Cat flaps - microchip or basic?

[Sunshine49]

Hello everyone! The moment when my two young rescue cats will finally be allowed into the back garden is a long way off yet as they're still ultra-timid, but I thought I better start thinking about cat flaps in advance.

My first thought was to get a microchip flap, to prevent other cats coming into the house (we have a lot of pet cats in our area!) However, my worry would be that it could break and leave my cats trapped outside if I were away for a weekend, for example.

Would it be better to get a bog-standard cat flap so we can be sure that the cats can always get in - or are the microchip ones super reliable?

Also, I'll need to get the flap installed in a double-glazed conservatory door. Does anyone have any recommendations for firms in south London that can do this? Also, how much roughly does it tend to cost?

Thanks ladies!

Definitely microchip. Batteries last 6 months to a year and the light flashes for a while before they're gone.

It means they are safe in their own home from intruders.

I had a whole new pane of double glazing for a patio door made with the hole in it and installed for I think £200 by my local glazier. You can't cut a hole in double glazing after it's been fired. I kept the other pane so when we move the new owners have a choice of catflap or no cat flap.

Hi Clare, thanks for the advice. And great idea about keeping the old pane too - I wouldn't have thought of that!

I've got a microchip one for my 3 boys and it's brilliant. No problems with any other cats coming in so they know they are safe in their home.

I find the batteries only last 2-3 months but I have 3 cats who love to go in and out constantly. But it flashes for at least a week before I get round to replacing them and the flap hasn't locked them out.

Definately microchip- we initially got a bog standard one but quickly swapped to microchip after I came home one night to my cats being terrorised by a massive Tom cat and another random cat sleep in the spare room having weed on the bed!!!!

We have a microchip; best thing ever

We had a regular flap, but had all sorts of invaders and my girls were quite scared as they never knew who was going to be in

Also the fuckers used to eat their food and constantly jump on the worktops, which my girls rarely do. (We could see their shitprints)

Now the invaders sit outside the flap whining as their owners don't feed them and they can no longer get in