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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Original poster

Microchip cat flap

24 replies

strawberrypenguin · 03/01/2014 10:41

Does anyone have one and do they work. Seriously considering getting one but they are expensive so any reviews would be great before I scrape the money together. Another cat has been coming in and eating our ones food so it needs stopping but ours has never worn a collar and I don't want to start so the microchip one seem like the answer - are they?

OP posts:

Lovethesea · 03/01/2014 10:55

Ours is brilliant. Our two cats have a safe haven indoors, the neighbours cat doesn't steal food anymore.

I just propped the flap open for a day or so so they got used to the click as they activate the sensor then they worked it out.

Well worth the money for us.

TheOldestCat · 03/01/2014 10:57

Ours has been great - well worth the money as our two cats were getting chased in by a neighbour's tom (he looked most bemused when it wouldn't open). It was expensive but has worked so far. It's the Sure flap one.

Pooka · 03/01/2014 10:57

Same here. Much happier cats. They've stopped marking inside and have generally become less stressed. Have also used felliway plug in.

Again, took a couple of days for them to adjust to the click.

TheOneWithTheNicestSmile · 03/01/2014 11:04

The Sureflap one gets amazing reviews on amazon but is £10 cheaper on \link{http://t.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/cat_flaps_nets/microchip_cat_flaps/138700\zooplus}

Original poster

strawberrypenguin · 03/01/2014 11:58

Great thanks everyone sounds like they are worth the money. I don't mind spending the money if they work so I shall invest in one later.

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ComposHat · 03/01/2014 12:34

Yes my parents had one for their now late cat who was being chased by the local Tomcat. They had a bit of trouble as the old flap had been placed quite high up the door and the chip reader was too high to read the cat's chip.

It worked very well after a bit of jiggerypokery and my dad built a little step so the cat's head was closer to the scanner.

Sometimes they don't work if the cat's microchip has moved about in their body.

iwantavuvezela · 03/01/2014 12:36

Another yes for Sureflap .......

Very easy to set up .....

Bitoffluff · 04/01/2014 09:51

We have had both the petporte (at old house) and the sureflap, the petporte flap is bigger than the standard sureflap, we had to send the standard sureflap back and change it for their bigger "pet door"as our boy wouldn't use it. The petporte door seems a little stronger against unwanted visitors but I like the timer / curfew feature on the sureflap that you set by the clock rather than petportes light sensitive opening option (both also have manual options) both of them have worked well and been well worth the money

Alfiecat · 04/01/2014 13:28

We have one and it works great. It stops the other cats from getting in and our cats love sitting in front of it and looking at the other cats knowing they can't come in.
We have the problem that one of the cats chips has slipped and she can't open it. We solved that by getting her rechipped but after three years that chip also slipped and I didn't want her to have a third chip fitted. Now I have sewn a chip into her collar (which she wore anyway) and now it works great again. I bought some microchips from an Internet site in Ireland for about 5 Euros.
They are definitely worth the money. You also need a power socket somewhere near the door though you can get extension leads for them.

bishboschone · 04/01/2014 18:33

My sister has one it's great , I'm considering getting one when we move but I'm not sure my old boys will get it .

Original poster

strawberrypenguin · 04/01/2014 19:14

Thanks everyone Think we will go for the Sureflap as its battery operated.

OP posts:

tripper20 · 04/01/2014 22:58

Another YES fo rSureflap. We had huge problems with a visiting un-neutered tom. It took a couple of days "training" for our two cats but no unwanted visitors since. It's easy to install too.

jezzasjockstrap · 06/01/2014 20:02

We have a Sureflap and it was the best investment that we ever made. Our late girls had no problem getting the hang of it.
You start off by operating it in learn mode, as puss goes through it the detector remembers the chip code.
But don't try and sneak up behind the cat with the Dyson to encourage them through. Cat shot through the flap like a missile, so fast that the detector missed her.
Oops.

Hoppinggreen · 08/01/2014 10:33

As my vet told me these cat flaps will not stop a very determined cat from coming in.
We have one and a neighbours large tom cat has actually smashed the clear plastic bit several times. It will put off most cats though

Poledra · 08/01/2014 10:38

Hmm, I was considering one of these, not because of other cats coming in but because the high winds we've been having are blowing through my catflap and making the kitchen absolutely freezing! Am I right in assuming that these catflaps won't blow in the wind?

RiverRocks · 10/01/2014 14:24

We have the battery operated Sureflap. Our first catflap, and it's been brilliant. Particularly as it means he no longer wakes me up at 4.30am demanding to go out.

They stay locked until the cat comes up to it, then it unlocks and lets them in - no draughts! Would definitely recommend it.

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 10/01/2014 16:51

We've got the battery sureflap too, had it about 6 weeks. We turn it to in only once it gets dark then fully open in the morning. It doesn't seem to let any draughts in or rattle, however the door it is on is slightly draughty anyway. One cat managed to get her claw trapped between flap and housing trying to get out of it while it was locked, luckily we were at home and able to free her, just hoping she's learnt not to push it if it doesn't move now.

Original poster

strawberrypenguin · 15/01/2014 20:05

Thanks for everyone's advice we went ahead and got a Sureflap and it's certainly been worth the money. Our girl go used to the click it makes very quickly and is now able to eat her dinner in peace!

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 15/01/2014 20:38

Well done. (And Yah Boo to the mean food nicker.)

nannynome · 16/01/2014 22:59

We have had both, just be aware the pet Porte doesn't work with certain chips :( very expensive mistake! I preferred it though as it had a plug rather than battery only. Sure flap has been absolutely fine though too.

CatGuardian · 22/01/2014 16:03

Just came on to ask this question and saw the thread . So you don't have to take the cats back to the vet to get the chip 'programmed' then? You just buy the flap and then it learns to 'recognise' your cat's chip?

We have next door's cats intruding regularly and stealing food (cats and ours if left out ) and the flap we have - Staywell? Pet well? -has now gone slightly askew from taking a battering from intruder cats, so might be time to consider a change.

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 22/01/2014 16:08

That's right, to programme it you hold down a button (which is on the inside side of the flap) and get your cat to put their head to the flap and it reads and stores the microchip details. So you can add other cats later if necessary but no one on the outside can do it.

Hoppinggreen · 23/01/2014 22:21

One thing to bear in mind is that a very determined strong enough cat will still get in. Our neighbours large Tom cat has smashed the clear plastic door it in half several times. He can also get in whenever he wants by just charging at it.
It will stop slightly less determined visitors though

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 23/01/2014 22:49

I watched one of my neighbours toms giving it a go today. Gave it a good battering but it stayed intact.

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