Fitting a Cat Flap

It might seem daunting to set up the flap for your cat but with the right instructions it's not that hard. Firstly, determine how high you want the cat flap to be (on average, belly height). Note this on your door and use the template included to guide you when drilling.
If you have a kitten who is still a baby, gently prop the door slightly open and invite it to walk through. Reward the kitten each time it moves through.
Take a measurement of the door
A cat flap is a great way to let your pet come and go inside and out of your home as it likes. This can help keep your cat healthy as it will ensure it is exercising regularly and also be able to go back inside if it gets trapped outside during bad weather. It also can reduce the amount of time you have to allow it in or out and will also help ensure your home is secure by allowing you to be aware of when it went out.
It is essential to make sure that the cat flap is placed correctly in order to prevent your pet from being pushed through or escaping through it by other animals (e.g. dogs). You should determine the height of your pet's belly as well as the width of the doorway in your home to ensure that the flap is at the correct height. You can alter the height of your flap if your cat is smaller or taller than the average.
The next step is to use a spirit level to mark the centre of the door where you will install the flap. Then, using the mark as a guideline, cut out the form of the flap with a Jigsaw. Once you've cut the area, sand the edges of the door to create smooth surfaces and drill any fixing holes required.
The process of installing a cat flap is not as difficult as you may believe and it shouldn't take more than two hours to complete the entire job from start to finish. However, the process could be a bit more difficult if you need to fit it into the frame of a uPVC or composite door because these doors come in various thicknesses which can affect how the holes are cut and the type of door they are fixed into. This is why we always recommend calling a professional to carry out the job, particularly when you've never dealt with glass before.
Measure Your Cat
You will not have to spend hours of ignoring the cat's meows to be allowed in or out. This is particularly useful for those who working all day and your cat is stuck in the waiting room until you come home in all weathers.
If you're planning to put a cat flap on your door it is important that you determine the size of your cat prior to beginning the task. Although it might seem like an easy task, it is crucial to measure the right way or your pet will find it difficult to use.
First, make sure that your cat is calm before taking measurements. You'll need to keep them in a manner that they cannot move and also ensure that the ruler or measuring tape is flat against their body, not bending in any way. By keeping the measuring tape or ruler against their body from the top of their head to the bottom of their tail will allow you to get an accurate measurement.
Once you have your cat's measurements and measurements, you need to examine the door to decide where to put the flap. Position the flap at the level of your cat's belly. This will allow them to pass through the door without much effort. This will also avoid the flap from making quite a lot of noise when it swings open and closed.
You should take into consideration the thickness of the uPVC or composite door, as well. While all timber doors have a similar thickness to them, uPVC or composite doors can differ greatly in their overall design. This can make the process of putting in an enclosure for your cat more difficult since you need to ensure the hole is the right size.
It is also worth looking through the instructions included with the cat flap kit to find a template drawing that can be used to determine the position of the hole in the door. This will help you to see the location where the opening should be and also make sure that the template is correctly positioned on the door. Utilizing a spirit level to ensure that the template is sitting flush against the door will be extremely helpful.
Cut the Flap
You will need to cut a hole in the door panel to install your cat flap prior to you can install it. It's a challenging task and it is recommended that you hire a professional to help you if you lack the skills or experience. It is also recommended to review the directions that come with the kit to find out how to do this correctly.
To do this you need to take a measurement of the height of your cat or kitten's belly. Use this as a reference point. In general you should place the flap about 10-15 centimeters above the ground. This is the typical height of the cat's belly. This way your cat will be able to go through the flap with ease and it will also give the other cats or neighbours who are snooping difficult time trying to leave or enter.
Once you've decided where the cat flap should be located, mark the position on the door with pencil. Then, if your kit includes an outline of paper, place it on top of the door and use the markings to drill holes into each corner of the template. You should then be able to cut the design 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 are able to do this yourself if you are confident enough to use a Jigsaw. Be sure not to cut into the vertical rails or mullions of your door. You can use a jigsaw cut the panel into a circle or square according to the design of your cat flap. Be patient and don't force the jigsaw into cutting faster.
Once the hole has been cut, carefully place the cat flap in its new home. Make sure that it is solidly secured. If it has caps for screws, then put these onto the protruding screws. After the screws are installed smooth the edges and seal any gaps. This will stop draughts from entering your home.
Fit the Flap
If you have a basic 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. Alternatively you can try pushing the cat through using your hand or a stick. Once your pet is used to walking through the flap, it will be able to move into and out as it wishes, so you can let it in or out without having to be there holding the door open for it all day (and possibly in all weathers).
It is possible to fit the flap onto an UPVC or glass door although this may not be quite as straightforward as fitting it into a wooden external door since UPVC and some glass doors aren't a uniform thickness. This could affect how you cut the opening for the flap and can also affect whether your flap will fit properly once it's been put in place.
Depending on the type of cat flap you choose, it may be equipped with a mounting kit as well as a template that shows you exactly where to drill the holes for it. If upvc door panel with cat flap fitted doesn't include the template you can copy it to make your own. It is important not to press the jigsaw too hard when cutting, so it doesn't leave a bigger than necessary hole in your door.
Certain cat flaps come in circular shapes, which are more difficult to put in. If you have a round flap, ensure that the hole is located in the right place on the door. In the event that it is not, the cat might not be able use it, and could be outside all day (or at night).
Certain models of cat flaps have locks that let you regulate the time your cat comes and goes. These can be very useful if you're concerned about your cat going out at night only to come back in due to the darkness, or you're at work all day. Certain locks can be used for entrance or exit, while others can be locked both ways. This is helpful for older cats or sick cats who do not want to go outside in bad weather.