Your cat deserves the best, while cats will happily make do with an open window or a basic cat flap you can’t beat the feeling of knowing that your cat has the very best microchip cat flap available installed and at its disposal.
Contents
Table of the Best Cat Flaps:
A traditional cat flap presents a number of problems including allowing other cats to freely enter your home and they make it impossible to place restrictions on your cat’s comings and goings.
Microchip Cat Flaps provide the answer to all of these problems.
Skip to the reviews:
Connect ¦ SureFlap ¦ PetSafe ¦ Pet Mate ¦ Pet Porte ¦ SureFlap Dual Scan ¦ Cat Mate Elite
Not sure which one to get?
Read our guide here to make sure you know what to look out for.
1. SureFlap Microchip Cat Flap Connect
The SureFlap Microchip Cat Flap Connect is without a doubt the market leader when it comes to smart cat flap technology (and it’s price reflects that!).
This is the very first microchip cat flap that can connect to your phone via their free app which gives you full control over your cats movements.
You will need to purchase the SureFlap hub at an additional cost to make this work. The hub transmits all of your cats comings and going directly to your phone so you know whether they are in or out and how long they have been away.
The hub also allows you to lock and unlock the cat flap from anywhere in the world. As well as allowing you to see what your cat has been up to the app allows you to set specific exit permissions for different pets (it can handle up to 32 cats!) and set a curfew time.
The SureFlap Cat Flap Connect Dimensions
Measuring a standard 142mm x 120mm with a required installation hole size of 165mm x 171mm this should comfortably fit into most pre-existing cat flap holes.
Cat Flap Connect Batteries & Battery Life
The Cat Flap Connect requires 4 x AA batteries to operate, your cat flap can also be plugged into the mains with it’s 1.5 meter cable which comes provided.
2. The Sureflap Microchip Cat Flap Review
The bestselling original Sureflap is certainly the most popular and therefore arguably the very best microchip cat flap on the market.
Available in either brown or white this cat flap can identify your cat using their 9, 10 or 15 digit pin which is stored on their under the skin microchip, if your cat doesn’t have a microchip you can use a simple RFID tag which is attached to their collar.
You don’t need to know your cat’s microchip pin number to set your cat up with the Sureflap cat flap, all you need to do is press the ‘learn’ button. When your cat next comes near the Sureflap, it will read your cat’s microchip and store their number.
The Sureflap can support up to 32 different tags, so if you run a cat shelter or just have more cats than sense then this cat flap is an easy way to keep all of your cats happy while ensuring that no stray cats sneak in amongst them.
This cat flap can easily be installed in wooden, glass and PVC doors.
If you are comfortable with DIY and have appropriate tools then you should be able to install it yourself by following the instructions in the video below.
We recommend you get a professional to fit it in glass doors as this is more tricky and requires specialist tools.
It has a four-way lock making it extra secure against intrusions from any unknown cats while still allowing your cat free access in and out as and when it pleases.
The SureFlap Cat Flap Dimensions
The cat flap is 142mm x 120mm and should comfortably accommodate all but the largest of cats. The tunnel depth is 70mm so this cat flap should fit in even the thickest of doors. The frame, which goes around the SureFlap cat flap and secures it into place measure 210mm x 210mm
SureFlap Batteries & Battery Life
This cat flap requires 4 AA batteries. These should easily last 6 months before they require replacing and have been known to last as long as 12 months with just one cat using it.
Our favourite thing about the SureFlap Original:
A great microchip cat flap that works well and should last for years.
*please note the video below features the SureFlap Dual Scan, which is slightly different to the SureFlap Original, you can read about it here*
3. The Petsafe Cat Flap Review
This Petsafe Cat Flap works in much the same way as the Sureflap, however it has a marginally larger cat flap opening of 146mm x 135mm and can accommodate cats of up to 8kg in weight.
It can also be programmed to work with up to 40 separate microchips, so again this would be a great option for catteries and multi-cat households…just make sure you get a good supply of highly effective AA batteries (it requires 4) if you have 40 cats coming in and out of it everyday as they will need regular changing.
If you only have a couple of cats using it you can expect the batteries to last for as long as 12 months.
There is also a low battery indicator so you can ensure you get the batteries changed before your cat gets stuck outside.
The Petsafe Microchip cat flap takes your insulation seriously, cutting a big hole out of your door to install a cat flap can compromise the heat retention capabilities of your door.
The PetSafe takes your insulation seriously and has sought to make this cat flap extra draft resistant by including a draft excluder with the cat flap.
