Letting your kitty have the choice to use a cat flap so that she can move about as she pleases will make her happier. 

Trust me, having to meow to be let in or out is as frustrating for your feline friend as it is to you!

A microchip cat flap is an excellent ideal if you wish to prevent other cats from entering our house as the reader on the cat flap responds only to the pre-programmed microchips. 

In this article, we’ll go through why getting a microchip cat flap for your kitty is a great idea. 

Let’s get started!

Here’s What You Need to Know About Microchip Cat Flaps!

DualScan cat flap and Sureflap microchip cat flap are two of the most common cat flaps that people get installed for their kitties–they’re both of the same sizes, 142mm wide x 120mm high. 

Most people feel that microchip cat flaps are too small for their kitties.

However, did you know that they’re made small on purpose?

This is to prevent other cats from coming through the gap as your cat is getting it–keeping them effectively out of your home. As a professional pet door specialist, I often come across “that’s too small for my cat to get through!” or “there’s no way my cat’s going to get through that gap!” 

I remember one incident in particular. I was installing a microchip flap on the South Coast, and the owner was concerned that her kitty wouldn’t be able to fit through the flap.

The cat popped up in the garden out of the blue, squeezed through an even tinier gap in the fence, and came through the cat flap, casually glancing at the two of us as she passed us by. Of course, we went in fits of laughter!

The truth is that your kitty is more agile and sleek than you believe. 

Being a professional cat flap fitter, I only install cat flaps, I don’t manufacture them. 

I don’t know your cat’s personality, but I can reassure clients that they shouldn’t fret about whether or not their kitty will fit through the cat flap. Never judge a kitty by her fluff! Keep in mind that under that furry exterior is a slim body that’s evolved for centuries to fit through narrow gaps. 

Your cat’s approximate weight is all you need to get the right cat flap. 

An average kitty weighs between 4.5 to 5.5 kg, and a microchip cat flap is rated suitable for gats up to 6.5 kilograms in weight. Since these flaps are supposed to have a small opening to ensure that other cats don’t enter the house at the same time as yours, these flaps feature a small entrance. 

Of course, this small entrance can also help keep your kitty lean!

How so, you ask? 

Well, if going in and out wasn’t enough exercise in itself to help keep your cats’ weight in check, it also keeps you from overfeeding your kitty, fearing that she may not be able to come in and out as she pleases if she gains weight. 

You Shouldn’t Get a Microchip Cat Flap If…

Microchip cat flaps are not great for large cats–the breeds that, on average, weigh more than 6.5kg. This includes: 

• British Longhair
• Ragamuffin
• Ragdoll
• Maine Coon
• Turkish Van
• Siberian Cat
• Chausie
• Savannah
• Highlander
• British Shorthair

For these kitties, you should go for larger doors–ones that are 170mm in the height and 178mm in width. Some of these come with microchip cat flap technology along with additional features such as curfew controls and a timer! 

These doors allow pets up to 14kg to exit and enter your home. 

In Conclusion

Try to ensure that you select the right cat flap size for your kitty by keeping her size, breed, weight, and other needs in mind. 

Pro tip: For a fair idea of the size, you can cut a cardboard box to the specifications of the cat flap you’re considering to buy. This works well if you’re ordering one online. 

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