Models of cat doors for entrance and toilet doors

Happy owners of pets, especially cats, know how difficult it is to constantly watch over your pet so that he goes outside for a walk or goes to the toilet on time. This problem can easily be solved by a cat door installed in the interior or entrance door. With its help, any pet can independently leave or enter the house without distracting anyone.

There are two ways to become the owner of such a door for cats: either purchase it in a specialized store, or make it yourself at home. In any case, this is a very necessary thing in a private home, which can make life easier for both the cat and its owner.

Cat doors come in different types. They vary depending on the size and type of materials used. The dimensions of the product may vary, it all depends on the size of the pet. The material is also used depending on the functional purpose of the opening. It can be a wooden, aluminum or plastic door.

According to the type of structure, all cat doors are divided into:

• Laz;
• Window;
• The door.

What is a cat door?

A cat door is a separate passage through which the animal can independently enter the place it needs. Quality pet doors:

• hypoallergenic;
• silent;
• sealed.

Today, the choice of doors for animals is quite large, so you can easily choose a product that is ideal for the size of the cat, the material of the main door and fits well into the overall design. If you have certain skills, you can design the door yourself.

Reasons for installing a cat door:

• lack of door control. The path for a cat to the right place is always open;
• deep sleep. The cat does not bother the owners at night;
• no smell. The tray with the filler is kept indoors, or the cat goes outside to relieve itself;
• simple design. The door system can be easily adopted by a cat at any age;
• easy installation. Installing a cat flap into doors and walls.

Making a door for a cat with your own hands

It’s rare that a cat owner isn’t familiar with this phenomenon: it’s 5 am, and the cat outside the door is showing impatience and sometimes making very loud noises. You have to get up, open the door for your furry pet, and then wait until the latter returns home and open and close the entrance door again.

Cat door

However, this problem can be solved, especially when it comes to a private home.

Which option should I choose?

Today there are a lot of options on the market in different price categories. The simplest plastic tunnel without a door will cost about 200 rubles. A silent programmable door with chip identification for a cat costs about 12,000 rubles.

When choosing, you should always start from the problem at hand first.

There is no point in installing an option with a magnetic lock on the toilet door. If you are annoyed by the sound of a hinged door closing on a hinge, for example, in a bedroom, install a regular tunnel. You should also know the dimensions of your animal before purchasing so as not to make a mistake with the size. To do this, measure the length and height of the cat and add 10 cm.

Features of the manhole

A manhole is a hole without doors, made according to the size of the cat. This passage is intended for installation in interior systems. It is not installed in entrance doors and external walls.

The main advantages of the manhole:

• ease of manufacture;
• ease of installation;
• free movement of cats of any size.

The design of the manhole finishing depends on the aesthetic preferences of the owners. The passage can be a regular rectangular shape or designed in the form of an arch. Often the hole is equipped with a soft fleecy cloth or a special brush that collects shedding hair.

Sometimes the cat hole is decorated with a special brush, which combs out excess fibers from the animal’s fur.

Unfortunately, the hole has its drawbacks:

• lack of isolation of the animal. In order to temporarily lock a cat in a confined space, you will have to block the passage;
• the hole allows smells and sounds to pass through;
• Installation on entrance doors is not possible.

The open passage is suitable for cats of any size. Small kittens and representatives of large breeds will be able to easily climb into the hole without flaps. Such designs are very convenient for owners of several cats.

Main types

Cat doors come in different types. Manhole is the simplest option. This is an interior solution, since it is not suitable for the role of an entrance door. This is a kind of hole through which the cat gets into the room it needs. In order not to spoil the design of the apartment, the manhole is made in an interesting and original shape. You can install special brushes. When the animal enters the room, excess hair will remain on the brush. Such a unique passage will become an ally in the fight for cleanliness.

The disadvantage of this design is that, if necessary, it is impossible to isolate the pet. Also, the hole will not be able to prevent foreign odors and sounds from entering the room.

