Fitting A Cat Flap

Fitting a cat flap can be a bit daunting but it's easy to do with the right instructions. Find out how high you'd like the flap to be (normally it's at the belly height). Then, mark this area on the door, and use the template provided as a guide to drill.

If you have a kitten that is still a newborn then gently prop the door slightly open and allow it to go through. Reward it each time it goes through.

Measure the Door

A cat flap lets your pet to enter and exit your home at any time. This can help keep your cat healthy by ensuring that it is exercising as well as being able to get back in if stuck outside in the rainy weather, especially in winter. It can also reduce the amount of time you need to let it out or in. It can also keep your home safe by allowing you to be aware of when it went out.

However, it is important that the flap for your cat is properly fitted to stop your pet from escaping through it or be pushed through by any other animals (e.g. dogs). It is essential to measure the height of your pet's belly and the doorway of your house to ensure that the flap is at the proper height. If your cat is longer or taller than the average, you can adjust the position of the flap by moving it upwards or downwards by a small amount.

The next step is to make use of a spirit level to mark the centre of the door where you will be installing the flap. Using the marking as a guideline, you can use an jigsaw to cut the shape of the flap in the door. After you've cut the area and sanded the edges to create smooth surfaces. Drill any holes you need to.

Fitting a cat flap should not take longer than two hours. However, the process could be a bit more difficult when you have to install it inside the door of a uPVC or composite door as these doors come with a wide range of thicknesses that can affect the way the holes are cut and the type of door they are fixed to. We recommend to contact a professional for your first experience with glass.

Measure Your Cat

A cat flap will save you from hours of listening to your pet meow for you to let it in or out. This is especially helpful if your cat is trapped inside in all weathers when you are at work.

It is essential to measure your cat first before attempting to install. It may seem like a straightforward task, but it's crucial to get the measurements right. Otherwise, your pet may have difficulty putting it in use.

Firstly, make sure your cat is calm and not stressed prior to taking the measurements. You'll need to keep your cat in a place that they are unable to move. Also, ensure that the measuring tape is straight and not bent against their body. By keeping the ruler or measuring tape against their body from the top of their head to the tip of their tail will enable you to determine an precise measurement.

Once you've got your cat's measurement and measurements, you need to look at the door to decide the best place to place 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 prevent the flap from making a lot of noise as it swings back and back.

You should take into consideration the thickness of the uPVC or composite door, as well. While all timber doors have a similar thickness, uPVC or composite doors are different in their overall structure. This can make the process of putting in an enclosure for your cat more difficult, as you need to ensure the hole is the right size.

You can also use the template included in the instructions to mark the position of the hole on the door. This will allow you determine the location where the opening should be and also make sure that the template is placed correctly on the door. It is also a good idea to employ a spirit-level to ensure that the template sits in a straight line against the door.

Cut the Flap

Before you can install your cat flap, you'll need to cut the door's panel to make a space big enough to accommodate it. This can be a challenging task and it is recommended that you get help from a professional cat flap fitting service for this step should you not have the expertise or knowledge to do it yourself. It is also recommended to read the instructions included with the cat flap kit to learn how to do this properly.

To do this you need to determine the height of your cat's or kitten's belly and use this as a reference point. A good rule of thumb is to place the flap around 10-15 centimeters away from the ground since this is the typical belly height for cats. This will allow your cat to move through the flap without difficulty and make it difficult for other cats or naughty neighbours to enter or exit.

Once you have determined where the cat flap should be positioned, mark this position on the door with the help of a pencil. Next, if your kit comes with a paper template, lay this over the door and use the marks to drill holes into every corner of the template. Then, you should be able cut out the template shape and replace it with the cat flap.

You can put in your cat flap yourself in an uPVC or wood door If you're comfortable with the Jigsaw. Be sure to not cut through any of the door's mullions or vertical rails. You can use a jigsaw to cut your panel into a square or a circle depending on the way you'd like to cut it. Be patient and don't try to force the jigsaw into cutting faster.

Once the hole is made, carefully place the cat flap into its new place of residence. Make sure that it is securely secured. If it has caps on the screws, then place these caps onto the protruding screws. Once the screws are in place, you can sand any rough edges of the cut, and then seal any gaps to ensure that there aren't any draughts getting into your home.

Fit the Flap

If you have a simple cat flap, you can open it and encourage your pet to use it by placing a small amount of cat flap installation food on the outside of the door. You can also try pushing the cat with sticks or your hand. Once your cat has become accustomed to walking through the flap, it will be capable of walking through the flap whenever it wants. This allows you to let it in and out as it wishes.

You can install a cat flap into a UPVC or glass door but it's not exactly the same as fitting it into a wooden external door since the UPVC and glass cat flap installation near me doors don't have the same thickness. This can have a major impact on how you cut the flap's hole and how well the flap fits after installation.

Based on the type of double glazing cat flap flap you pick It may be equipped with a mounting kit as well as a template that will show exactly where to drill the holes for it. If the kit does not include a template you can create one on your own. It's important not to use the jigsaw to hard when cutting, so it doesn't make a larger than needed hole in your door.

The majority of cat flaps are rectangular or square in shape, however there are also some which are circular, and they are usually more difficult to place. If you have a circular flap it is essential to ensure that the hole is in the correct position on your door because if it's not, your cat will not be able to use the flap and could be left outside all day (or even at night).

Some cat flaps have locks that let you control the time your cat flap installation cost is allowed to enter and leave. They can be extremely useful when you're worried about your cat going out at night and coming back in the darkness, or you're at work for the entire day. The lock can be engaged to allow or deny entry, and some locks can be locked in either direction which allows you to close the door completely. This is especially beneficial for sick or elderly cats who don't want to go out in rainy weather.