Month: August 2017

Cat Mate Elite Cat Flap With Timer Review

Having cats as pets usually means porter-duty for you, the owner. Cat flaps are a solution, but having a standard, non-automatic flap might invite intruders into your house. If this is the case, automatic cat doors are the solution to your problem. In this article, we will review, and dive into the specifics, of the Cat Mate Elite Cat Door With Timer.

 

Cat Mate Elite Cat Door Reviewjpg
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What Is The Cat Mate Elite Automatic Cat Flap With Timer?

The Cat Mate Elite is an automatic cat door that makes use of RFID  technology to unlock the door mechanism for the cat, so your pet can push the flap and enter or exit. RFID stands for Radio Frequency IDentification.

The cat needs a pre-programmed RFID collar tag with its own personalized ID. The ID will get scanned by a control board in the electronic cat flap. The system unlocks when it recognizes the ID.

It’s a safe means of access control for pet doors because only animals with a preapproved RFID collar tag can exit or enter the flap.

When you purchase this device, it comes with two collar ID tags for you to register. The Cat Mate can hold up to eight ID’s in it’s built in memory. It can manage the entry and exit for up to eight pets of your choice. It keeps all undesired animals out. If you currently have more than two pets, you can buy additional tags separately. Collar tags are quite affordable.

SELECTIVE ENTRY & EXIT

The Cat Mate Elite features selective entry and exit access control. It does this using its special locking mechanism. The mechanism locks either the exit or entry, both, or neither.

By utilizing the method of selective entry, you can plan individually which cat will be indoor-only and which ones of your cats will have entirely free access to the outside.

The Cat Mate Elite Super Selective has a timer which enables you to program an outdoor routine for your cat.

The device comes with an LCD display. The LCD screen displays the currently programmed entry and exit lock status. IT also shows you if the cat is inside or outside. It also tells you the time the door was last used by that unique ID, to up to three cats.

The device comes with a 4-way locking system:

  1. both in & out-
  2. only inside
  3. only outside
  4. locked

The Cat Mate Elite door operates on four AA batteries. The batteries last around six to nine months, based on the usage and the quality of the batteries. Batteries are not included.

 

What Are The Features Of The Automatic Cat Flap?

  • Suitable for small to medium size cats.
  • It will keep all unwanted animals out.
  • Only cats with the preregistered collar tags can enter/exit through the door, based on the settings you selected.
  • Selective control: decide per cat who exits and enters.
  • With the use of unique ID collar tags, you can control which cats will be indoor-only and which ones outside.
  • Timed control access enables you to establish an outdoor routine for your cat. Like keeping the cats in after five pm.
  • The LCD screen shows you the selected entry and exit lock settings, if your cats are inside or outside, and the last time the door was activated by which ID, You can look up the location of up to three cats.
  • The Unit includes two electronic ID tags (can be set to work with up to eight unique ID’s).
  • 4-way locking settings
  • Has a battery life indicator
  • It is powered by four AA batteries.
  • Frame-lining up to two (50 cm), ideal for various types of installations.
  • Extra liners for wall installations. You can buy these separately.
  • A weather-proof, brush sealed, flap.
  • A rain seal to keep water out and stop it from leaking.

 

Size And Dimension

Overall dimensions: 9.75″W x 10.5″H
Cut out Size: 6.5″W x 6.5″H
Diameter: 9.125″
Door size: 6″W x 6″H
Pet Max Shoulder Width: 5.7″

Size Cat Mate Elite Cat Door Reviewjpg

Size

How Does This Device Operate?

The Cat Mate Elite operates through a control board, a scanner and a collar tag with a microchip. The chip acts as a key for the control board to read.
When the registered unique ID, located on the cat’s collar, gets scanned and recognized by the control board, a hinge unlocks. This action allows the cat to move the door with its head, nose or perhaps paws and get through.

