually use it. But once he did he was fine. I bought a collar with piece of elastic let into it and had no problems, even though I live out in the country with hedges and trees everywhere.

Only once did he come into the house with a small steel screw attached to it. Also, no other cat tried to enter the house.

So, overall I would recommend the magnetic cat flap.

[EvianBaby]

That's one of the reasons he doesn't have a collar now, I've heard some horror stories that have put me off.

It's more that I don't want other cats spraying in my house or making my boy spray in the house if I'm not there to shoe them out.

[rojash]

"23 cats?!?!?"

...and one dog.

[ummmm]

Where do they all sleep?

[Baldric]

We've never had a cat flap into the house, have fitted one at either end of the garage so he can go from back to front of the house and has shelter when we're out, and at previous house had fitted one to a shed, but never into the house.

[EvianBaby]

I couldn't get one into the garage, it's too far away. Plus the glass is already ordered so I'm not changing the plan now.

I suppose I could close the internal doors into the conservatory so that he and any other cat that decided to come in would only have access into there and not the rest of the house.

I'd really like a microchip one but I'm already stretching beyond what I can really afford with the glass.

[ChuckFickens]

You could get the manual locking staywell one for now, and seeing as it requires the same size cut out as the microchip one (212mm Circle) you'd have the option of changing it in the future.

http://www.staywell.c...ducts/Cats/300-Series

[EvianBaby]

Thanks Chuck, think that's probably my best option. That one seems to have pretty good reviews for a basic flap and it's only £19 at Pets at Home :)

[vetuste_ennemi]

We're against collars for the reasons given, and also because cats can get out of them very easily, especially the elasticated ones; so you could end up replacing the magnetic collar quite often. Wiltsman's cat at 13 probably doesn't rush around like a kitten any more.
But £300, EvianBaby? The cheap cat flaps we buy (Argos 3 way c £15-20) just need a circular hole cut out of the wooden (or glass door). We've only had one stranger use our cat flap. It was a huge and rather aggressive tabby. We'd locked the open-out movement in the evening and I found her trapped indoors the next morning. She panicked and smashed her way out taking the cat flap with her and leaving the hole in the door. "You're only supposed to blow the b****y doors off".

[EvianBaby]

My only option is to put it in glass, there is no external wall/non glass door that it can go in and you can't just cut a hole in the existing glass. It has to be replaced with reinforced glass that meets regulations because of the hole in it. That's why it's costing £300. The flap that Chuck has suggested is only £15 on Amazon so I'll order that I think, then I won't be too upset if it gets broken and won't need a stupid collar.

[convent]

My grand daughter has a cat flap which works by the micro chip in the cat. They too couldn't afford to put a flap in their double glazzed door so bought one that goes in the wall cavity. It works a dream and she no longer worries about 'Bugsy' when they are at work.

[convent]

Sorry, didn't realize you had no external wall, my mistake.

[wolf63]

rojash - 23 cats, I would hate to be the neighbour whose garden they all use as a bathroom. :-)

[boxtops]

We used to have a magnetic catflap - we never had any trouble with the magnet picking up other items, but I do have a huge problem with cat collars. The magnets are quite big, and twice Rover got the magnet caught on an angle on things - window catches being the favourite - and nearly hanging himself. The quick release collars didn't work for them as they'g get their feet caught in the collars when scratching, and just drag them off.

Now we have an ordinary cat flap and next door's cats visit - they all scrap in the house and out in the garden so it makes no difference where they are - but it has a lock so we can lock them in if we need to. (That is, except for Black Spot who shoulder-charged the door, I found the locks and part of the frame halfway up the garden....)

Ours is in a reinforced UPVC door, it was no problem at all to have it cut out.

[EvianBaby]

Thanks, I've ordered the one Chuck suggested which is non magnetic. Just from the comments here I think I've made the right choice. I really don't like collars.