Fitting A Cat Flap

It might seem daunting to install the flap for your cat but with the right guidelines, it's not all that difficult. First, decide how high you want the cat flap to be (on average or belly height). Note this on your door and use the template provided to guide you when drilling.

If you have a young kitten, prop the door open very slightly and gradually allow it to pass through. Reward it each time it goes through.

Take a measurement of the door

A cat flap allows your pet to enter and exit your home at the time that is convenient for you. This can help with keeping your cat healthy by ensuring that it gets exercise as well as being able to get back inside if left outside in bad weather, especially in winter. It can also cut down on the amount of time you have to allow it out or in and can also keep your home safe by allowing you to know when it's been out.

However, it is important that the cat flap is correctly fitted to prevent your pet from being able to escape through it or be pushed through by any other animals (e.g. dogs). You should measure the height of your pet's stomach and the height of the doorway in your home to ensure the flap is at the right height. You can adjust the position of your flap when your cat is smaller or taller than the average.

The next step is to use a spirit level to mark the center of the door. This is where you'll install the flap. Then, using the mark as an indication, cut out the shape of your flap on the door with the help of a Jigsaw. After cutting the area out and sanded the edges to create smooth surfaces. Make any holes that are required.

The installation of a cat flap should not take longer than two hours. However, the process could be a bit more difficult if you need to fit it onto a replacement upvc door panels with cat flap or composite door because these doors have a wide range of thicknesses which can affect how the holes are cut and the type of door they are inserted into. This is why we recommend calling a professional to carry out the task, especially if you have never worked with glass before.

Measure Your Cat

A cat flap can spare you from hours of listening to your pet meow to let it out or in. This is particularly helpful if your cat flap install is trapped in the house during all seasons when you are at work.

It is crucial to measure your cat first before you attempt the installation. It may appear to be a simple task, but it's important to measure your cat correctly. In the event that you don't, your cat flaps for french doors might find it difficult to use.

First, make sure that your cat flap installation bristol is calm before you begin taking measurements. You'll need to keep them in a way that they cannot move and also ensure that the measuring tape or ruler is flat against their body and not arching in any places. You can get an accurate 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 the measurement of your cat, it is time to look at the door and decide where to place the flap. A good tip is to position the flap on the highest point of your cat's stomach as this will allow them to pass through it without much effort. This will also prevent the flap from making too much noise as it swings back and back.

You will need to think about the thickness of the uPVC or composite door as well. While timber doors are of a similar thickness, uPVC and composite doors are different in their overall structure, which can make fitting the cat flap more difficult because you must make sure that the hole you cut is the right size for your pet.

It is also worthwhile looking through the instructions that come with the kit to find an illustration template that can be used to mark out the position of the hole in the door. This will allow you to determine where the hole must be placed and ensure that the template is set correctly on the door. Using a spirit level to make sure that the template is sitting right against the door will also prove beneficial.

Cut the Flap

Before you can put in your cat flap you must cut the door panel in order to make it large enough to accommodate it. This is a difficult job and it is recommended that you get help from a professional cat flap fitting service to complete this task if you don't have the expertise or knowledge to complete the task yourself. It is also recommended to read the instructions included with the cat flap 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 and use this as a reference point. In general you should place the flap approximately 10-15 centimeters above the ground. This is the average height of the cat's belly. This way your cat will be able to go through the flap with ease and will also make any other cats or curious neighbours a tough time trying to enter or leave.

Mark the position of the cat flap on the door with pencil. If your kit has the template you can place it on the door. Use the marks on the template to drill holes at every corner. You should then be able to cut out the template's shape and replace it with your cat flap.

If you are installing your cat flap in a door made from wood or uPVC, you can do it yourself if you are confident enough to use the Jigsaw. Make sure you don't cut into any of the door's mullions or vertical rails. You can use a Jigsaw to cut your panel into a square or circle depending on the way you'd like it. Remember to take your time and don't make the jigsaw cut faster.

Once the hole is cut and the flap is firmly positioned, carefully place the cat flap into its new home and ensure that it is firmly fixed. If the flap has screws, push them onto the protruding bolts. Once the screws are in place, sand any rough edges of the cut, and then apply sealant to any gaps to ensure there aren't any draughts entering into your home.

Fit the Flap

If you have a basic cat flap you can open it and encourage your pet to go through by putting a small amount of cat food on the outside of the door. Alternately, you can push the cat through using your hands or a stick. Once your cat is used to walking through the flap, it will be in a position to move as it pleases. This will allow you to let it in and out as it wants.

It is possible to fit the flap onto an UPVC or glass door but it's not as simple as fitting one into a timber external door since UPVC and some glass doors don't have a consistent thickness. This can have a major impact on the way you cut the flap's hole, and whether the flap will fit correctly after installation.

Depending on the type of cat flap you pick, it may come with its own mounting kit as well as a template that shows exactly where to drill holes for it. If the kit does not include a template you can create one on your own. When cutting, it's important to not push the jigsaw hard so that you don't create a larger hole than necessary in your door.

Some cat flaps come in circular designs, which are more difficult to put in. If you have a circular flap, make sure the hole is located in the right place on the door. In the event that it is not, the cat may not be able to access it, and may be locked outside for the entire day (or night).

Certain cat flaps come with locks that allow you to determine when your cat can enter and leave. These are useful when your cat flap fitters is scared of going out in the dark or returning in the dark. They are also useful when you are working all day. Certain locks can be used to lock entrance or exit, while others can be locked both ways. This is beneficial for older cats or sick cats who aren't keen to go outside in bad weather.