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Original poster

How long do the batteries last in your cat flap?

28 replies

Champagneforeveryone · 08/10/2021 15:11

ChampagneCat has a SureFlap that works off the Wi-Fi, it cost £160 is very useful for setting curfews and telling where she is and when.

The thing is it burns through 4 x AA batteries about every 6-8 weeks. I'm sure this can't be right!

OP posts:
DontGiveAFlyingFig · 08/10/2021 15:14

We have one which works off Lord Cat's microchip and I reckon it gets changed every six months or so. He does like to stand near it so it opens, then he moves away and it closes all the time looking at me Hmm

25yearsnhsworker · 10/10/2021 22:03

Had my cat flap installed in May and not changed the batteries yet.

violetbunny · 11/10/2021 06:54

We have the same cat flap as you. Yes it does go through batteries fairly quickly. Some tips:

  • the flap works by scanning the inside of the flap (the white plastic part). You should try to keep it clean, if there's any debris inside the flap it will scan constantly and wear out the batteries more quickly. I give mine a quick wipe most mornings, and always if it's been raining (muddy paw prints!)
  • Make sure the flap is clicking closed after the cat has been through it. After a year we found the dust catcher inside the rim of the door was coming loose so it wasn't clicking shut. Again this wears out the batteries super fast.
  • buy some rechargeable AA batteries and swap them over every few weeks. Will save money in the long run.
violetbunny · 11/10/2021 07:04

P.s. Here are the actual cleaning instructions

How long do the batteries last in your cat flap?
Caspianberg · 11/10/2021 07:07

Sureflap microchip. Two cats using it lasts 9months approx.

We did have to stop using the rechargeable batteries as they only seemed to last a few weeks and if one out of the four batteries has slightly less charge for some reason the whole thing doesn’t work properly

EerilyDisembodied · 11/10/2021 07:32

Sureflap (non Wifi version) two cats, not kept particularly clean, rechargeable batteries last about a year.

DobbyTheHouseElk · 11/10/2021 07:35

No wifi flap. Batteries lasted 2 years. Rechargeable ones don’t work for some reason. So we use Duracell.

NapoleonOzmolysis · 11/10/2021 07:36

10 months last time. 2 cats. Sure microchip with the app.

RandomMess · 11/10/2021 07:36

Our first cat flap was faulty and ate them in 6 weeks, replacement is every 6 months

H8H8H8 · 11/10/2021 07:37

Sure flap.

4 x C batteries.
Last about 2 months… but we have a lot of cats so it gets a lot of use.
Must look into rechargeables.

LadyCampanulaTottington · 11/10/2021 07:43

Sureflap here too but with 4 cats that go in and out all day long we get about 6 weeks out of it. We have rechargeable batteries because we go through so many.

I just checked the app and they average 6 to 8 entries/exits each per day Grin That’s a lot of traffic.

Bichette · 11/10/2021 07:47

Sureflap (not WiFi) installed a year ago and haven't changed the batteries yet.
We only have 1 cat but we never lock the cat flap. She is constantly in and out.

Catcrazy83 · 11/10/2021 08:10

About 6months, I use recharging batteries

ReviewingTheSituation · 11/10/2021 08:12

Mine isn't wifi, but is a chip one. Haven't changed the batteries since we bought it, maybe 4 years ago!

Snailhaterz2 · 11/10/2021 09:27

Sureflap, a chip one. Probably every 2 or 3 months. Only one cat using it, but she does spend a LOT of time hovering around the catflap so it clicks several times before she comes through it. Have got better at cleaning it, so hopefully that will help. I try to get into the habit of buying spare batteries so they're there's always a set for emergencies.

PenguindreamsofDraco · 11/10/2021 17:06

As it turned out last week, when I wondered why the cat hadn't been on the bed for the last couple of nights, the batteries in our Sureflap/chip/no wifi flap lasted almost 2 years.

Cat has definitely not yet forgiven me.

Original poster
Champagneforeveryone · 11/10/2021 18:29

Thank you Smile

ChampagneCat does use hers as a cat level window so that's probably not helpful Grin

OP posts:
Keiki · 11/10/2021 21:32

Sure flap. Every 2 to 3 weeks between 2 cats, one if which likes thinking about going through for ages while it clicks away.

Babdoc · 11/10/2021 21:36

Forever. Because I took the batteries out. Madam is a feisty horror who would probably eat any stray cat who came through her cat flap..! Grin

minipie · 11/10/2021 21:38

Sureflap microchip, one cat, about 18 months

FingersofFish · 11/10/2021 21:42

We just have the regular microchip one and at the moment 1 cat. Lasts maybe 6m but it was about the same when we had 2. It's always open so gets a lot use as fishcat is rather indecisive

minipie · 11/10/2021 21:44

Ours seem to last a long time then! To be fair dcat uses the door whenever it’s open rather than suffer the indignity of a flap.

Dillydollydingdong · 11/10/2021 21:47

My catflap doesn't need batteries. Dcat just pushes it open with his head.

hilariousnamehere · 11/10/2021 21:48

My non WiFi chip flap, with curfew set (and me also manually turning it to closed and back to curfew mode most days because I sleep at weird times) with two cats - was about 6-8 months.

Recently reset itself again which is usually a sign of battery dying and last did it in May - so either it's on its way out or now I've cleaned it it'll last longer Grin

Chewbecca · 11/10/2021 21:51

Ours kept going through them at a rate of knots. We were worried it would run out whilst we were on holiday so put tape over the bottom to make sure she could always get out/come in... 3 years ago.