Catflap company say I have a defective cat. Vet says I have a defective catflap - who is right?

[Stupiddriver1]

If anyone can solve this mystery which has been plaguing me for months I would be very grateful.

We have one middle aged cat and for years have one of those microchip catflaps which only let recognised cats in. It worked fine, including for our previous (now deceased cat).

Then we got a new cat, who is to remain a house cat. The cat flap lets any cat out so obviously this wouldn't do. We purchased a new 2 way microchip one and programmed it so only the older cat could go in and out.

Apart from she can only come in, she can't get out.

We have tried resetting it so many times and it just doesn't recognize her when she tries to leave. Is fine coming in. DH has a keyfob for work with an rfid chip in so we programmed that to the cat flap and that works in both directions.

I contacted the cat flap company who sent me another rfid chip in a ruler widget to measure how far away the range is and it's 26cm both sides so they say their cat flap is fine. I said it can't be and to shut me up they sent me a new one.

We have exactly the same problem.

I took the cat to the vet to get another chip fitted and vet wouldn't do it. She scanned the cat and the chip shows up fine. Vet says the cat flap must be faulty. But if it was faulty why would it work for 2 X Non cat inserted chips. And why would both flaps have the same issue?

It's been 4 months now since cat could let herself out.

Chips can move, also location might depend on whose done it. My present two have theirs close to base of head and apparently just the chips aren't very deep, I think others have them more neck/shoulder blade area.

Oh God, no that was a joke. Sorry, not actually going to chip the cat myself. I value my skin too much for one thing. :)

And yes someone in a cat fb group I'm on recently had a kitten paralysed by Vets at PetsatHome doing a chip. So I know it's risky.

My cats are microchipped incase they get lost. Is it really a thing to microchip cats so they can get in and out of cat flaps ? Seems a bit cruel really.

Misty999,

The cat was microchipped years ago, not for a cat flap. But incase of getting lost.

I now have another cat who's a pedigree house cat and I need to make sure he doesn't get out. I'm not sure micro chipping is cruel regardless of the reason. I saw my dog get done and it's a bit of a big injection, forgotten about quickly.

If it means Cat A can come and go as they please and Cat B doesn't get stolen I'm OK with a minute of discomfort.

Well usually you chip them during neutering & then if you want a microchip flap your good to go.

Why would you think it cruel to microchip a cat for a cat flap, but not in case it gets lost? It gives the cat protection and of course functions in the event the cat is lost or gets injured.

It isn't cruel at all - it's what a sensible pet owner does.

@Misty999 it's the same chip - it's just the cat flaps are programmed with the same kit that a microchip reader at the vet is - it's not an additional chip.

I was watching a youtube video the other day where a cat's owner was explaining that tattoos in his cat's ears. Apparently instead of microchipping, they tattoo ID onto the inside of their ears while they're anaesthetised for neutering. It's less invasive than chipping and easier to see if they're found.

Sorry, that's completely irrelevant but I thought it was interesting.

I used to have a greyhound which was tattooed. They do it to racing dogs.

English dogs have one ear done, Irish dogs have both.

Electrical engineer dh has taken the cat flap apart. He reckons it’s a design flaw.

All the booster ariel thingy (technical) is on the side of the catflap which faces outside......the side which works. So the signal on the inside side won’t be as strong.

And while it does work for the rfid keyfob he reckons that if a chip is buried in a cat’s neck it will possibly be a weaker signal. So he reckons that’s why it works for the keyfob and works for the cat coming in but not out.

So I’ve bought an expensive, useless cat flap.

Dh is going to try and redesign the gubbins inside the cat flap and see if he can move some parts to equal the signal strength on both sides.

I may not have explained it quite as well as dh....I started to glaze over more than once. 😀

Probably a stupid question but are you sure it's fitted the right way round?

Not sure about a design flaw if tens of thousands of others are successfully using them...

Ah yes, internal gubbins. I believe I already suggested that without suggesting your cat has a fat neck which is blocking the signal.

Hmmm, well further pulling apart of the cat flap,found another loop of ariel thing on the other side. So back to square one.

Maybe my cat does have a fat/defective neck. Though that doesn’t really explain why it works one way and not the other unless the chip reader/receiver on one side is weaker than the other. Dh says there is more coiled wire on the outside side which will make that side stronger.

Maybe it’s. Ok for most cats, just not fat necked ones? Though in fairness she is skinny.

It’s definitely the right way round. Little spinning button and battery access on the inside.

I have one of these cat flaps and it works fine for two cats. How utterly bizarre that you have a defective cat 🐱

Our first catflap was from a faulty batch but that just meant it got through batteries in a matter of months rather than years

You could shave her neck, so the signal doesn't have to travel through fur? Or add an arial to her (tail probably) to boost her signal?

I could maybe do something like this and add a boost aerial or lots of chips to the collar of shame. Might amplify the signal. But then she might not fit through the flap which defeats the object.

And bastard kitten would take advantage of the situation and sneak past and get out. Which would really defeat the object.

Have you tried the tunnel on the inside? Or is there zero chance of putting the cat flap back together now your DH has been at it?

I was observing our two leaving earlier. Cat1 goes for the ramming head into door until it gives way method. Cat2 moved around in front of it and smacked it until it swung open and only when it was open tried to go through.

That is a stock image by the way, not my cat.

Don’t have any photos of defective cat on iPad and she’s gone awol today. Here is bastard kitten though who really caused all the problems by having perfect socks and not being allowed out.

I can’t think how to make a tunnel on the inside and to be honest the cat hates the cat flap so much now she won’t go near it from the inside. I think I will never entice her down a tunnel into it.

Bastard kitten is completely adorable 😍