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

Original poster

Are microchip cat flaps any good?

31 replies

Peachyking000 · 22/01/2018 13:55

We have 2 lovely one year old cats, both neutered and microchipped males (brothers). They have free access to House and garden, and we have cat flaps for our kitchen and garage. Problem is, next door’s cat keeps using them and eating their food, and they are afraid if it. Are microchip cat flaps reliable? I’m thinking of getting them, but worried in case they don’t work properly and the cats get stuck outside, while we are out!

OP posts:
Original poster
Peachyking000 · 22/01/2018 13:56

I should add, I don’t want to get magnetic ones, as I don’t like cat collars, in case they get caught on a bush etc

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tellybear · 22/01/2018 13:58

I've had one for almost 5 years and never had any problems with it. It has worked really well for me.

1 cat hosuehold of that makes any difference.

I have the sureflap one.

Original poster
Peachyking000 · 22/01/2018 14:02

Thanks Telly I’ll have a look at that one.

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sm40 · 22/01/2018 14:03

We have sureflap. Works great just check batteries always work!
You get the comedy value of posting cats through cat flap to register them! Ours go for the 4 paws on the door approach!

Doublechocolatetiffin · 22/01/2018 14:04

I also have the sureflap one - had it for about 7 years now and it’s brilliant. Used to stop the horribly bully cat a few doors down getting in (before he thankfully moved).

Batteries last about 2 years, just keep an eye out for the flashing red light to replace them.

Feezles · 22/01/2018 14:04

We also love ours, it is also a sureflap one. No issues after 4+ years. It is the first catflap ours has ever used (couldn't have one at previous properties, she learned to use it at the grand old age of 11.

sirlee66 · 22/01/2018 14:05

I have the sureflap too. It's brilliant. I've seen a cat chase my little fur baby into our garden and she ran through her cat flap with the assailant right behind her and... bang! They can't get in and she's safe!! It's good for locking her in at night too. I'd deffo reccomend

BabyMoonPie · 22/01/2018 14:05

We have one - it plugs into the mains and has a battery for back up. It's great

Alison100199 · 22/01/2018 14:05

I also used sure flap as I hate collars - think they are cruel. It was great and worked really well for my 2. It stored up to 10 cats if you wanted it to! You just have to press a button to register the chip and then 'post' the cat through the flap so it records it IYSWIM.

Frazzlerock · 22/01/2018 14:08

We have had one for a year and a half, and now have three cats - all three using it. It is plugged into the mains and never had any trouble with it. I think it is a Catmate

neddle · 22/01/2018 14:10

Can you have different settings for different cats?
We have two older cats that are free to come and go as they please.
We now have two kittens that will need keeping in for now and then limited access after neutering/vaccinations. I'll want them in overnight.

DaftCat · 22/01/2018 14:28

We have a sureflap. In fact we replaced it last week after about 3 years with an identical model after it inexplicably stopped working and the local bully boy ginger tom was waltzing in and eating PicklePigs food. I didn’t see him, just thought PicklePig was extra hungry for a week. But then last week I got home and found a very comfortable looking ginger lump snoozing in PicklePigs lovely furry bed while PicklePig cowered upstairs on our bed. I investigated the flap and the little peg that is meant to only open when the chip is there was permanently down, meaning that the ginger could just wander in.
No idea why it broke, tbh it may have just been gunked up with cat crud, but we changed it and the new one is working perfectly.

Original poster
Peachyking000 · 22/01/2018 14:33

Thanks for all the replies, this is great. I’ll check them out this afternoon. Part of me feels sorry for the neughbour’s cat - the previous owners of our house let it in all the time - it’s probably wondering why we don’t, though we have been there for 2 years now!

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pupchewsleg · 22/01/2018 14:41

I love our microchip cat flap. I genuinely didn't know they existed for our first 3 years of having a cat. I thought the choice was magnetic or nothing.
We had lots of problems with other cats coming in, which culminated in invading cat killing DS2s hamster. I discovered microchip cat flaps on the internet and it is brilliant. Battery powered, red light flashes when low. Put a stop to other cats coming in. Our cat gets in fine. . I wish I had discovered them before.

mummyhaschangedhername · 22/01/2018 15:43

Yes, ours is amazing. Two cats, one is allowed in and out and the other is allowed only in (he's supposed to be a house at but dies sneak out occasionally). Had it about 9 months, no issues whatsoever, not even replaced the batteries yet. I highly recommend.

PanPanPanPing · 22/01/2018 18:00

We have a Sure Flap microchip one for our two also. It's great as we have some neighbouring cats who want to come in too. So at least ours know that they're safe with their own cat flap - i.e. the others can't come in!

DaftCat. I had that problem with the 'little peg' a couple of months ago. The Sure Flap handbook was a bit useless, but I Googled it and found a way to sort it. Like you, I was stressing about having to buy a new cat flap, but I got it working OK using WD40 in the 'little peg' hole!

Although I do clean our cat flap regularly - including turning and cleaning the round doofah which gives you the different options for In/Out/In & Out/Locked.

I'll remember to WD40 the lock and roundy thing the next time I give it a clean!

DaftCat · 22/01/2018 18:21

PanPanPanPing I’ll have to make sure I keep the new one cleaned and WD40’d. We did panic a bit and ordered the new one on Prime so it came the next day. Should’ve kept the old one & seen if I could have got it working again. Never mind.

Cowardlycustard2 · 22/01/2018 18:28

Another devotee of the Sureflap here. Have had one for years and it’s always worked fine. Their customer service are really helpful as well. I like the fact that you can have different settings and permissions for different cats. Expensive but worth it.

PanPanPanPing · 22/01/2018 18:30

I was on the verge of ordering a new one, but our cat flap was only 2 years old at the time and I was flapping (excuse the pun!), so I finally calmed down to Google the problem because the handbook wasn't great with that problem.

I have gathered, from reading MN, that the Sure Flap helpline and their subsequent service is actually great!

TheNinjaWife · 22/01/2018 18:30

Do check the instructions first. I can’t remember the make, but it was an expensive one (£120). DH installed, but did not read the instructions properly. As our back door contained quite a bit of metal, the cats micro chip did not work, we were surposed to first install a bigger plastic surround in the door. And then fit cat-flap into that. So we ended up with an expensive cat flap that worked like a £15 one. Hope that makes sense.

AccidentallyRunToWindsor · 22/01/2018 18:45

I've read about one that goes one step further and can give you a notification on your phone that tells you every time a cat goes in or out!

booellesmum · 22/01/2018 18:50

We have a sureflap one as cats have no collars. It's great.
I like the different settings so I can get it to let them in but not out again when it's Bonfire night etc.

Original poster
Peachyking000 · 22/01/2018 21:42

Thanks everyone I really appreciate the advice

OP posts:
Original poster
Peachyking000 · 22/01/2018 21:42

Thanks everyone I really appreciate the advice

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BrokeAndBad · 23/01/2018 20:24

We got Sureflap, works pretty good!