Fitting a cat flap can appear daunting, but it is fairly simple to install with the right instructions. Decide how high you'd like your cat flap to be (normally it's located at the belly height). Mark this point on the door, and use the template as a guide to drill.

If you have a small kitten you can prop the door open very slightly and gradually encourage it to pass through. Reward the kitten every time it goes through.

Measure the Door

A cat flap is a great option to allow your pet to come and go inside and out of your home as it likes. This will keep your cat in good health as it will ensure that it gets enough exercise and also be able to return inside if it is stranded in the elements during bad weather. It can also cut down on the amount of time you need to spend letting it out or in. It can keep your home safe by letting you know when it's been out.

It is essential to make sure that the cat flap is placed correctly in order to prevent your pet from being forced through or escaping through it by other animals (e.g. dogs). It is essential to measure your pet's belly height and the doorway to your home to ensure that the flap is at the proper height. If your cat is a little larger or shorter than the normal, you can adjust the position of the flap by moving it upwards or downwards by a small amount.

The next step is to use a spirit level to mark the centre of the door, where you will be installing the flap. Then, using the marks as an outline, cut the shape of your flap with a Jigsaw. After you have cut 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. The process is slightly more challenging if you need to install it in a uPVC door or a composite one. This is because these doors come in a variety of thicknesses, which can affect the way that holes are cut. This is the reason we recommend calling a professional to complete the job, particularly in the event that you've never worked with glass before.

Measure Your Cat

You can save yourself hours of listening to the pet meow to be let in or out. This is particularly helpful if your cat is trapped in the house during all seasons while you are at work.

It is important to first measure your cat before you attempt the installation. It may seem like a straightforward task, but it's important to make sure you measure the right measurements. If not, your cat may have difficulty putting it in use.

First, make sure that your cat is calm before taking measurements. cat flaps for french doors will have to hold your cat in a place in which they cannot move. Also, make sure that the measuring tape is straight and not bent against the body. You can get an accurate measurement by keeping the measuring tape or ruler flat against the body of the animal from the top to the bottom.

Once you've figured out the measurements of your cat's body, it's time to look at the door and decide on where you want to place the flap. A good tip is to place the flap at the height of your cat's stomach as this will help them to move through it without too much effort. This will also stop the flap from making quite a lot of noise when it swings open and shut.

You must take into consideration the thickness of the uPVC or composite door as well. While timber doors are of the same thickness, uPVC and composite doors are different in their overall construction and 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.

You can also use the template included in the instructions to mark the position of the hole on the door. This will allow you to see where the opening must be and ensure that the template is correctly positioned on the door. It is also helpful to utilize a spirit-level to make sure that the template is flush against the door.

Cut the Flap

You'll need to make an opening in the door to accommodate your cat flap prior to you can install it. This is a difficult job, and it is recommended to get help from a professional cat flap fitting service for this job in case you don't have the expertise or knowledge to tackle it yourself. You can also read the instructions included with the kit to learn how to do it properly.

You can use the height of your cat's or kitten's stomach to guide you. As a general rule, place the cat flap approximately 10-15 centimeters above the ground. This is the average height of the stomach for cats. This way your cat can move through the flap comfortably and also give the other cats or neighbours who are snooping difficult time trying to enter or leave.

Once you've decided the best location for the cat flap to be positioned, mark this position on the door with pencil. If your kit comes with the template put it on top of the door. Use the marks on the template to drill holes in each corner. You will then be able to cut the template's shape and replace it with your cat flap.

You can put in your cat flap yourself in the door made of wood or uPVC if you are confident using a jigsaw. Be cautious not to cut through the mullions or rails that run vertically 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 try to force the jigsaw to cut faster.

Once the hole is cut, carefully fit the flap of cat food into its new home and make sure that it is firmly fixed. If it features caps for screws, then put them onto the protruding screws. After the screws are installed then sand the rough edges and then apply sealant to any gaps. This will block draughts from entering your home.

Install the Flap

If you have an ordinary cat flap, you can try to encourage your pet to go through it by placing a small amount of cat food on the top of the door. Alternatively you can try pushing the cat through with your hands or with a stick. Once your cat has become used to walking through the flap, it will be capable of walking through the flap as it pleases. This allows you to let it in and out at any time it wants.

It is possible to fit the flap onto the UPVC or glass doors although this may not be as simple as fitting one into a wood external door because the UPVC and glass doors aren't a uniform thickness. This could have a significant impact on how you cut the flap hole and also how well the flap fits after installation.

The mounting kit could include a template that shows you where to drill holes. If the kit doesn't come with the template you can copy it to make your own. When cutting, it is important to keep the jigsaw from being pushed too to the point that you create a larger hole than is necessary in your door.

Certain cat flaps come in circular shapes, which are more difficult to put in. If you have a circular flap, make sure the hole is located in the correct place on your door. Otherwise, the cat might not be able use it, and may be stuck outside the whole day (or at night).

Some models of cat flap come with locks that allow you to control when your cat comes and goes. These can be very useful if you're worried about your cat going out at night and then coming back in because of the darkness, or you're working all day. The lock can be used to allow entry or exit, and some locks can be locked in both directions, allowing you to shut the door completely, which is especially helpful for sick or elderly cats who aren't keen on going out in rainy weather.
cat flaps for french doors