Fitting A Cat Flap

It might seem daunting to install the flap for your cat however, with the proper guidelines, it's not all that difficult. Firstly, determine how high you would like the flap to be (on average or belly height). Then, mark this area on the door and use the template provided as a guide to drill.

If you have a small kitten you can prop the door open a bit and gradually push it to pass through. Reward it when it goes through.

Measure the Door

A cat flap allows your pet to go in and out of your home at the time that is convenient for you. This will help keep your cat healthy by making sure that it is exercising and also being able to go back in if trapped outside in bad weather, especially during the winter. This can reduce the time you have to let your cat out or in, and keep your home safer by letting you know when it's gone.

It is crucial to make sure that the cat flap is placed properly to stop your pet from being forced through it or escaping by other animals (e.g. dogs). It is important to measure the height of your pet's belly as well as the height of the doorway in your home to ensure the flap is at the right height. You can adjust the height of your flap in case your cat is taller or less than average.

The next step is to use a spirit level to mark the middle of the door. This is where you will put in the flap. Using the marking as a guide, take a jigsaw and cut out the shape of the flap in the door. After you've cut the door, sand the edges of the door to create smooth surfaces. You can then drill any fixing holes required.

Fitting a cat flap should not take more than two hours. However, the process may be slightly more complicated when you have to install it into a uPVC or composite door as these doors come in a wide range of thicknesses that can affect the way the holes are cut and what they are fixed to. We always recommend to contact a professional if this is your first time working with glass.

Measure Your cat flap double glazing

A cat flap will save you from hours of listening to your pet meow to let it in or out. This is especially helpful if you are at work most of the day and your cat has to stay in the waiting room until you come home in all weathers.

It is essential to measure your cat first before attempting to install. It may seem like a straightforward task, but it's essential to measure your cat correctly. Otherwise, your pet may find it difficult to use.

First, ensure that your cat is calm before you begin taking measurements. You will have to hold your cat in a place in which they cannot move. Also, ensure that the measuring tape is straight and not bent against the body. You can get a precise measurement by keeping the measuring tape or ruler flat against the body of the animal from the top to the bottom.

Once you have the measurement of your cat's body, it's time to take a look at the door and decide on where to put the flap. The flap should be placed at the level of your cat's belly. This will allow them to walk through the door without much effort. This will also stop the flap from making quite a lot of noise when it swings open and shut.

You will need to consider the thickness of the uPVC or composite door as well. While all timber doors have the same thickness, replacement upvc door panels with cat flap or composite doors may differ in their overall structure. This could make the process of the installation of a flap for your cat more difficult as you have to make sure that the hole is of the correct size.

You can also use the template drawing included in the instructions to mark the location of the opening on the door. This will allow you to determine where the opening needs to be and also make sure that the template is correctly positioned on the door. It is also helpful to employ a spirit-level to ensure that the template sits flush against the door.

Cut the Flap

Before you can install your cat flap you have to cut the door panel to create a space large enough to accommodate it. This can be a challenging task and it is recommended that you seek the help of a professional cat flap fitting service to complete this task if you don't have the expertise or knowledge to do it yourself. You can also consult the instructions provided with the kit to discover how to do it right.

You can consider the height of your cat's or kitten's stomach to guide you. As a general rule put the flap around 10-15 centimeters higher than the ground. This is the typical height of the stomach for cats. This will let your cat pass through the flap easily and will make it difficult for other cats or nosy neighbours to enter or exit.

The position of the cat flap on the door using a pencil. If your kit includes an outline, place it over the door. Use the markings on the template to drill holes in each corner. After that, you'll be able to cut the template and replace it with the cat flap.

If you are installing your cat flap inside the form of a door made of wood or upvc door panels cat flap, it is possible to do this yourself if you feel confident enough to handle a jigsaw. Be sure to not cut through any of the door mullions or vertical rails. You can use a Jigsaw to cut your panel into a square or circle according to the way you'd like to cut it. Be patient and don't make the jigsaw cut faster.

Once the hole is cut, carefully fit the cat flap into its new home and ensure that it is securely secured. If it has caps on the screws, then place these caps onto the screws that protrude. Once the screws have been installed, sand the rough edges and seal any gaps. This will block drafts from entering your home.

Place the Flap

If you have an ordinary cat flap, you can try to encourage your pet through it by placing a small amount of cat food on the outside of the door. Alternately, you can push the cat through using your hands or with a stick. Once your pet has become used to moving through the flap, it will be in a position to move at will. This lets you let it in and out as it wants.

It is possible to fit an animal flap inside the UPVC or glass doors although this may not be exactly the same as fitting it into a wooden external door since the UPVC doors and some glass doors don't have the same thickness. This can have a significant impact on how you cut the hole for the flap and could affect the way your flap fits correctly once it's been put in place.

The mounting kit may include a template showing you the best places to drill holes. If the kit does not include a template you can make one yourself. It's important to not press the jigsaw too in order to cut, so it doesn't create a larger than necessary hole in your door.

The majority of cat flaps are rectangular or square in shape, but there are some that are circular and these are generally more difficult to install. If you have a round flap, make sure the hole is located in the correct spot on the door. If not, your cat might not be able to access it, and could be outside all day (or at night).

Certain cat flaps come with locks that let you control the time your cat enters and leaves. They are helpful for pets who are afraid of going out in the dark, or coming back to the house at night. They can also be useful for those who work all day. Some locks can be used to lock entry or exit, and others can be locked in both directions. This is useful for sick or older cats who don't want to venture out in cold weather.