Cat Mate Elite Collar Tag Reviews
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The activation distance is a couple of inches.  The disc has to be close enough to the scanner to be read. Otherwise, the tag will not get read, and therefore the mechanism will not unlock.

The cat door takes approximately 1-2 seconds to open up after reading the pet’s ID. The flap needs about 2-3 seconds to fasten, depending on the settings you provided, giving the cat adequate time to go through the door.
When unlocking, the mechanism makes a clicking sound. This way the cat can learn it’s OK to push the door and subsequently go through it.

After the cat has cleared the door of its tail, the pet door makes a sound when locking.

The locking mechanism consists of small pegs that pop up from the frame into the base of the door.

This is the reason why the Cat Mate Elite Super Selective is promoted as raccoon-proof because the locking mechanism doesn’t rely on an outside control, or even a latch, that intelligent animals like raccoons or stray cats can easily manipulate.

Cat Mate Elite Collar Tag Reviews
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Cat Mate Elite operates through RFID collar tags. If your cat has a microchip implant, the implant will not interfere with the correct functioning of the automatic flap.

4-Way Locking Settings:

  • In & Out: your pets using their respective collar tags have free access to exit and entry.
  • In-Only: your pets can enter the door, but they cannot get back out.
  • Out-Only: your pets can exit the door, but they cannot get back in.
  • Locked: the flap is fully secured.

 

How Does The Programmable Timer Work?

 
The timer enables you to establish an outdoor routine for your pets.

For instance, if you would like your pet to exit the door starting from nine am, and remain inside after eight pm, you can schedule this with this particular pet door.

If you have a multi cat household, the timer will not have the ability to selectively determine which cat will continue to be inside or outside at predesignated times.

The routine of the timer is set for all cats simultaneously.

Example: all kitties will have the ability to go outdoors at ten am or even later, and they cannot leave the house to go to the great outdoors after five pm.

If it happens that one of your cats didn’t get inside before the time you set, the mechanism will not have your pet locked outside.

Your pets still have the ability to get in after the programmed time. They just can’t go back out.

The cat must find out how the method works to be able to use properly.  Most cats find it easy to figure out how the automatic door works

Cat Mate Elite Cat Door Review Setting the Automatic Timer
Setting the Automatic Timer

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For starters, the cat has to nudge the door with its nose, head or paws. Now the sensor begins searching for the RFID tag.

After the sensor registers the unique RFID code and recognizes it, the flap unlocks. The locking pegs disengage, producing a bit of a clicking sound. The cat must identify this sound, so it knows it can get through, push the flap and then walk through.

If the cat hesitates and remains at the same location, not entering the door, the device will lock once again.

Generally speaking, cats adapt very quickly to this particular pet door. Sometimes, they just need a bit of the right training.

Cat owners need the persistence to train the cat, as well as to hold out on relying on the cat to use it, until the cat feels self-assured enough to use it.

This may take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, up to even a month, based on your feline.

Ultimately, all cats will want to use the door if they know adventure or food is waiting for them on the other side of the door.

The Cat Mate Elite Super Selective features a training mode setting which enables the cat exiting and entering the door without needing to make use of microchip or even watching for the press noise to push. With the training mode, the door is similar to a non- automatic pet door.

 

Tips On Training Your Cat To Use This Flap

This tip holds true for cats that have previously used a non-automatic pet door, and they already understand how to push the flap to get in or out.

The most important thing to do is to ensure that your cat will not hear the unlocking sound the very first time while pressing the door with its nose or head, trying to get in.

This may scare your cat to never wanting to use it again.

To prevent this from happening, you could trigger the locking system intentionally a few times while your cat is feeling secure somewhere in your home. Ultimately, your feline friend will come to investigate the strange new thing in the house.

This encounter already is special. Your cat will get used to this particular noise, and he or she will realize it’s not a threat.

It is certainly possible to reward your cat’s courageousness with treats in the progression.

When your cat becomes used to this particular noise, he or perhaps she can begin making use of the door with the RFID tag mechanism.