PetSafe Locking Options
This cat flap allows you to lock it in various ways:
- allowing entry but not exit
- allowing exit but not entry
- fully locked
- or allowing both free entry and exit for your cat
The PetSafe Measurements:
The PetSafe cat flap opening measures 146mm x 135mm. The tunnel depth is 75mm so should easily accommodate all but the thickest of doors. The frame, which goes around the opening, stores the batteries and holds the cat-flap in place measures 220mm x 239mm.
This is a generous size and will be sufficiently wide for cats of up to 8kg in weight.
Our favourite thing about the PetSafe:
It takes extra steps to ensure that your door remains draft-free.
4. The Pet Mate – Cat Mate Microchip 360 Review
The Cat Mate Microchip 360 Cat Flap by Pet Mate is a great-looking highly functional cat flap which works with any 15, 9 or 6 digit microchip codes as well as with an I.D disc if required.
The easy to use L.E.D system will flash when your cat has been successfully registered with the cat flap and can support up to 30 I.D tags if necessary.
It is available in both white and brown (click here to see the brown version on Amazon).
It is designed to provide plenty of space for your cat to get in and out of your home comfortably.
The 360 can be accommodated in doors up to 80mm thick, which is towards the upper end of what most microchip cat flaps can manage so if you have particularly thick doors then this cat flap would be a good choice.
It is suitable for all door types from wood to metal. It can also be fitted in glass and through walls, but it will require the 361 adaptor kit for wall and glass installations, this can be bought separately.
This cat flap does a great job of keeping the weather out of your home too with a brush sealed flap that stops any draft coming through as well as a magnetic lock.
The Cat Mate Measurements
This high tech cat flap is one of the bigger cat flaps available, measuring 246mm x 197mm total. It should be able to easily cater for even the most well built of cats and small dogs could also make use of it.
Our favourite thing about the Cat Mate:
Draft resistant and suitable for the larger feline.
5. The PetPorte Smart Flap Review
The PetPorte is another great microchip cat flap from the team at PetSafe.
Able to support up to 25 cats, and supporting the popular 15 digit microchip the PetPorte is easy to install and includes some great extra features.
One of the features is night mode, this works by detecting the light levels so that when it gets dark it allows in only access for your cat, then, when the light comes up it will allow your cat to go outside.
This is very handy feature because cats are what is known as crepuscular (this means they are not nocturnal but rather they are most active during twilight and dusk hours) great little feature which means you don’t have to worry about locking it and keeping your cat in every night as it will just work on autopilot.
It also features an extended mode which will let you customise the cat flaps locking functions at times which best suit your cat’s routine. However, this function requires you to set the cat flap up with the (included) extension cable rather than batteries.
Our favourite thing about the Petporte:
An automatic light sensor to prevent your cat from going out when it’s dark.
6. The SureFlap Dual Scan Microchip Cat Flap
This smart cat flap is more or less exactly the same as the SureFlap original which we have already mentioned on this page. The one vital difference is that it includes special ‘dual scan’ technology.
What this means is that you can program this cat flap to respond differently to different pets. For example, if you have a couple of cats and one of them is due to go to the vets on a particular day you can set up this cat flap so that the cat which is due to go to the vets won’t be allowed out while your other cat will be.
This is a particularly useful feature too for households where you may also use this cat flap for a small dog that you may not wish to have the same level of freedom as your cat. It is also good for households with young ‘teenage’ cats which you may be looking to slowly introduce to the outside world, but you want to limit their outdoor time until they are a bit older.
Our favourite thing about the SureFlap Dual Scan:
You can set up this cat flap to react differently to different pets.
7. The Cat Mate Elite with Timer Review
The Cat Mate Elite features a built-in timer which gives you complete control over the times which your cats is allowed out of your home.
The mini screen sat on top of the cat flap provides a few very useful unique features. It allows you to see which of your cats is in or out and also shows you the time that each cat last used the cat flap. If you know your cat well you can use this to estimate when your cat will be back, it also saves looking around the house to check if your cat is in or not!
Featuring everything you would expect of a microchip cat flap including 15, 10 and 9 digit pin and RFID tag compatibility, this cat flap has it all.
Measuring 248mm x 267mm and with a depth of up to 145mm this cat flap has room to work well with even the thickest of doors and burliest of cats!
Our favourite thing about the Cat Mate Elite:
Features a display that shows you when your cat last used the cat flap and whether or not your cat is in or out of the house.
Guide to Buying a Microchip Cat Flap
When buying a microchip cat flap it is important to be certain that you are buying a cat flap that suits your requirements, in order to ensure that all you and your cat’s need are catered for we recommend that you make sure you have the answers to the following questions before making your purchase:
Selective Entry & Selective Exit
Selective Entry is a feature that you (should) find on every single microchip cat flap. This is configured to your cat’s microchip and allows it to come in but prevents other cats from coming in.