Window

A window differs from a manhole in the presence of a movable door. It consists of a metal or wooden frame and a movable plastic plate. Just like a manhole is not suitable for the front door, since uninvited guests, such as stray cats, can enter the house through it. If you install a sash lock, you can prevent the neighbor's cats from entering the apartment, but this process will also have to be controlled by the owners.

Where do you typically need to install a cat door?

The pet hole can be installed almost anywhere:

• At the front door. It makes sense to change its design and construction if the owners let the cat out alone for a walk whenever he wants. This is usually what owners of private houses do.
• In any interior door , for example to a bathroom or toilet, if there is a cat litter box there.
• In the balcony door so that the pet has the opportunity to stretch and breathe fresh air at any time.
• In the wall.
• At the garage door.
• In window and door glass.

Since installing a cat flap is an irreversible procedure, you need to carefully weigh the pros and cons of such a decision.
It shouldn't be spontaneous. Cat doors are installed if there is really a need for it. Typically, such doors are installed in rooms where there is an animal's tray and bowls of food and water, or in the front door if the cat's owners allow her to walk without any restrictions. In most cases, their installation is supported by the fact that the inhabitants of the home do not have the opportunity to constantly let the cat into or out of the room. Thanks to this device, you can safely leave your cat at home alone, without fear that she will remain hungry or shit in the wrong place due to the inability to get to her toilet.

How to make a pass?

If there is a desire, the owner can make a passage for the pet himself.
You can make a hole for a cat by purchasing and installing a special clamp, or you can do it yourself.
It doesn't take long and is easy to create. It is best to make a cat hole during renovations in the room, but it is also possible after. They install tunnels for cats in the interior walls and in the walls - wherever it is more convenient.

How to make a door that opens in both directions with your own hands?

Typically, interior doors are made of wood or MDF and veneered with an oak, wenge or walnut finish.
They are the easiest way to make a pet door. How to make a hole for your four-legged pet in a wooden door with your own hands:

1. After removing the panel from the door frame, lay it on a flat surface. It is recommended to carry out the work on the removed door. It's both convenient and safe.
2. Measure your pet. It should fit freely into the future hole. When stuck, an animal can become very frightened, and when trying to get out of the trap on its own, it can also injure itself. The average hatch width is usually about 15–20 cm.
3. Mark the future hole on the canvas.
4. In one of the corners of the resulting square, drill a hole into which the blade of an electric jigsaw can freely pass.
5. After cutting the material along the marks, remove the unnecessary part.
6. Sand the edges of the cuts with sandpaper, then cover them with varnish or paint to prevent damage due to moisture and dirt. To give the hole an aesthetic appearance, you can make a platband from slats or aluminum corners. It is recommended to choose a material that your pet will not scratch.
7. Cut out the plastic flap. It should be 1 mm smaller than the hole itself. To make it, you can also use a thin rubber plate or thick fabric. The main thing is that the material used to make it is light, otherwise the cat will not be able to open the door on its own.
8. Using hinges or piano hinges, attach the plastic flap to the upper edge of the opening. In this case, you need to make sure that it can open in both directions.
9. Return the door leaf to its original place.

Types of passages for pets

All designs have their own distinctive features; as for the cat door, it may differ in size and type of material. To make a passage for an animal, in addition to plastic and wood, aluminum can also be used.

The simplest option, which is most popular, is a manhole in the form of flaps. The frame for it is made of aluminum, and the doors are made of plastic. Such a door, made by yourself, will not affect the degree of thermal insulation in the house. Therefore, it can even be installed on an external door system.

If you are afraid that a strange cat will enter your house, then you can purchase a special sensor that receives and transmits a signal that comes from a microchip built into the cat’s collar. This means that besides your pet, no one else will get into the house. However, before you get started, you should measure the dimensions of the cat, which will allow you to decide on the size and shape of the door.

In pet stores, you can be offered 3 options for doors for animals: a window, a manhole and a door. Before you make any of these options yourself, familiarize yourself with the features of these devices. The manhole allows the cat access from one room in the house to another or provides access to the street. As a rule, the manhole does not have doors and is installed in interior door structures. The disadvantage of this move for the cat is the penetration of foreign odors and noises from one room to another.

