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Original poster

Random cat getting through microchip catflap

22 replies

HouseHell · 18/06/2015 07:12

I've been having problems with my cats spraying...and have seen them being threatened in the garden by other local cats.
In the night, the girl cat was screeching from upstairs and I was wondering what the hell was going on. I got up...then the the catflap clatter. shut.All the food had been eaten and my two were both upstairs petrified
I thought the whole point of these microchipped catflap a is they keep out intruders...
Any suggestions? Confused

OP posts:
VivaLeBeaver · 18/06/2015 07:15

One of my cats can bypass a locked cat flap by hooking it with her claws and pulling it towards her then going through. I wonder if that's possible with these?

If you can't stop them getting in Id be running down as fast as I could and scaring the cat by making a lot of noise and hopefully putting him off coming back.

cozietoesie · 18/06/2015 08:00

Well that is extremely unusual - as you said, virtually the whole point of microchipped catflaps is to keep out intruders so it's a bit of a bummer if it's not working correctly.

Have you checked to see if it's malfunctioning in some way? The best of flaps might have a mechanical 'moment' I suppose.

Is it a Sureflap?

RiverTam · 18/06/2015 08:02

I would reset it with your cats microchips. Has the disk been knocked do its on free flow mode, as it were? Or the batteries run out?

smashedhen · 18/06/2015 09:37

our microchip catflap doesn't flip back properly if it's windy, and doesn't lock. So the flipping stray still gets in sometimes and eats our food. However, 9 times out of 10 he's not getting in I suppose...

code · 18/06/2015 11:30

That likely explains your spraying problems which is one good thing.

Archfarchnad · 18/06/2015 11:48

If it's a Sureflap and the intruder cat is doing what Viva describes - hooking the flap toward it with a claw - then Sureflap will do a free retrofit of the Sureflap to make that impossible - but it means to have to take it out of the wall and send it away for the adaptations, I think.

There's a BBC programme on cats (can't remember name) which shows an intruder getting in with the technique.

Apparently it's a sign of feline intelligence, which essentially means our boy will never work it out Grin.

VivaLeBeaver · 18/06/2015 14:34

Trust me to have intelligent cats!

It means I can never catch them for vets trips! They know as soon as they come in that the cat flap is locked one way. Turn straight round, hook it up and scarper. Don't come back for days!

worldgonecrazy · 18/06/2015 14:37

We had a stray force his way in by batting the flap with his paw until it bounced upwards, then hooking his paw quickly underneath and sneaking in. I don't think there is such a thing as a cat-proof cat flap.

beckworth · 18/06/2015 14:39

This happens to us when ours gets chased in and the other cat follows right on his heels, the flap doesn't have time to lock. Rare though.

Original poster
HouseHell · 18/06/2015 19:38

Thank you for the replies.

So I have attempted to get in from outside...and it does seem possible. Have googled the retrofit thing but nothing has come up. Any ideas?

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 18/06/2015 19:51

If it's a Sureflap, contact the company directly, House. Their customer service is supposed to be excellent. (As related by those who have had cause to use it.)

Original poster
HouseHell · 18/06/2015 20:44

Thanks Cosie. Will do.

OP posts:
Original poster
HouseHell · 18/06/2015 20:44

Cozie...damn autocorrect!

OP posts:
Archfarchnad · 19/06/2015 10:40

Yes, House, contact them directly. They don't really like admitting that their flap - which for us is utterly marvellous, can't praise it highly enough - has a flaw for a very small percentage of cats, so it's not exactly publicised. But they do have great customer service (they've also popped up here on Litter tray threads before, so hello Sureflap if you're being nosy around).

There's a MNer who had the retrofit done a few monoths ago and it solved the problem perfectly - she also posted pics of what the Sureflap looked like afterwards. They sort of attach a hood to the mechanism which means it can't be hooked forwards any more.

"It means I can never catch them for vets trips! They know as soon as they come in that the cat flap is locked one way. Turn straight round, hook it up and scarper. Don't come back for days!" That does sound trying, I'm truly grateful we have a cat who is not blessed in the brain department.

Original poster
HouseHell · 20/06/2015 08:25

Just a quick update to those who offered advice.

I rang sure flap who said my catflap was out of warranty but that they would send me the new dualscan flap as they were sorry I was having such trouble! How's that for customer service? Beyond impressed!

Thanks again to those who offered advice...hoping this will be the end to the spraying issues. (Crosses fingers tightly!)

OP posts:
Archfarchnad · 20/06/2015 09:47

Ooh, they ARE good. Very impressive. What does the dualscan flap do that the other one doesn't?

cozietoesie · 20/06/2015 10:02

That's good news. It's useful to know that a company cares about a user's experience with their product - gives you more confidence when buying what is, after all, a not inexpensive piece of kit.

I don't know when the new device will be arriving but if it's not until - say - Monday (being the weekend and all) might it be a good idea to block off the current flap for a couple of nights and let your two out manually for the duration? (I'm just thinking about removing your house from Mean Tom's 'Roaming Route' - they often develop fairly fixed points which they visit on a daily basis.) I don't know what your door is like though - a piece of plywood would be an easy temporary attachment if it was wooden but it might not be.

Fingers crossed for you.

CariaIlwen · 31/05/2018 22:26

We used to have an infrared cat flap - the problem we had was that if there was another cat on the outside our cat went up to the cat flap to snarl and let it in!

silkyerin68 · 13/06/2018 07:41

I have a cat coming through a microchip sureflap catflap. Sureflap said that they cant prevent all cats getting in, thats not reallt spelt out in their advertising or their website, just in tiny letter if you really search. They wanted me to buy the dual scan at a reduced price. After much debate the finally sent me the dual scan and the cat next door still gets in by using the same method. The dual scan does not prevent other cats getting in. If anyone has any solutions as this cat is all over our house if we dont block off the cat flap. My cat is an anxious cat so living under the bed in fear. Need help

Almufasa · 17/02/2020 17:42

Next door's cat is doing the same. We were baffled how it got in through the chip activated cat flap - was our cat nuzzling up and letting it in? Did he have a copy chip? But no we staked it out and saw it doing it. What can I do now?

LuckyDipForTheEuro · 20/12/2022 10:25

I know this is an old thread but I wanted to post because my sure flap is absolutely activated by another cat in the neighbourhood. It's not flicking it's claw or chasing through, I've seen it activate the mechanism and stroll in numerous times! I've reset many times to no avail! Fortunately it's a docile old girl who doesn't pee or wind up my girls so I just put up with it. Just thought I'd post in case anyone else thinks they're going mad! I figure her microchip number must be similar or something...

Fluffycloudland77 · 20/12/2022 15:40

Or she’s got the master key.

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