It might seem daunting to put up the flap for your cat but with the right instructions, it's not too difficult. Find out how high you'd like your cat flap to be (normally it's at the belly height). Mark this point on your door, and use the included template to help you drill.
If you have a small kitten hold the door open a bit and gradually encourage it to enter. Reward it each time it goes through.
Measure the Door
A cat flap lets your pet to go in and out of your home at any time. This will help keep your cat in good health by ensuring that it is getting exercise as well as being able to get back in if stuck outside in the rainy weather, especially in winter. This will reduce the amount of time you spend letting your cat in or out and make your home safe by notifying you when it's gone.
However, it is important that the cat flap is properly fitted to stop your pet from being able to escape through it or be pushed through by any other animals (e.g. dogs). You should determine the height of your pet's stomach and the width of the doorway in your home to ensure the flap is at the proper height. If your cat is a little larger or shorter than the average, you can adjust the position of the flap by moving it upwards or downwards by a small amount.
The next step is to utilize a spirit level mark the center of the door, where you will put the flap. Then, using the markings as a guideline, cut out the shape of your flap with the help of a jigsaw. After cutting the flap, sand down the edges to create smooth surfaces. Drill any holes you need to.
The process of fitting a cat flap isn't as difficult as you may believe and it shouldn't take more than two hours to complete the entire task from start to completion. However, the process may be slightly more complicated when you have to install it inside the frame of a uPVC or composite door since these doors come in an array of thicknesses that can affect the way the holes are cut and the type of door they are fixed into. This is the reason we recommend calling an expert to do the work, particularly in the event that you've never worked with glass before.
Measure Your Cat
A cat flap will save you from listening to your pet meow to let it in or out. This is especially helpful for those who working all day and your cat has to stay in the waiting room until you come home regardless of the weather.
It is essential to measure your cat's measurements first before attempting to install. Although it might appear to be to be a simple task, it is essential to get the measurement right or your cat may find it difficult to use.
First, make sure your cat is calm prior to taking measurements. You'll need to put your cat in a place in which they cannot move. Also, make sure that the measuring tape is flat and not curved against their body. You can take a precise measurement by keeping the measuring tape or the ruler flat against the body of the animal from the top to the bottom.
Once you've got the measurement of your cat's body, it's time to look at the door and decide where to put the flap. A good tip is to position the flap in the middle of your cat's stomach as this will help them to get through it without too much effort. This will also prevent the flap making a lot of noise as it opens and closes.
You must think about the thickness of the uPVC or composite door, as well. Although timber doors are of the same thickness, uPVC and composite doors can be very different in their overall construction and can make fitting a cat flap more complicated since you have to ensure that the hole you cut is the right size for your pet.
It is also worth looking through the instructions included with the kit to locate an outline of the template that can be used to mark the location of the hole inside the door. This will help you determine where the opening needs to be and also ensure that the template is placed correctly on the door. It is also beneficial to utilize a spirit-level to make sure that the template sits in a straight line against the door.
Cut the Flap
Before you can put in your cat flap, you'll must cut the door's panel to make it large enough for it. This can be a challenging job, and it is recommended to seek out the assistance of a professional cat flap fitter to complete this task if you don't have the skills or experience to complete the task yourself. You can also read the instructions that come with the kit to learn how to do it properly.
You can take the height of the cat's or kitten's stomach as a reference. As a rule of thumb you should place the flap approximately 10-15 centimeters above the ground. This is the average height of the stomach for cats. This will allow your cat to move through the flap without difficulty and will make it difficult for other cats and nosy neighbors to get in or out.
Draw the location of the cat flap on the door with pencil. If cat flap fitters near me includes a template, place it over the door. Use the marks on the template to drill holes at each corner. Then, you should be able cut out the design of the template and replace it with your cat flap.
If you are installing your cat flap on a door made from wood or uPVC, you are able to do it yourself if you are confident enough to use using a jigsaw. Be sure not to cut through the vertical rails or mullions of your door. You can use a jigsaw to cut your panel into a circle or square, depending on how you want it. Make sure to take your time and don't try to make the jigsaw cut faster.
Once the hole has been made, carefully place the cat flap into its new place of residence. Make sure it's firmly secured. If it has screw caps, then push these onto the protruding screws. Once the screws are in place, you can sand any rough edges of the cut then seal any gaps to ensure that there aren't any draughts getting into your home.
Fit the Flap
If you have a standard cat flap, you can try to encourage your pet to go through it by placing a small amount cat food on the outside of the door. Alternately, you can push the cat through with your hands or with a stick. Once your cat is used to moving through the flap, it will be able to move into and out as it wishes and you should be able to let it out and in without to open the door for it throughout the day (and potentially in all weather conditions).
It is possible to fit the flap inside the UPVC doors or glass door, but it's not as easy as installing one on a wooden external door. This is because the doors made of UPVC and some kinds of glass doors don't have an even thickness. This could have a dramatic effect on how you cut the opening for the flap and could affect the way your flap is fitted correctly after it has been put in place.
The mounting kit might contain a template that outlines where to drill holes. If the kit doesn't include a template you can create one on your own. When cutting, it is important to not push the jigsaw far enough to create a bigger hole than you need in your door.
Some cat flaps are available in circular designs, which are more difficult to install. If you have a circular flap it's important to make sure the hole is in the proper position on your door because if it's not, the cat can't use it and could be left outside all day (or even at night).
Some cat flaps have locks that let you regulate when your cat can enter and leave. These are useful if your pet is afraid of leaving in the dark or coming back to the house at night. They are also useful if you work all day. The lock can be engaged to allow or deny entry, and some can be locked in either direction which allows you to close the door completely. This is particularly beneficial for sick or elderly cats who aren't keen on going out in the rain.