Experience with microchip cat flaps?

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fjm
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Experience with microchip cat flaps?

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What are people's experiences with microchip cat flaps? Pippin is getting more and more arthritic, and is struggling with the window cat flap that has served us well for years. I don't think neighbouring cats would be foolish enough to visit and risk being chased by the dogs, but an ordinary floor level flap means the dogs could use it too, and I don't really want that! If I make the tiny back garden secure enough for them, it will also stop Pippin accessing the sunny courtyards that he enjoys so much. It will have to go in the back door, I think, which faces the prevailing gales, so draught proofing is a consideration. Pip in particular is a creature of habit, so it needs to be very cat friendly and easy to learn. I am thinking of the Sureflap, but would welcome suggestions.

I tried the magnetic style years ago - after six lost collars and keys I gave up...
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lilynmitz
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Re: Experience with microchip cat flaps?

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Mine is a godsend, and my neighbours also have one to stop feline intruders. Mine is a Sureflap, battery operated, which I've had for almost 3 years now. You can also set it manually to "in only" or "fully locked/unlocked" as per normal cat flaps, working in parallel with the micro chip function, which can be programmed to each cat as "in only" or "in and out", and you can change it later for individual cats too. I have Elsie programmed to in only, and also have it locked manually on "in only" so that I can keep an eye on her movements - I only let her out when I'm home.

In the event that the battery fails, it just works like a normal cat flap. The batteries last quite a while if you use good quality ones, depending on level of usage of course. Don't use rechargeable batteries, I find they conk out too quickly on this unit.

The after sales service has been brilliant too, particularly if you have a few teething problems - they're really friendly and helpful. They will also exchange any faulty units with no argument.
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fjm
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Re: Experience with microchip cat flaps?

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Thanks - that's really helpful. I need it to let my two cats in and out, not let the dogs out, and preferably keeps unwanted visitors from coming in! The sureflap is looking the best bet so far - I now need to research models.
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MarySkater
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Re: Experience with microchip cat flaps?

Post by MarySkater »

I'm going back 10 years or so, so my experience is probably out of date for current models. But just in case... I had 2 cats, one ate fast, the other grazed. So the fast eater would finish the slow eater's food. My solution was to feed the slow eater in a crate fitted with a PetPorte microchip flap. The PetPorte had a sort of porch roof projection, where the reader was. I found that the cat had to be quite close to the reader for it to activate, so I put down a box as a"doorstep," raising her up as she approached. With that assist, it worked perfectly.
Shadow in crate.jpg
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Re: Experience with microchip cat flaps?

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I love the combination of high and low tech you used to solve your problem, Mary! I think the Sureflap Dual is the best match for my situation - not too expensive, and checks the microchip on exit and entry. Pip is rather better today, after several days on a full dose of Loxicom, but the less jumping he does the better. I'm hoping that after 6 weeks of confinement through the radio-iodine treatment he will be rather more amenable to a change of habit. At the moment he is quite determined to continue using the window catflap, no matter how much of a struggle it is and how frequently I open the doors!
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Re: Experience with microchip cat flaps?

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I've got mine mounted in the bottom of a section of painted plywood which replaces a glazed panel in the timber french windows. This means there's a bit of a step up to get over the bottom rail of the door, and a bigger step down onto the path outside. So I put a cushion on the floor inside the catflap, and built some steps with concrete blocks outside. Elsie, who is spectacularly dim, copes with this pretty well. In fact she sleeps on the cushion each night behind the curtains, despite it probably being a little draughty, and often perches on the step outside. It's in our dining room, and if you're the type who's neurotic about draughts, it could be an issue, but tbh we really don't notice it that much unless you sit right in front of it. And I'm a firm believer in some degree of background air-changes in houses (aka draughts!) as it's much healthier than a hermetically sealed room.
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Re: Experience with microchip cat flaps?

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There is a curtain in front of the door it will go into, and like you I am a believer in not sealing rooms too tightly. The old cat flap blows wide open in an East wind, though, and that can get a tad too chilly! I think keeping the curtain drawn over it, and putting a washable lining over the part the cats brush past constantly, is probably the way to go. The main thing is that it should work - I don't want the dogs out roaming at 3am, or the cats unable to get in on stormy nights!
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