Having a cat flap installed in your home allows your cat the freedom to come and go at will. This is beneficial to the owner, because of the convenience, and to the cat, who can go outside to play. However, cat flaps do have some disadvantages. Traditional cat flaps can let in unwanted animals, and even cat flaps operated by a collar can let in cats with a similar collar. The answer? Microchip cat flaps are the solution to these issues and more.
How do Microchip Cat Flaps Work?
Just as it sounds, a microchip cat flap works with your cat’s microchip. Registering your cat’s unique microchip is like giving your kitty the key to the house. Additionally, you can register more than one pet to your microchip cat flap, and because the cat flap is registered to your specific cats, those are the only cats it will allow into your home.
What are the benefits of a microchip cat flap?
Microchip cat flaps can reduce stress for cats and owners, and they have numerous benefits. In fact, there are some benefits of microchip cat flaps that you may never have thought of before.
1. They can be fitted into all types of doors, walls, and windows.
Each house and garden is different, and walls, doors, and windows are constructed differently. Some homes do not even have a garden, and in some homes, it is tricky to find a spot to install a cat flap. It does not matter in the slightest. Even though microchip cat flaps employ advanced technology, they are installed just the same as any conventional cat flap. Microchip cat flaps can be fitted into a wide range of different materials, including wood, brick, glass, and uPVC. Hiring a professional cat flap installer means you don’t have to worry about determining how to install your cat flap, and you can have it put into a brick wall, a glass window, or wherever else is convenient for you and your cat. Microchip cat flaps tend to feature a draught excluder, and are claw-proof so that they can remain as secure as possible. The batteries used in microchip cat flaps have a very long lifespan, and indicator lights that flash when they are running low so that you can change them in a timely manner.
2. Microchip cat flaps prevent strays from entering the house.
Ask any cat owner with a conventional cat flap, and you may be regaled with a story of an unusual animal gaining entrance to the home. Sometimes these stories are amusing, but sometimes they can be frightening to the cats and their owners. With an ordinary door, strange and aggressive cats can barge into your house, spray the walls and furniture, and beat up your cat. Even if the cats wandering in are not aggressive or feral, they can come and eat your cats’ food. Do you want to feed an entire neighbourhood worth of cats? Certainly not! You will not have to if the cat flap only opens for your specific cats. Of course, sometimes the animals that get in through a cat flap are not cats at all. Foxes and other wild animals can come in through a cat flap, and then you will be tasked with the job of getting them back out again. If an animal becomes injured inside your house, that will cause a problem for you as well. Having a microchip cat flap installed solves all these problems.
3. You can pre-program the times that you will allow your cat in and out of the house.
Letting your cats come and go as they please is appealing, but we all know that certain times are safer than others for kitties to be outside. By programming your cat flap to only allow your cats out at certain times, you can help to keep them safe. Further, having a consistent routine can help prevent stress for your cats, and this is something else you can achieve with a programmable cat flap.
4. Microchip cat flaps allow different cats to come and go at different times.
Just as you can program your cat flap to let one cat in and out on a consistent routine, you can program it for more than one cat’s routine. Maybe one cat needs to be kept inside for a while, but you still want your other cats to have the freedom to roam. This is easily accomplished when the cat flap will only allow passage to the cats who are allowed outside. Microchip cat flaps can be programmed to limit not only who comes in, but also which animals go out. How many cats can you register on one microchip cat flap? Some allow as many as 30!
5. Kitty does not need to wear a collar with a microchip cat flap.
If your cat flap requires a collar to identify your pet, you are at a disadvantage. Many cats do not enjoy collars at all, finding them uncomfortable, and will slip out of them if they are able. Worse, collars can sometimes be dangerous for cats. Collars can get caught on a branch or snagged on a bush, and if your cat does not slip out, the consequences could be dire. On the other hand, a cat fortunate enough to slip free of a collar that is caught will be denied entry to a cat flap that works with the collar. Collars can break and wear out, and when a collar is lost or has stopped functioning, you will be on the hook to replace it if you rely on it to open your cat flap. With a microchip cat flap, there are none of these issues. Your cats will never be without their microchips, and you will not have to worry about their safety.
6. Microchip cat flaps require no bulky magnets.
Cat flaps operated by magnets require magnets on the doors and magnets on the cats’ collars. That is entirely too many magnets to keep track of! Cats do not want to lug around a bulky magnet, and magnetic cat flaps can let in any neighbourhood cats with similar magnetic collars. Using microchips settles all of that.
7. Monitor your cats’ activities and routines through your cat flap.
Cats are mysterious creatures, and they do not always communicate with their owners when something is happening with them. A microchip cat flap can help you with this. Not only will you be able to limit your pets’ comings and goings, but you will also be able to track them. That way, you can get a feel for how often your cat is using the door, and at what time. If your cat stops going out through the flap for a few days, you know to check and make sure he or she is feeling well. Additionally, if a cat goes out and does not come in when expected, you can take the precaution of looking around the neighbourhood.
8. If you need encouragement to microchip your pets, this kind of cat door can give you that nudge.
Of course, you really should microchip your cat anyway. Even if your cat is a completely indoor cat or merely stays in your home and garden, there is always a chance of a cat getting lost. When a lost pet is brought to a veterinary office, the microchip allows for the fast and safe reunion of owner and pet with no fuss. Further, in some places, microchipping is now compulsory for cats. Even if it is not compulsory in your area, why wouldn’t you do it? Microchips are not painful to the animal, and they provide a safe way to keep pets from becoming lost and homeless. Microchip your kitties, and then you can make the most of all a microchip cat flap can offer you!
Cat Flap Installers in the UK
When you are seeking microchip cat flap installation, you can trust that Pet Flaps UK is ready to help, with exactly the features and setup you need. Pet Flaps now covers much of the UK, installing high-quality pet doors and providing all types of glass installations. For more information, call 0330 165 4940 or contact us through our website.