Selective Exit is a less common feature which not every microchip cat flap has. This is a feature which is useful if you have more than one cat in your home. It allows you to set the cat flap to one (or more) cat out while preventing your other cat from going out. This can be useful if you have young kittens or you have a cat that is sick.
Cat Flap Size
Cat flaps vary from model to model, while they typically don’t get much bigger than 250mm wide, it is worth paying attention to the size if you have a very large cat or you wish to use the cat flap for a small dog.
Is Your Cat Micro-chipped and is your Microchip Compatible with your Cat Flap?
It is not necessary for your cat to be micro-chipped to use a microchip cat flap, however if your cat doesn’t have a microchip you will need to use an RFID tag on their collar.
Most, but not all, microchip cat flaps support these so make sure you know if they do support them and ensure that you purchase some as they may not be included by default.
If your cat is microchipped it will have either a 15, 10 or 9 digit code.
The most common type is the 15 digit code.
Most cat flaps cater for all different types of code however some only work with the 15 digit code so make sure you check (in our handy table at the top of the page) before you buy.
If you are not sure how many digits your cat’s RFID microchip has you can check at your local veterinary centre.
Power
Most cat flaps operate on 4xAA batteries, however some can also use a mains adapter.
Typically batteries on most modern models will last for at least 6 months with heavy use, up to 12 months if you have no more than a couple of cats.
Cat Flap Installation
Most cat flaps come with installation guides and videos which talk you through the process.
If you already have a cat flap installed the installation process should be fairly simple however the cat flap hole may require some reworking to make it fit.
Ideally, ensure that the new cat flap you are buying is either the same size or slightly bigger than your previous one as if it is smaller it will be difficult to prevent a draft coming in.
Of course before your install any cat flap you need to decide where it is going, if it is going to be placed in a door then installation should be reasonably straightforward to fit it.
If you are going to place it in a wall or a glass door then specialist tools will be required and it would be worth booking a professional to install it.
It is also worth bearing in mind that a lot of the popular cat flap models requires additional attachments if they are going to be installed in glass or walls, these are usually purchased separately.
Either way it is always a good idea to have a look at how each cat flap is installed and make a decision regarding whether you have the tools and DIY skills necessary to install it or whether or not you will need to consult a professional.
You can read our concise guide to installing a microchip cat flap here.
Thanks for reading our guide, hopefully you should be able to find a good fit in our cat flap comparison table above.
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Hi there, w’re looking for a microchip cat flap for a cavity wall. Specifically we would like a flap on either side, as we really want to avoid draughts. Could you advise if any of the flaps reviewed here fit this description? Many thanks!
I had two Sureflap microchip cat flaps here in Saudi Arabia, both of which failed due to a combination of the heat and humidity
.I now have a PetSafe microchip cat flap which has survived the heat and humidity
Both have one major failure, the fact that the door remains open if the cat flap faces even a small prevailing wind
Overall the PetSafe has it for me in the survivability stakes
Hi Dan, such a helpful article. We wonder if you know much about obsolescence with Microchips. We have a PetPorte that was bought in 2014. At 4 years old it is now super-picky about which microchips it accepts. It was originally bought for a cat who would be 13yrs old, if he was with us today (RIP). At present our 3 year old rabbit’s chip works with it, however, our 8 year old (new rescue) cat’s does not. We checked out PetPorte’s website and they advised some chip numbers didn’t work with this model – that’s understandable. We visited the vet today to get a second, working chip in the cat. Fortunately we took the PetPorte! Our vet tried out all the brands of microchips he had in stock but none of them would register, despite PetPorte’s website claiming otherwise. We then tried it out on other animals in the waiting room: some would work, some wouldn’t – and it didn’t seem to matter how old the animal/microchip was. My next step is to call PetPorte and ask them if they can identify a line of contemporary microchips that will still work with this 4-year old flap. Do you have any advice in addition to my impending call? If this is an unavoidable obsolescence I will be very wary of any future technical catflaps, which is a shame.
Hi Sammy,
that sounds particularly frustrating, it’s not an issues I’ve come across before. All of the microchip cat flaps which we have on this page are compatible with 9, 10 and 15 digits microchips which pretty much covers all types in common use today.
It sounds to me like it may be a fault with the cat flap itself. If you could let me know what PetPorte say when you get in touch I would be very interested to hear,
Sorry I can’t be of much help,
Thanks, Dan
Hi Dan – have spoken to Pet Porte and they suggested a new power cable – we will follow their instructions and get back to you! 🙂
Thanks for updating me, fingers crossed it works!
