Can you disable the magnet in a magnetic lock cat flap, or change flap in a glass door?

[Bogburglar99]

Hello

BBK has started making acquaintance with the big wide world, for which we have installed a cat flap at some expense in our glass door. Trouble is, Muggins here got a magnetic lock one for which he has to wear a collar.

He's not mad keen on having the collar on, plus I have now read on here about all the collar-related concerns. He is chipped.

Can you disable the magnet somehow to make it an ordinary flap, or change the flap without changing the whole glass unit at significant cost (again).

Yes to both. On your cat flap there will be a dial that changes the settings so the cat can get in and/or out without the magnet, although of course that means any other cat can too. And most cat flaps are sized identically so you can change them without rebuilding the wall.

Our microchip cat flap has been brilliant and worth every penny.

Thank you that's interesting. I haven't spotted a setting/dial but will look again. It's a PetSafe brand, has a four way lock but no obvious magnet less option.

The flap is installed in a double glazed glass panel, and to put it in they had to make a panel with door included. Hence worry about whether it can be changed.

Yes you can change it. Flaps are standard sizes and the glaziers have made you a hole in the panel that is sealed round the edges. It doesn't use the flap to make the seal. So just take out the flap and put in another one. I've done it with no problem.

Ah, that makes sense. I may look at changing it then. Thank you.

At the moment it is all rather irrelevant as he is operating the 'deny all knowledge of how to operate cat flap and sit pathetically by door until human decides to comply' approach.

For what it's worth- our cat is a collar loser so we opted for a microchip one. It's been in 3 years now and it's fantastic.

Our cat has a cat flap in the utility room door and the back gate. He gets me to open the front door.

There is no point having a dog and barking yourself now is there?.

Worse still random dog walkers heard me tell him "be a good boy and mind the cars, no one brakes for cats".

Yes you should be able to disable the magnet, we had similar problems with magnetic cat flap & most recent cat who continually lost his collar. DH says there is a lever thing in the mechanism which he wedged down or removed somehow. You might be able to do this while you wait for a microchip flap to be fitted