A hole for a domestic cat (for the door to the toilet or between rooms)

Making your own hole in the door for your pet is as easy as shelling pears. A door loophole for a cat can be of absolutely any shape: round, square, rectangular, oval, curly. The work consists of the following stages:

1. Place the door removed from its hinges, in which you plan to cut out a hole for the cat.
2. Measure the animal. The standard dimensions of a square hole are 15–20 cm.
3. Draw the markings of the future hole with a pencil on the canvas.
4. Cut a hole in the door leaf according to the pencil marks and remove the unnecessary part.
5. Sand the edges with sandpaper and then coat them with a product that protects the material from which the door is made from the negative effects of external factors.
6. Assemble the platband from the slats (you don’t have to do this).
7. Reinstall the door in its original place.

Door

The in-door cat flap is a smaller version of the standard design. Its damper can be mounted in a horizontal or vertical position using springs. Such models do not allow odors and cold to pass through, because they close hermetically and can be controlled manually and remotely.

Note! Doors are produced equipped with electronic sensors that are triggered by interaction with a chip embedded in the pet’s collar.

Some products, in addition to the self-closing mechanism, have a passage blocking system, which is activated by the animal owner at his own discretion. The cat door can be made of soft materials, plastic, plexiglass, acrylic, rubber.

Door with a flap that closes with a latch

What you need to consider when purchasing a door or making a passage yourself

When choosing a suitable door model, not only design features are taken into account, but also the size and physical capabilities of the animal.

The cat can't go to the toilet for a little while

The model of the device is determined by its location, functionality and materials used in manufacturing. To move the cat internally to the litter box, it is enough to install a window with a hermetically sealed flap in the door. To control the animal's entry and exit into the street, devices with a movement blocking system are used.

For your information! Closing devices in cat doors can operate in entry, exit, entry-exit and closed mode.

The dimensions of the hatch depend on the physical parameters of the animal’s body. Depending on this indicator, a hole is cut. For ordinary breeds of cats, the passage does not exceed the size of 20x20 cm, taking into account that the passage must be wider than the animal’s body by at least 5 cm on the sides and in height.

What to consider when making a passage

If you decide to make a cat door with your own hands, you must immediately determine the functional purpose of the product: for entrance doors or an interior version.

To provide your pet with free passage to the toilet or other rooms, it will be enough to provide the door leaf with a hole and attach the sash to it on hinges. And in the case of the front door, the design should be more complex and airtight.

It is important to decide how the product will look so as not to spoil the appearance of the canvas, but even to decorate it. For self-production, it is better to give preference to wood. It is very easy to work with, and it looks great against the backdrop of solid wood.

Making your own cat door

In order to make a hatch or a regular passage for a pet with your own hands, you need to correctly calculate its dimensions. Naturally, the larger the animal, the larger the passage equipped for it will be.

Make a passage for pets, for example, dogs, as follows:

1. Remove the canvas that opens the entrance to the room from its hinges and place it on a flat horizontal surface.
2. A hole is cut at the bottom of the sash, the dimensions of which are determined based on the animal’s physique (for cats the entrance will be smaller, for large dogs it will be larger).

Essentially, the entrance is ready, and if you wish, you can leave the opening as it is. Such a hole will suit your pet perfectly: he will move through it without any problems.

But, unfortunately, such a hole will not look very attractive, and most home craftsmen do not stop there; they give the passage a more aesthetic appearance. Some craftsmen install hinges on the canvas and hang on them a door pre-made according to the size of the hole.

To avoid knocking when opening and closing the door, a rubber edging is attached along its edge. This DIY hatch for cats or dogs will allow your pet to move freely from room to room and will act as a barrier to unpleasant odors and extraneous sounds.

You can also make a door for cats yourself from another material, for example, plastic or chipboard. If you use all your skill and use your imagination, the entrance for your pet will turn out amazing, and besides, it will become a real decoration of the interior.