If your cat has never made use of a cat door, the owner’s manual has instructions and tips on the best way to train your cat to use an automatic cat door.

 

Basic Instructions on Installing This Flap

The standard set up doesn’t take more than thirty minutes. Nearly all of this time you will spend measuring the installation site and the automatic pet flap.

When you’ve cut the hole, it’ll be just a question of drilling two holes on both sides and subsequently screw the two halves of the automatic pet flap tight together.

It’s an excellent idea to find out where exactly to set up the pet door: the RFID  microchip tag has to be at a certain level to be read by the scanner of the door.  In case you mount the door too high, or perhaps too low, the microchip may not scan correctly.

However, the directions in the manual are very clear and easy to understand. If you stick to them, you shouldn’t have any trouble.

Wooden doors
Setting up the automatic cat door in flat wooden doors is actually the easiest.
After making sure of the correct measurements, draw the soon-to-be hole on the door. Then cut out the hole. Drill 2 holes, one on each side, and screw the 2 halves of the Cat Mate Elite together.

Metal doors
Installation in metal doors takes a bit longer. When installing the unit in a metal door, the door may not touch the metal directly. Touching metal will hinder the RFID signal.

Glass Doors or Windows

Generally speaking, it’s not advised to set up the cat door in glass panels. They might have way too much condensation.

We suggest you to invest in a glazier to cut holes in any glass objects. Then follow very carefully, the directions to set up the cat door.

It’s not easy to cut a gap in a double glass; you might have to get a brand new glass with the hole pre-cut in it.

When you prefer a simpler installation, you may want to change the glass board for Plexiglass and proceed as the standard installation.
Walls

Cat Mate Elite Wall Liner
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You probably need wall liners to set up the door in a wall. If a wall is quite thick, liners could be added in accordance with the Elite range.

A liner’s depth measures 1.96 (50mm).

 

How You Can Use It as A Timed Cat Flap Only

When you do not have any issues with unwanted animals entering your house; you just need a timed pet door.

Perhaps you simply do not wish to open the door every morning to allow your feline to go out, nor would you like to have to search for your feline buddy at night-time to keep him or her safely indoors at night.

This tip can help you:

Since the pet door doesn’t lock while in training mode, you might want to tape the RFID microchip to the interior of the cat door.

By doing this, with the correct settings, the door will invariably open. The chip is right there to be scanned by the scanner. Your cat will not have to utilize a collar tag, and with the timer, it’ll be locked in at night, and your pet will have the freedom to get out in the early morning, without the need of your in-person intervention.

The sole concern of setting up the cat door this means it’s the excess use of batteries, but it’ll be the price to pay to stop you from having doorman duty.

 

What Are The Advantages and Disadvantages Of The Cat Mate Elite Cat Door?

The Good

  • 4-way locking setting
  • Selective exit and entry management, you’ll be able to determine which cat will be indoor-only and which ones can swing both ways.
  • Easy to set up in standard doors
  • The LCD shows you the general location of your pets., which cat is in- and which one is outside. It also tells you the last time the door was used.
  • The Catmate has a timer that enables you to establish an outdoor schedule for your kitties.
  • Features an internal locking system that cannot be manipulated by animals from the outside.
  • Helps to stop raccoons from entering your domicile.
  • The length of time to secure the lock may be modified to your cats’ needs. It will provide your pet with adequate time to clear the automatic flap of its tail.
  • It flaps a lot quieter than many other cat doors brands.
  • It has battery life indicator.
  • It may be put in training mode for your cat to get used, without it needing to use a microchip.
  • If used in combination with a feeding station,  you can check out if your cat has consumed.
  • It does not leak much air in comparison to several other cat doors on the industry, keeping out the cold draft.
  • Sturdy and well thought out design.
  • Excellent for medium and small sized cats.

