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Microchip cat flaps like are used as a cat door that identifies your cat via his microchip then unlocks the cat door–or keeps the cat flap locked if you don’t want this particular cat to pass through the flap.
A microchip cat flap allow access by your cat without allowing other cats (or wildlife!) access to your home.
At set up, you’ll read your cat’s microchip by allowing him to walk close to the unit. After that, you can set the flap to open–or remain locked–for particular microchip numbers.
If you have multiple cats, you can choose to allow the door to open for one and not the other.
Why You Might Want a Microchip Cat Flap in an Indoor-Only Cat Home
As our regular readers know, our cats are totally indoor cats. We live in a coyote-filled area and that doesn’t mix with cats. (Plus there are many, many other reasons to keep your cat indoors or in the safety of a protected catio at all times for their safety and health…and your own sanity so you’re not out searching and worrying…)
Eve in indoors-only cat homes, a microchip cat flap have several excellent uses:
They can be a great way to keep your dog out of the litterbox, especially important if you have a small dog who can access covered litterboxes that can be used to keep large dogs out of the litterbox.
A microchip cat flap can also provide access to cat food for one particular cat. You can put cat food into a room access through a microchip cat flap, locking other cats–and dogs–out of the room. (You can also purchase microchip cat feeders that will unlock for particular microchip numbers, too.)
SureFlap MicroChip Cat Flap
The SureFlap works by identifying your cat by his microchip and then unlocking the door!
It scans cats attempting to ENTER your house (but doesn’t scan which pets are allowed OUT…you’ll need the SureFlap DualScan Microchip Cat Flap for that.)
The unit is compatible with all the types of microchips that are commonly implanted in pets including 15-digit (also known as FDXB); most 10-digit or FDXA chips except those starting with 000, 010 or 020; and 9-digit microchips.
If you are not sure what kind of microchip your cat has, your vet can probably help you find out by scanning it for you.
The unit can be installed in just about any door where you’d install a traditional cat door.
You install it so that it’s facing forward with the battery compartment inside your house.
You’ll install four AA batteries (they should last about six months, according to the manufacturer’s instructions).
See the circle with the “M” symbol just to the right of the battery compartment? That’s a memory button; you’ll press it so the unit can “learn” your cat’s specific microchip number.
Have multiple cats? No worries…the unit will learn up to 32 microchips!
It’s as simple as getting your cat to walk through the flap to get the device to learn the microchip.
The device recognizes the chip through two sensors in the top, inside of the unit:
In its normal setting, your cat will be able to leave the house but, to return, the device will need to recognize your cat’s chip to unlock the cat door. There’s also a manual lock so you can totally lock the unit, keeping your cat either indoors or outside:
This raised knob (on the left) means the unit is completely locked; if the knob is horizontal, the unit is set to normal position and your cat can come and go.
There’s also entrance only (for example, if you need to get your cat in for the night or in to then go the vet) and exit only so once he leaves the house he can’t get back in (say maybe you’re refinishing the floors).
The unit comes in two pieces, like most cat doors, so there’s a front piece and a back (outside of the door) piece:
The flap itself (not the entire unit, just the part your cat will pass through) is 5.59 inches wide by 5.39 inches high. That’s large enough for most cats (and even very small toy dogs) but, if your cat is especially large, be sure to measure your current cat door to see if it will work for you.
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