By his thirst for freedom, a cat risks creating a lot of trouble for you when the urge takes him to want to go out in the middle of the night. To avoid being at the mercy of his adventurous impulses, installing a cat flap is the best solution.
Whether your cat is purebred or alley, they can have an adventurous nature. His hunting instinct sometimes takes over and makes him want to get out of the house very frequently. A situation that can become tiring in the long run, because you will have to take on the role of doorman for your pet. To avoid this, the cat flap will be your ally. You still have to choose the right model.
The manual cat flap is the most common and the most economical. It is simply composed of a hinged door and a frame. It is advisable to accompany it with a locking device to better manage the comings and goings of your cat. If the manual cat flap has the advantage of being able to be installed everywhere, it nevertheless has the disadvantage of allowing the passage of intruders who will invite themselves into your home, or even your dog, if it is small!
To avoid these untimely visits, it is better to opt for an electronic, infrared or magnetic cat flap. Whatever the model, the principle remains the same. The cat is equipped with a collar or an electronic chip which will activate the opening of the cat flap when the feline is nearby. Choosing the identification chip is more recommended, because if your pet loses its collar, it may no longer be able to enter the house. Only downside:this device is quite expensive. Allow around 100 euros against 30 to 50 euros for systems associated with collars.
Note that there are even more advanced models that are programmable. The cat flap only opens at predefined times, which avoids potentially dangerous night walks for your kitty.
A wall, a window? A cat flap can in principle be placed anywhere. But it is better to install it on the door, preferably the one located in the kitchen so that you are not bothered by the comings and goings of your cat. Begin work by taking landmarks. Determine the distance between your feline's lower belly and the ground. Generally, it is 15 cm. Put the cat flap template on the door and make sure it is horizontal using a spirit level. Then make the necessary markings.
It's time to move on to drilling with a porous before continuing with the jigsaw to properly cut out the door. This done, make fixing holes. Now lay the cat flap on the outside and inside. Screw the assembly together with a drill/driver.
Your cat flap is now operational. The next challenge is to teach your cat to use it. First, continuously open the cat flap by securing it with tape. Avoid taking your cat out the door to encourage him to use this new facility. When he starts using it, praise him and give him treats.