Hi. I have just had the Sureflap dual scan installed today after a previous model failed after two weeks. Both are microchipped. One of my two has been scanned and is fully functional with the dual scan, but my four legged son is locked in or out, depending on where he is. I don’t know why he is not being scanned like his sibling. This issue is a real problem. From a distressed owner . His granny is coming over to help in Saturday, but this might be quite stressful for all of us!!
Thank you for your article which is very informative!
We want to install one of these microchip cat flaps, but we only have PVC double glazed French doors on the back of our house. Would I need to order completely a new door from the window/door company with a cut out and sealed hole for a cat flap and replace the existing one?
And other question – is SureFlap draft proof?
Installing a cat flap in a glass door is a bit more complex so it is best to ask a professional to do it.
Typically they will remove the glass from your door and cut out a cat flap sized hole in it using specialist glass cutting tools so it is likely to cost a bit more to install.
However it will still be a lot cheaper than buying new doors!
The Picture at the top of your review page shows a brown Staywell cat flap which appears to be a microchip one, however you do not cover it in the reviews. Is it not very good or is it now known by a different name? I am hoping to replace a manual Staywell flap and think this may be a better fit.
Hi Mike,
to be honest I just used that image as it was one of the few royalty free images of catflaps I could find online.
StayWell are actually made by PetSafe so it would be worth having a look at some of their catflaps.
Thanks,
Hi my catflap seems to be very draughty. It has a line of “rope” insulation around it – its a microchip one, but this doesn’t seem to stop the draughts. Any advice or do I just have to accept all catflap let air in and out?
Hi Elaine,
Is it quite an old catflap? With age the seals around catflaps often break down and become less effective, a new cat flap shouldn’t allow any draft in.
I bought the Petsafe (as shown above) but it didn’t work. They sent another and it didn’t work. The company said that it was because I had metal in the panel of the PVC door and that this interfered with the sensor. I would have to cut a hole way bigger than the cat flap and then pay extra for a plastic insulator that would distance the metal of the panel from the sensor in the tunnel of the cat flap. They told me that they had had so many problems with this model that last week they had a board meeting about whether to reintroduce the previous model, now discontinued. This had a mains power option that provided enough power to overcome the interference, but it is not currently available. I sent them both back for a refund.
Can you suggest a microchip cat flap that will work in a door like mine where the insulation material in the panel is sandwiched between two thin sheets of metal, please?
Hi Peter,
sorry for the delay in getting back to you. This isn’t an issue I had come across before however I have done some research and I can say with confidence that the Sureflap models are all designed to function in metal doors.
Do let me know which one you choose and how you get on with it.
I have a dual scan cat flap but next doors cat still gets in. How is that possible
Hi Della,
if it is functioning correctly it shouldn’t be possible unless your neighbour’s cat is tailgating your cat in before the flap has time to close?
Hi Dan,
Is anyone else developing smart cat flaps apart from SureFlap?
I mean smart in the sense of smart home. i.e. there’s an app with some added functionality such as reporting, maybe it connects to IFTTT etc.
Hi Paul,
In terms of cat flaps with mobile connectivity it’s only the SureFlap Pet Door Connect at the moment…as far as I’m aware, I’ll keep my eyes open though, there’s definitely room in the market for a competitor to come in.
We have a PetSafe door for our two cats, but have a problem as one cat (BSH) has grown so big his chip is now too far back and doesn’t activate the lock! Currently we have the door turned off so they can come and go freely, but we have a troublesome neighbourhood cat and really need to get the lock working again. Is there any way of altering the sensor so it will still read the chip? Is there a better door with a more sensitive chip sensor? (Also, if he keeps growing, is there a large cat/small dog door with chip control?!!)
Hi Jane,
As far as I know the sensitivity of the sensor cant be adjusted however you’re best checking with Petsafe, you can contact them here via email https://intl.petsafe.net/en-gb/support/contact-us via email or call them on 0800 046 1414 (UK number) hopefulyl they’ll have some useful tips!
Let me know what they say,
Thanks for stopping by.
I have a problem with a feral cat that I rescued via the RSPCA. They chipped the cat. I purchased a Sureflap in the expectation of being able to program it to allow my cat only to get its feed. However there are 2 other cats that have started to use the flap. Is there a flap that can be manually programmed to rewspond only to my cat’s microchip.
Hi Peter,
All of the cat flaps we have reviewed can be manually programmed to respond to your cats chip. It depends which model you have but generally thre is a button which you press to register your cats chip initially, hold your cat in the flap until it beeps to indicate the chip has been read, and that’s it the cat flap is set.
