Cat flap help

[woodwaj]

I'm looking at getting a cat flap installed but don't really know where to start. I've found someone to fit it but I need to supply it myself. I'd like a microchip one. How do you register them to your cats chip? Do I need an extension thing?!

Any advice would be appreciated

You program you cat to the cat flap by simply passing the cat through the flap repeatedly!! The flap reads the microchip and then will only let your cat in.

It’s really good. We don’t get any intruders since we had a microchip cat flap installed.

Cat enjoyed it because he got a dreamie every time he was passed through the flap. You program it before you install it in the door.

I've recently changed from a normal manual one to a microchip one and it's great. I had lots of strays making themselves at home via the old catflap, but not now! I found it a bit of a challenge to get started with it, but I've got my head round it now.

The instructions advise you to get the microchip registered before it's installed, by slowly getting your cat to pass through it, and that's when it registers the chip. I could only manage this with one of mine and had to catch the other one when it was installed. I had the catflap on the training setting, (manual), and waited for him to comeup to it, quicky changed it to the programming setting, held the flap door open and it finally registered his microchip. This took about a week and many attempts Patience and stealth!

Thanks for the quick responses! My cat is going to the toilet in my bedroom so think it's defo time to look at the option of him coming and going freely!!

With the one we have, my cat has learnt to put his head in the tunnel and wait for the clock before battering at the cat flap. It sounds complicated, but it’s not too bad.

Only tip I’d give is you can’t use re-chargeable batteries in it. You have to use the single use Duracell or whatever brand batteries.

Sorry that’s a CLICK not a clock.

@DobbyTheHouseElk

With the one we have, my cat has learnt to put his head in the tunnel and wait for the clock before battering at the cat flap. It sounds complicated, but it’s not too bad.

Only tip I’d give is you can’t use re-chargeable batteries in it. You have to use the single use Duracell or whatever brand batteries.

One of mine has the intelligence to do that, but the other one batters the door until he hears the click, then comes crashing into the kitchen

Intelligence you say….he’s currently trying to get out of a window that’s closed by paddling at it. Not the brightest cat.

I've got a sureflap microchip cat flap and it'sgreat. You just press a button and it remembers your cat's microchip when your cat puts his head in the tunnel. I'd recommend programming it before you install it. The Sureflap website had loads of information. You can also buy the cat flaps from them directly, but you can get them cheaper elsewhere

You can get microchip ones that only read the microchip on entry - any cat can get out. Or ones that read the microchip both for getting in and getting out.

We had the former, but now have a cat we need to keep in so replaced it with the latter.

Thanks some great tips! And I actually ordered the sureflap @PukkaP so glad to see your positive review!

Here is the culprit!

My microchip cat flap never worked with my cat. No idea why. If I posted her through it worked ok. But not if she tried on her own. The vet said her chip was in the right place. Sureflap sent me another flap and that was the same. I had to get a second microchip attached to her collar and that worked until she lost the collar.

If anyone can tell me how to stop a cat bringing rodents in through the microchipped flap, I will love you forever! Other than microchip all the local rodents, which seem a tad impractical!

I often muse about designing a catflap with a camera and facial recognition software that would identify a rodent/bird in the cat's jaws and automatically lock beachygirl. Not sure I have the requisite skills though.

@PerrinAybara

I often muse about designing a catflap with a camera and facial recognition software that would identify a rodent/bird in the cat's jaws and automatically lock beachygirl. Not sure I have the requisite skills though.

when you've developed it let me know. We get mice, birds and shrews. Golly, can they move. And the squeal they make!!! Most mice end up as trails of entrails but birds are bought in to play with.

@PerrinAybara

I often muse about designing a catflap with a camera and facial recognition software that would identify a rodent/bird in the cat's jaws and automatically lock beachygirl. Not sure I have the requisite skills though.

It’s been done already. Read an article about it years ago, the guy was trying to get funding so it could be mass produced.

OK questioning the cat flap now 🤣🤢

@QuebecBagnet

My microchip cat flap never worked with my cat. No idea why. If I posted her through it worked ok. But not if she tried on her own. The vet said her chip was in the right place. Sureflap sent me another flap and that was the same. I had to get a second microchip attached to her collar and that worked until she lost the collar.

Two of my cats have two microchips implanted because the first was in the wrong place (it hadn’t migrated but was a bit too low down the neck). The original microchip can still be read. I’d go back and ask for a second chip and remember to cross reference both chips on the owners databases.

I’ve also got a sureflap one. I do like my tech so I’ve got the sureflap connect and I get notifications on my phone each time the cats come and go

@woodwaj

OK questioning the cat flap now 🤣🤢

I have mine set to out only which prevents a lot of rodents. Otherwise if the door is open and we see DCat en route home with something in his mouth we shout “close the doors and windows, lock the cat flap”. It’s not foolproof but it help to allow easy exit, but not easy entry.

It arrived today and I think I've registered it no problem. He was very wary of it though I pretty much had to shove his head near it. But it beeped almost instantly 🤞

That sounds promising and your cat looks lovely. My cat was wary of it initially as it clicks when it unlocks, but a few strategically placed Dreamies worked a treat.

I think it'll just take a rainy day to convince him to give it a go!

My DCat pretended he didn’t know how to use it so the door would be opened by the cat slaves. He definitely knew how to work it as he’d pop in and out, but never if I was in sight. So he could keep up his pretence.

Try taping the latch part over (so there's no clicking noise) or even propping the door open a little until he gets used to it. Baby steps are sometimes the best approach!

Microchip cat flap is definitely the way to go. Although after 11 years my boy still pretends on occasion that he has no idea how to use it and sits by the door miawing until someone opens it for him.