Nightmare with cat flap!

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Chloe2630
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Nightmare with cat flap!

Post by Chloe2630 »

Hi guys,

Any advice much appreciated...my cat uses a microchip cat flap...it started to not recognise his chip and he was getting shut outside so I got a replacement.

In the meantime I took him to the vet and had him scanned to make sure the chip was still there...it was.

New cat flap arrives and for love nor money I cannot get it to recognise his chip. Have gone through replacing the batteries/asking someone else to try. I Took him back to the vets who confirmed it hadn’t moved & was still readable.

In the meantime I got a phone call from Cat Mate who said they couldn’t find anything wrong with the one that was sent back.

I’ve got cats coming in and attacking mine, eating his food and peeing on his bed.

Not really sure where to go from here but it would be great if anyone’s been in the same boat/has any advice

Thank you!
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MarySkater
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Re: Nightmare with cat flap!

Post by MarySkater »

I haven't used a Cat Mate flap, but a long time ago, when I had one cat who was a slow eater and another who was a hoover, I set up a crate with a microchip cat flap as a safe food area for the slow eater. That flap had a projecting "porch roof" which contained the reader, and I found that the cat had to be quite close to it for the chip to be read. So I put a box as a doorstep, and that raised her up to where the flap could read her chip. I realise that this will be more awkward to do when the flap is in a house door, but you could at least try something that will raise the cat up, to see if it will improve the reading.
Shadow in crate.jpg
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Mayday21
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Re: Nightmare with cat flap!

Post by Mayday21 »

Hi Chloe what a worry. Hope you get the cat flap sorted. In the meantime can you keep your fur babe inside. Strange that other cats can get in if it’s a chip reader. Don’t know anything about them. Can Cat Mate send someone to investigate? Keep us posted. Vivian
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MarySkater
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Re: Nightmare with cat flap!

Post by MarySkater »

Mayday21 wrote: Fri Mar 29, 2019 11:09 pm Strange that other cats can get in if it’s a chip reader.
I assumed that Chloe had had to turn the reader part off, as it wouldn't open for her cat, so now it will let in not only her cat, but any others.
Catotum
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Re-set, use treats

Post by Catotum »

Firstly, there is a re-set button somewhere (read the instructions carefully) so I would start with that. Secondly - did you program the flap before installing it? Perhaps that is what you are trying to do.

When I programmed the one I have just installed (actually a PetSafe) I got them close enough to the flap while I was indoors by simply balancing cat biscuits up against the flap which assured they stuck their heads right in & they were instantly programmed. It can be quite difficult, I understand, to program a flap once it is in the door. Of course, you have to have a cat that will be tempted by something for this to work.

I would check that you are pressing the right buttons & using the right sequence - instructions tend not to be crystal clear & it is easy to get something wrong.

One important thing: there are different sorts of chip & if none of these ideas work, you might do well to get the details from the vet & make certain the chip CAN work with this flap. Also, some of the cheaper batteries just don't have the power to operate these flaps.

Good luck & do let us know how things go.
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