Let me know if there’s anything more I can do to help.
Thanks for visiting our site,
Dan
Thanks for the suggestion. I am sure would work but for the problem of how do you catch and hold a semi wild cat.?
Ah, not an easy one, they’re not fond of being held…it is likely to take quite a while to build up sufficient trust!.
Alternatively you could use a tag on a collar, that would be easier to scan in the cat flap however you will still need to get the collar onto the cat!
Our new cat isn’t registered on the catflap, but he can still push it open when entry+exit is selected, even without the click. You can push the flap open with little force. Which of these models is an actual locking flap which will allow exit+entry?
I’m afraid that whilst sounding good due to being magnet-activated these are rather gimmicky and a determined cat will simply push them open
Hi Steve,
Which cat flap do you have? How old is it? It sounds like it may be faulty; the locking mechanism can wear down after a few years of use which makes it easier to push open. All the cat flaps we have reviewed here should not allow entry to an un-chipped act (unless you turn the lock off).
Thanks for stopping by and let us know how you get on.
Thanks for this really useful review, and the handy hint. Now I know what to look for when choosing our new flap.
No problems Kate, glad you found it useful, do let us know which one you choose and how you get on with it.
Thanks
seems to be a consistent problem with cat flaps and the noise Please let us all know the best one i need to change ours as our three cats dont like the sound of the mechanism of the locking device. Would a magnet type work and be quieter ?
Hi Liz,
Unfortunately all microchip cat flaps are magnet based, the clicking sounds occurs when the latch connects or disconnects from the magnet.
I’ve made some modification suggestions in the comments above which may help?
Thanks for stopping by
I would also like to know which is the quietest as same issue for us with the cat mate elite – have therefore had it on free mode for 2 years but now new cats have moved in next door want to get a microchip one she will actually use
Dan or anyone else know which doesn’t make a loud clicking noise when it opens???
Hey Jess,
Unfortunately it seems that every microchip cat flap on the market does make a small clicking noise due to the magnet catching to keep the latch in place.
The Sureflap is one of the quieter ones however it still does make a noise which may scare some cats.
One option is that when you get your cat flap installed, ask whoever is installing it to tape some cotton wool around the magnetic bit which the latch connects to. So long as not too much cotton wool is used it will work fine and should make much less noise.
Let me know how you get on!
we are having a problem with our flap as it makes a noise which then sends cats running in the opposite direction. can you recommend one which is silent
thanks
We’re having the same problem with our petsafe microchip flap. Our cat has used a cat flap for 4 year but recently another cat has started coming in. We bought the microchip flap but once he hears the click he backs out and the 3 seconds is then up and he can’t push open the flap! It’s driving me nuts as even when I put in in manual mode he’s still scared to go in and out! He’s just woken me up to let him out but the stray cat is popping in and out with ease when the flap is in manual mode and my cat just sits back and watches him eating his food! It would be helpful at least if the flap was quiet or at least allow more than 3 seconds for the v cat to come through before it locks. Please share if you have any success or find a solution to this problem. This flap cost me £80!!
Hey guys, apologies for my delay on getting back to you all re a quiet cat flap.
I’ve had a look into this and it seems that every microchip cat flap on the market does unfortunately make a clicking noise due to the magnet catching to keep the latch in place.
The Sureflap is one of the quieter ones however it still does make a noise which may scare some cats.
A good option (which I must add I haven’t tried myself) which could work is when you get your cat flap installed, ask who ever is installing it to tape some cotton wool around the magnetic bi with the latch connects to. So long as not too much cotton wool is used it will still work fine and should make much less noise.
Let me know how you get on!
My cat flap is doing the same. Allowing another cat to come in, it’s not locking properly! It’s a nightmare…I’m still unsure what cat flap to buy!
Hi there! I have the petporte and you can increase the time allowed up to 25 seconds for your cat to enter. My neighbour on the other hand can’t alter her time and the cats hate it… so maybe look into the petporte?
I have one of the very first original petporte micro cat flaps. I need to replace it as it’s no longer working properly. Is the hole required for the new model the same size as when the cat gaps first went on the market?
We used to have a petsafe original flap but we upgraded to the dual scan when we got our kitten so that our older cat could still have its independence while keeping the kitten indoors. Very pleased with both purchases and so are the cats!
Hi Jon, thanks for stopping by!
The Dual scan is perfect for that sort of scenario as it allows different accessibility options for different cats. Glad you like them!
Any idea how much it would typically cost to get someone to install one of these?
Thanks
Hi Ian, it depends very much on who you ask to do it but I would say a typical quote would be somewhere between £30-£60.
Hope that helps!