Cat door in a glass door - anyone done this?

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We have French doors , each one the glass pane is 33cm wide , so they aren't huge .

We're trying to work out how best to fit a cat door ( we don't have cats but the cat door is essential otherwise I won't get them, so I'm planning ahead)

I've looked on a couple of websites so I know it is do-able , but the glass needs to be strengthened and sealed to keep it waterprrof and not misting.

Could the whole glass in-the-door part ( one of the glass sides) be replaced rather than the whole door itself?

There's no other options, the kitchen window cannot be used .

TIA

I don't know about the costs but I've seen cat flaps fitted directly into the wall as well. Would that be an option worth looking into?

Unfortunately the wall isn't , there's only a bit of wall at the side and there are power points and the radiator too nearby , Plus it doesn;'t lead to the steps so the cat would have to parachute down to the patio level

We have a cat door fitted just like this. We had to replace the pane of glass with a new one that was precut for the exact door (had to send it to the glazers). So just be aware that it isn't a case of someone cutting into your current glass, that won't work in a double glazed unit.

It hasn't misted or caused any issues like that, but we wouldn't do it like this again - our doors have a very tall wooden panel at the bottom. In order for our unathletic cat to get through, we have to have a step up to the door at all times, so she can reach, which is a pain. When we replace the doors, we'll get the door put into the wall instead.

Yes, you basically have to buy a new glass panel as you can't cut a hole and then reseal the glass. If you google it you'll find loads of glaziers who can do it locally. We had someone come and measure, then they go away to make the new panel with the hole (make sure you've bought the catflap in advance as they all need different sizes and they have include template for fitting into glass) then they come back later to fit the panel.

You'll also need an adapter for fitting your catflap - if you look on Amazon most of the cat flaps include the adapter as an add on purchase. It cost us just over £100 excluding buying the catflap.

Yes we've had this. We called a local glazier, they came out measured up and then bought the glass with the holes precut and sealed it into the unit. I think we googled cat flap in to glass and our area to find someone. It was a couple of hundred pounds, but that was about 8 years ago.

Yes, what others have said, you need a new sheet of glass. My glazer charges £75 to cut it and £150 for the glass, plus fitting.

We ended up putting it in the door as we could do that ourselves.

We have a cat flap in out double glazed, glass back door. The guy fitted the flap offsite to a whole new glass panel and then replaced it onsite.
We still have the old panel, in case we want to rake the cat flap with us should we ever move.

I've just had this done. As others have said, I had the lower panel of my back door replaced with a new pane with a pre-cut hole. Assuming I'm allowed to name a company, I used Cat Out of Glass. I suspect a local glazier may have been cheaper, but I had seen them recommended on here before (didnt want the hassle of ringing around tradesmen) and they were very efficient.

So, I.m thinking (is this correct? )

They measure my door , go off an prepare a glass to fit with the door shape cut out (which I would pre-select ) then bring new glass and fit it into my door?
Then fit the cat door ?

Does the cat door that has a micro-chip work from the cats' implanted chip (rather than a collar tag) ?

I think this is do-able

No idea, but I’m going to have to do something like this soon (moving house). Our options will be through glass or wall - has anyone looked at these and has a feel for which is easier?

(Was going to start a new thread, but it seemed slightly odd to have 2 cat flap threads going at once 😂)

Yes, used a local glazing company. Think it cost around £200 a couple of years ago (half-height panel, rather than a full length one).

Our local glazier fits the flap (of your choosing) before coming to fit, so it's just take out old glass panel and replace with new one with flap in place.

It can be worth asking the glazier to come and measure so the flap is positioned properly.

Microchip flaps work with the cats chip.

the glass panel has to be made to order by a glass factory, but a local glazier probably has a trade contact s/he can order from. Sealed units and safety glass can't be altered after manufacture. It is quite normal to order it made to measure.

I have an idea the retail price might be around £50 per sq metre, so not enormous cost. I don't know the cost of the hole. Trade prices are of course lower.

Get the glazier to do the measuring and ordering if you want them to accept responsibility for it fitting correctly

btw if you have any misty, blown or eroded window panels, ask for a price to renew them. If I'd realised how cheap it was I would have had mine done sooner.

We had this - a local glazing company came round and measured up, took the cat flap away with them and then made a sealed glass unit to fit the dimensions of the flap.

They then came and took out the glass panel and fitted the new sealed unit with flap in the existing door.

Cost £230 all in. This is in Northants / Bedfordshire border - may be more expensive elsewhere.

Yes works off the chip already in the neck. You can programme it to let them in and out or both. It's hilarious though as to programme it you have to push the cat through. So you grab said cat, ram them through the cat flap and then ram them back through the other way. They weren't impressed.

I have a cat flap in a double glazed door. I have had it for years now though so I can't remember the details of it, except that it had to be fitted by a proper glazier, but there has never been a moments trouble with it over the years.

I had a rough quote of £330 , we need to add the cat door on that (so £50+ up to £70 for the one that would suit our needs)

So that's £400 ............................. I will keep looking .
The cats will be £80 each (Rescue)

Your glass might be too narrow - here is what I was told by a glazier when I had it done:

The minimum width that you can have for the double glazed unit is 412mm wide for a cat flap with a 212mm diameter.

The Petsafe microchip catflap is 212. If you are able to have one fitted, program it with your cat's chip before it goes in the door - much easier!

We had this done about 20 years ago in a bog standard french window. Back then, the glazier came and cut a hole and fit the cat flap there and then £40, job done. No leaking or misting, or breaking or issues.

I wonder whether either glass has changed, or fitters are making a mint?

Ours cost £1,087......

We had sliding patio doors and to have the large pane of glass changed to get the cat flap fitted, it was going to cost nearly £300. This was last year. We've been in our house 20 years and we've always said one day we would change our sliding doors to proper opening French doors so it seemed like a good time to do it.

Bloody expensive cat.

MrsCap , I haven't got a cat chip to programme because I haven't got any cats yet

I did wonder if the door was going to be too narrow . I wiill look at catdoors/sizes before I contact the glaziers again, They said I need the door so they can get the measurements for the glass .I don't know how big the cats will be (they can pull their sides in and get through some really narow gaps though)

I'm having one done at the moment. I bought the cat flap, took it to the window company and they will fit it. You need to make sure you buy a cat flap for a double glazed door.

We need to do this but the price I was quoted was over £400 and I am unsure if the cat will manage the drop from the other side of the door to the first stair down (if that makes sense).

Also cat is not very outdoorsy, likes to go out and potter in the garden and then come back in. So I am not sure I can justify the expense, expect for when we go away. I will try the company recommended up thread for a quote.