What does it take to train a cat to use the door?

Cats are naturally very inquisitive creatures. But the instinct of self-preservation sometimes interferes with their acquaintance with something new. Especially if it is a door that leads to an unknown destination. So motivate your pet by offering him his favorite treat or toy.

1. Open the door and secure the sash. Scotch tape, lace, or wire are suitable for this. Your task is to make the cat enter the hole and come back without hesitation. A structure swinging back and forth can frighten an animal.
2. Make the sash half open. The cat will probably not immediately understand that it is not required, so push your pet, helping him crawl through the door.
3. Close the flap all the way and encourage your cat to come in and out of the door. After some time, the cat will stop being afraid. If the design is comfortable for her, she will move from room to room without any problems.

There can be different problems when training cats to walk through the door. The main one is fear of the sash. The cat does not understand well that it is not a threat.

In one family, the cat often bothered the owners, asking them to open the door for her. Then they decided one day to install a door for it. But the darling did not want to go through the swinging door. She probably thought it was a dangerous thing. No tricks helped. But a solution was found: the plastic flap was replaced with a cellophane curtain.

After some time, the cat began to walk through the hole, especially since the curtain hardly interfered. The curtain was lowered - the cat was not afraid again. When he was completely accustomed to it, a sash was put in its place. But she no longer embarrassed the cat. He liked the walks and was interested in the door itself. He even started hitting it with his paw from time to time. The animal liked that she knocked.

The door is an ideal gadget for the owner of a four-legged pet. But the problem comes when you need to decide where to install it. In private houses it is simpler - the manhole is installed on the front door. Residents of apartments usually do not have this opportunity. The EasyPet door can be installed on almost any surface. The cat can go out onto the terrace or balcony; the only option is to install a hole in the glass doors. Modern technologies make it possible to cut any hole in glass. The EasyPet brand offers rounded mortise doors that any glazier can cut a hole for.

The advantage of the EasyPet door is the 4way lock, which makes it possible to arrange a transition so that the cat can enter after dark, but will not come out. Other modes are also available. There are special keys that allow you to close the door when the owner and pet are not at home.

The model is equipped with an entrance with a diameter of 29 cm, allowing a cat or a medium-sized dog to successfully pass through.

Model PetPorte

The PetPorte system is an automatic door that operates on the basis of a chip reader. Previously, chip technology was only used to register animals, helping to identify the owner. Now chips are also used by manufacturers of pet accessories, for example the PetPorte system.

The PetPorte system uses chips as a key. The mechanism can identify 30 animals. When the animal with the chip approaches the device, the lock will open.

The cat door also uses:

• twilight sensor – after dark, the flap only allows the cat inside;
• notification by sound when the animal arrives.

The system is connected to a power source; an electrical outlet must be provided. You can insert a battery to keep the device running in the event of a power failure.

Infrared door

The infra-red system allows the cat to automatically enter using an infrared beam that opens the lock. The door consists of 2 parts:

1. frame with valve installed on one side of the door, wall,
2. the second frame is on the other side.

The cat, wearing a special collar, must approach the door opening mechanism. The system, having recognized the animal, will open the door.

The design includes a small electronic device powered by a battery. The device must be turned on for it to perform its task. The system with infrared technology can be installed on:

• wall surfaces,
• doors,
• tree,
• glass,
• PVC,
• metal door.

The only drawback is the lack of color choice; the doors are only available in white. White is a universal color suitable for most interiors.

Protection from cold and wind

To prevent cold and wind from entering the room, it is worth installing warm doors with 3 folds, triple sealing, and protection from wind speeds of up to 50 km/h. There are models whose damper is made of double plastic:

• Easy Pet Doors,
• Easy Pet Energy Saver,
• Easy Pet Energy Saver Plus S.

ID collar

An interesting, safe solution is a special collar equipped with a battery-powered identifier. It is recognized by the door using infrared radiation. When an animal approaches the opening, the device identifies the pet and opens the door. The cat will be able to enter without uninvited guests.

