A question about microchip cat flaps....

[BazandGem]

Great, I think ours is the standard size so sounds good 

[heath380]

I had what I would call a standard Staywell flap and seem to remember that the sureflap fitted straight in? Although there are many different sizes of staywell flaps so it all depends on what size you have I guess!

I think the Petporte needed the hole to be a little bigger....but we have that in an external UPVC door and it wasn't an problem. It depends on the door I supposed but with many of them the bottom panel can be removed so it was then easy to put the template around the existing hole and just trim it a little bit bigger before slotting the panel back in and sealing it back up.

[BazandGem]

Well, we have to keep our new rescue cat in for at least a few weeks to get him used to "home" so won't be using the cat flap for a while anyway, but I just thought of something else - we currently have a Staywell flap, will a new one fit in the same hole? As we have a upvc door I think it's going to be all a bit complicated trying to change them over if not! And this is all assuming he even figures out how to use the flap   

[heath380]

This is what it says on the PDF from the sureflap site...it doesn't actually specifiy makes so you may need to contact them direct to ask?:
Important Notice
TEST OPERATION WITH YOUR CAT BEFORE INSTALLATION
Please read all these instructions BEFORE fitting the SureFlap cat flap. Importantly, please check whether there is metal in the substrate the flap is to be fitted into. Please follow the metal mount instructions if this is the case.
Every effort has been made to ensure the SureFlap will operate with 9, 10 and 15-digit microchips that are commonly used for pet identification. However, there are a small number of circumstances relating to the position of your pet’s microchip and the signal strength of the individual chip, which may mean that the cat flap does not operate reliably.
We therefore strongly advise that the following checks are carried out before permanent changes are made to a door for mounting the cat flap:
1) Insert batteries and leave for 10s with nothing in the tunnel so the sensors can settle.
2) Press the ‘memory’ button and persuade your cat to put their head up to the door from the tunnel side. The flashing light will go out when their chip has been learnt.
3) Leave the flap until the lock closes again.
4) Finally, test the normal operation of the flap. Again persuade your cat to put their head up to the door from the tunnel side. Try to make sure this is similar to how they would use it in practice, as shown below. The catch should open.
5) Repeat

[butterfly32b]

here is the compatibility link

http://www.petporte.com/chip3.htm

[JackSpratt]

It's a Sureflap.

[butterfly32b]

Here is the link to Pet Porte,

http://www.petporte.com/

Maybe ask them directly, they are extremely helpful.  From experience, would recommend you get it from them, even if it might be cheaper somewhere else, without naming the company is not worth the hassle. 

[JackSpratt]

Ok, I need to check if Darwins chip will work with a microchip cat flap; but the only check list I can find is a PDF download. Our PC won't access these files - anyone know of an online check?

[butterfly32b]

we have the updated version of the PP flap and you have the option of running on batteries as well as the mains. Love the idea cats don't need a collar key as it relies as people have pointed out in this post already, on microchip of your cat, the advantage also that no other cat can come in.  It's worth the investment

[heath380]

Hi,
I too had a magnetic cat flap but found if they lost their collars they would obviously be locked out and I also found they used to come homw with big rusty screws and things hanging off the magnet!

I now have a Pet Porte cat flap in the main back door into the garage and when Dillon was a kitten I had a Suresafe one on the inner door (but reverse way round) so that my adult cats could still come and go as they pleased but I wouldn't risk losing Dillon trotting out after them so I have experience of both.
The set up is pretty much the same....you set the flap into 'program' mode and then get the cat to go through and it scans their chip into the memory. All mine still wear collars and it doesn't affect the chip being read at all.

I think  there are advantages and disadvantages to both:
What I love about PP is that the flap is a good size and I love the 'night mode' it can be set to. I don't like my cats to be out at night so if I set the falp into this mode it automaticaly clicks itself locked when the light fades....so the cats can still get in but cannot get back out again. So if I am out.....I know that they are all in safe and sound. It also has a vets mode too if you need to make sure the cat is there when you get back from work! I think the disadvantages of it are that it does need to be plugged into the mains......if there is a power cut the flap locks....so there is the possibility that the cat could be stuck outside if that happened.

Sureflap operates on batteries....so no wires anywhere, and no worries about powercuts! However, it doesn't have as many functions and Petporte and I find the actual 'hole' size' quite small so I don't think it would suit a big or slightly overweight cat.

Hope that helps!

[JackSpratt]

Thanks Zenith.

[Zenith (Liz)]

Collar's dont affect the petporte catflap   And yes when you're programming the catflap you just walk the cat under the sensor

[BazandGem]

And another question:

Do you program the cat flap to the microchip your cat already has?

We currently have a magnetic flap but have heard some good reviews of the chip ones - also if the cat loses its collar it can still get in then 

[JackSpratt]

If your cat wears a collar, can it still read the chip? Just wondering.