Fitting a Cat Flap

Installing a cat flap might seem intimidating but it's easy to do with the proper instructions. Find out how high you'd like your cat flap to be (normally it's located at the belly height). Mark this point on the door and then use the template provided as a guideline to drill.
If you have a kitten who is still a newborn, gently prop the door slightly open and allow it to walk through. Reward the kitten as it passes.
Measure the Door
A cat flap lets your pet to enter and exit your home at any time. This will help keep your cat in good health by ensuring that it gets exercise as well as being able to get back in if it is trapped outside in the rainy weather, especially during the winter. This will cut down on the time you allow your cat go in and out and make your home safe by letting you know when it's left.
It is crucial to ensure that the cat flap is set up correctly in order to prevent your pet from being forced through or escaping through it by other animals (e.g. dogs). It is important to measure the height of your pet's belly and the height of the doorway at your home to ensure the flap is at the correct height. You can alter the height of your flap when your cat is smaller or taller than average.
The next step is to use a spirit level to mark the center of the door. This is where you will install the flap. With the markings as a reference, use the jigsaw and cut the form of the flap inside the door. After cutting the flap then sand the edges to create smooth surfaces. Drill any holes you need to.
Fitting a cat flap should not take longer than two hours. The process is a bit more challenging if you need to install it on the case of a uPVC door or a composite one. This is because these doors are available in a variety of thicknesses, which can affect the way that holes are cut. We always suggest to contact a professional if this is your first experience working with glass.
Measure Your Cat
You will not have to spend hours of ignoring the pet meow to be let in or out. This is especially helpful for those who working all day and your cat is stuck in the house waiting for you to get home regardless of the weather.
If you are planning to install a cat flap in your door, it is crucial that you measure your cat before attempting the task. While it may seem to be a simple task, it is essential to measure the right way or your cat will find it difficult to use.
First of all, make sure that your cat is calm and not stressed before you take the measurements. cat flap in bifold doors 'll need to put your cat in a place where they cannot move. Also, make sure that the measuring tape is straight and not bent against the body. You can get a precise measurement by keeping the measuring tape or the ruler flat against the body of the animal from the top to the bottom.
Once you have your cat's measurements then you can examine the door to determine where to put the flap. The best option is to position the flap in the middle of your cat's belly because it will allow them to pass through it without much effort. This will also prevent the flap making quite a lot of noise when it swings open and shut.
You must take into consideration the thickness of the uPVC or composite door, as well. While all timber doors have the same thickness to them, uPVC or composite doors can differ greatly in their overall design. This can make fitting the flap for your cat more difficult, as you must ensure that the hole is the right size.
You can also use the template drawing included in the instructions to mark the position of the hole on the door. This will help you determine where the opening needs to be and make sure the template is properly placed on the door. Utilizing a spirit level to check that the template is sitting flush against the door will be very helpful.
Cut the Flap
You will need to cut an opening in the door to accommodate your cat flap before you can put it in place. This can be a challenging job, and it is recommended that you seek the help of an expert cat flap fitter to complete this task in case you don't have the skills or experience to complete the task yourself. You can also refer to the instructions included with the kit to learn 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, place the cat flap around 10-15 centimeters higher than the ground. This is the standard height of the stomach for cats. This will allow your cat to pass through the flap easily and make it more difficult for other cats and nosy neighbors to get in or out.
Draw the location of the cat flap on the door using a pencil. If your kit comes with a template you can place it on the door. Utilize the markings on the template to drill holes at each corner. You should then be able cut out the shape of the template and replace it with your cat flap.
If you are installing your cat flap inside the form of a door made of wood or uPVC, you can do it yourself if you are comfortable with a jigsaw. Be careful not to cut through the vertical rails or mullions of your door. You can use a Jigsaw to cut your panel into a square or circle according to the way you'd like to cut it. Take your time and don't try to make the jigsaw cut faster.
After the hole has been cut and the flap is firmly positioned, carefully place the flap of cat food into its new home and ensure that it is securely secured. If it has caps for screws, then put these onto the screws that protrude. After the screws are installed then sand the rough edges and then apply sealant to any gaps. This will prevent draughts from entering your home.
Fit the Flap
If you have a simple cat flap, you can open it and encourage your pet to walk through by putting a little bit of cat food in front of the door. You can also push the cat using sticks or your hand. Once your pet is used to moving through the flap, it is likely to be able into and out as it pleases and you should be able to let it in or out without having to be there to open the door for it throughout the day (and potentially in all weather conditions).
You can fit an animal flap inside a UPVC or glass door although this may not be quite as straightforward as fitting it into a wooden exterior door due to the fact that the UPVC and glass doors aren't a uniform thickness. This could affect the way you cut the opening for the flap and can also affect whether your flap will fit properly once it's been installed.
The mounting kit may contain a template that outlines where to drill holes. If the kit does not include an example you can copy it to create your own. When cutting, it is important to keep the jigsaw from being pushed too hard so that you don't create a bigger hole than is necessary in your door.
The majority of cat flaps are rectangular or square in shape, but there are also some which are circular, and are usually more difficult to place. If you have a circular flap it is essential to ensure that the hole is in the correct location on your door as if it's not, the cat can't use it and could be left outside all day (or even night).
Some cat flaps have locks that let you control the time your cat enters and leaves. These can be very useful if you're worried about your pet going out at night and then coming back in the darkness, or you're working all day. The lock can be turned on to allow entry or exit, and some can be locked in either direction permitting you to close the door completely. This is especially beneficial for sick or elderly cats who don't want to go out in bad weather.