Ferplast Swing system

A new offer is the Ferplast Swing system. The device determines where the animal is: on the outside of the apartment or inside. Just look at the indicator indicating the position of the direction in which the door was recently opened.

Magnetic model

A magnetic door is based on a simple magnetic mechanism. The cat wears a pendant with a magnet around her neck. When the animal approaches the hatch mechanism, the hatch opens, attracted by a magnet, the cat can freely enter and exit. The kit includes 2 parts:

1. the first one is integrated with the valve,
2. the second is intended for installation on the other side and forms a hole.

The system is available in a small size, designed for small animals.

A magnetic cat walker is a cheap option designed for animal owners who want to create a nice, comfortable cat hole at a minimum cost. Cheap does not mean poor quality. The mechanism, installed according to the instructions, works great.

"Pros" and "cons" of the door

A mortise cat door is convenient and beautiful. The modern market offers a huge variety of designs of this type, not only for cats, but also for dogs. The models offered to the buyer’s attention are, as a rule, made of solid wood or plastic, which means they are not afraid of exposure to moisture and temperature fluctuations. In addition, different models differ in both design and color.

Each cat door consists of two structural elements and a tunnel connecting them. The tunnel is installed in a hole made in advance in the canvas or wall, while the cut points are carefully hidden. In general, a mortise cat door should be selected taking into account the thickness of the leaf. If the leaf thickness is large, two or more tunnels can be installed, but if the sash is thin, the tunnel can be trimmed.

Each such hatch is equipped with a special “rim” that ensures proper sealing (naturally, this increases the heat and sound insulation properties of the structure) and prevents knocking when opening and closing the sash.

Usually a magnet is built into one of the walls: it is this that holds the door, preventing it from swinging open due to a draft. At the same time, pets can move freely through such a passage.

The fact is that such a door for cats and dogs is equipped with a special device that reads identification devices: as soon as the pet, whose collar has a key, approaches the door, it will open. Naturally, uninvited “guests” will not pass through such a hatch.

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Such an access control and identification system is multifunctional: it can be two- or four-mode. In the first case, the “open” and “closed” modes operate.

Models equipped with a complex control system have four modes:

1. Open.
2. Closed.
3. Restriction on entry (pet can leave, but cannot enter).
4. Restriction on exit (the hatch will open upon entry, but the home occupant will not be able to exit).

In addition, some models are equipped with a device that tracks the movement of pets. The operating principle of this device is as follows: when an animal leaves the premises, an indicator of a certain color lights up, and when the pet enters, the LED changes its color.

Thus, the owner of the animal can always accurately determine where his pet is currently located. A door for cats and dogs equipped with such a device is an indispensable device for a private home.

How and where can you buy a good door?

To choose the right door in a store, you need not only to know the dimensions of the animal, but also decide on the material and decide what design you want.

When heading out the door, take your pet with you. Consultants at the point of sale will help you choose a product based on the size of your cat. As for his preferences, you know them yourself.

Pay attention to brands such as Ferplast, Trixie, which are now the most popular. You don't have to go to the store to get them. All you need to do is order delivery online. It’s easy to pick up other products in the online store. The only important thing here is not to make a mistake with the dimensions of your cat.

Selection of quality accessories in the store

To choose the right door model for your pet, you need to answer a number of questions:

• where the passage should go - various rooms, a bathroom, a balcony, a street;
• the size and material of the product into which the cat doors will be installed;
• dimensions of the animal;
• a type of door that your pet will like.

The best way to choose the right type of aisle for your cat is to take your four-legged friend with you to the store. There, professionals will correctly calculate the dimensions of the animal and select the best option. If it is not possible to bring an animal with you, it is worth deciding in advance on the size of the pet, as well as the place where the selected product will be embedded.

There are certain brands that offer quality products. The most popular doors on our market are doors from Trixie and Ferplast. You can also purchase the desired product online, but you will have to pay extra for delivery.