Cat flap issue - can anyone advise on brand compatibility

[Notanothergiraffe]

We have a staywell cat flap with 7 (yes 7) tunnel extension pieces through a cavity wall. We have recently had another cat coming in eating my two cats food when they are not around so I have been looking at getting a microchip cat flap.

I can only find an infrared catflap from staywell, which would be no good for us as they need a special collar and my two get rid of collars within days so we have given up on them.

Does anyone know if the different brands of catflap tunnels are compatible? They seem to be different shapes and I would rather not pay for another 7 extension pieces or more to the point, can't even be sure they would fit the whole in my wall which was specifically made for the staywell tunnel pieces.

The other potential issue is that I can see microchip cat flaps need some electricity, do both parts have to be together to work i.e. would a tunnel on a microchip cat flap ever work?

At the moment the other cat has come in twice to our knowledge in the middle of the night, and only when our cats have not been around so I don't know if they know yet!

I know it is an odd question but I can't find an answer and you never know if someone has been through the same dilemma.

Thank you

I'm imagining your cats coming through like Colditz escapees

How do they phyaically get through? Is it an extra large one? Does it have flaps both ends?

I have a sureflap microchip one which works on batteries - the cat has to be within range of the flap for it to unlock.

The sureflap battery bit and door are all on the inside - the outside bit just holds it all in place. Their website is really good and the customer service excellent so may be worth a call to ask with your dimensions to hand

Thanks lapdanceShoeshine

No, it is a standard size cat flap, just very long!! It just has a flap on the outside, the inside is just a hole.

To be fair, it did take a while to train our previous cats and our two cats now to use it. Boldstrangercat seems to just know.

Do you know what the range is? And which side are the batteries, on the inside presumably?? Just pondering if the batteries are on the inside the chip sensor must be there and my cats would be about 30cm away from that when they are outside!

Thanks jiggly that is useful to know. I may well give them a ring.

I think my friend has the same catflap with her tunnel so it definitely works in tunnels. She has doors at both ends I think - the non-microchip one on the outside

If the flap is on the outside end of the tunnel, that'll just be the equivalent of having it in a standard door, won't it? So your cats can get close enough to the sensor?

I asked about the size because my biggest cat (not fat, just big-boned ) can barely squeeze through our flap & if we had a tunnel he'd have to commando crawl along it. (it is the smallest size though. They do make a bigger one, but we had the flap before we had monster cat)

This is my standard size flap in standard upvc door panel (it was locked to in only so mad cat decided to claw it open)

Batteries fit behind little panel on top.

Wouldn't you be able to place one like this at the outside end of your tunnel?

I think the main issue is that it would have to connect to the tunnel and all the tunnel brands seem to be slightly different shapes.

If we put it on the outside would the battery compartment get wet?

One of our cats is rather ermm big boned too! He does fit through the tunnel ok, although I haven't watched him very recently and he has got a bit bigger boned recently

Some extra images for you (with filthy cat footmarks )
The actual flap is set well in from the outside of the door, & the batteries are completely inside, behind the cover above the flap

I thin you take the first internal tunnel out, chop a bit off then put the microchip flap on the inside.

Does mean intruder would have to back out of the tunnel or stay stuck until you rescued it in the morning.

I'd phone stay well up and speak to them. The tunnels surely just make the hole nice and just the final one needs to match the flap brand?

Oh good point, RandomMess!
If it was at the outside end OP wouldn't be able to get at the battery flap
Sorry, OP - being dim today!

Microchip cat flaps can be electric or battery run, we use batteries.

We have a Sureflap, with extenders through a wall.

Our sure flip gets filthy quickly too

Thank you all. Stupidly it never occurred to me that only the end tunnel bits would actually need to match the new cat flap - doh! That should make it a lot easier. I will phone up when I get a chance over the next few days.

Our tunnel also gets filthy if it helps!