 

The Disadvantages

  • Programming does not feel straight forward. You might need to read the manual.
  • The device doesn’t appear to work very well when installed in solid metal doors?
  • The microchip RFID tags are actually a bit big for cats, but they’re not heavy.
  • The door makes a clicking noise when unlocking, similar to the noise level of an old deadbolt lock. It may scare your cat if not used to this sound.
  • Tags don’t have a discount if you buy multiple at once. (a Con if your cat keeps losing its tag).
  • The tag has to be close to the panel and facing it, to get scanned. The Door opening might not be appropriate for big or overweight cats.
  • The timer doesn’t work separately for each ID; it works for every IDs simultaneously. Example: all cats reside in daily from six pm onwards).
  • Occasionally the door locks erroneously, leaving the door stuck. However, this doesn’t often happen,  and when it does, it is often only when cats take too long to go through the door.
  • A bit tricky to put batteries into the compartment (you only need to do this every six weeks or so, so it might not be a huge deal.
  • Screws aren’t that high quality.

Useful Tips, Tricks And Advice

  • Make the flap opaque, by duct taping it or painting it.

    You’ll realize two things by doing this:

    1. It will discourage raccoons or perhaps other cats from snooping inside, which gets them much more inspired to get in.
    2. It will discourage your cat from looking outside which might unlock the door unintentionally if sitting way too close
  • Make sure to buy additional tags as backup
  • If the door got locked with the pegs out, the very best way to reset the product is by using the training mode setting.

    Push the system and 4-Way button together for five seconds. The program switch is placed under the battery cover.

    This resetting retracts the pegs, and the door can swing back to original position. After that, you’ve to press the very same buttons once again to reset the door to its programmed setting. This way, you do not have to reprogram the ID’s.

  • Make sure your cat’s tag is interacting correctly with the control panel’s scanner. If it is not doing this the right way, the scanner does not have the ability to check out the cat’s tag
  • If your cat has pulled open a previous cat door with its paws, it’s a wise idea to secure the door manually, at night-time.

    Because, if your cats are remarkably bright, they may be in the position to pull the flap inwards to get outdoors. For safety reasons,  the door doesn’t secure from the outside when put in In-Only operating mode, for when the case occurs that in which a kitty accidentally gets out through the door or windows

 

Final Thoughts and Conclusion

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The Cat Mate Elite is an outstanding automatic cat door, which works as advertised. We think this device is a better choice than its electromagnetic version.

The Cat Mate Elite’s ability to selectively recognize which cat can exit and/or enter, and the timer which enables you to establish a cycle for your cat or even cats, makes this particular device a remarkably good option for cat owners with more than one feline friend cat, and need all these functions.

The door only works with collar tags and not with implanted microchips. If your cat is a rowdy fighter or exceptionally adventurous and prone to lose its collar, you might want to rethink if it’s a good idea to have your cat wearing a collar with an attached door tag.

The device may not work well with indecisive cats; cats that are constantly thinking which step to take next. The door has a specific time frame for the cat to be fully inside. If your cat is slow, it’s tail might stop the flap from locking correctly.

Lastly, the cat door is promoted as raccoon-proof because it cannot be manipulated externally to unlock it.

However, there’s not a single cat door on the market which will not falter if an exceptionally powerful or large raccoon smashes the door over and over again, trying to break the flap mechanism. Exceptions will always exist, but for regular raccoons, the product works as advertised.

For all these reasons, we recommend Cat Mate Super Selective to:

  • Small to medium size cats
  • Self confident cats
  • If you wish to stop a raccoon or the nosy neighborhood cats from entering your house
  • If you own a number of cats and one or more of them are (temporary) indoor-only.

This cat door might not be suited for :

  • Large or overweight cats
  • Insecure or easily scared cats
  • A cat who does not like wearing collars, and sheds them easily. We advise you to do a test run you cat for a week with a wearing a collar before you invest in this door.
  • To be installed in metal doors or walls.

SureFlap Dual Scan Review

 Automatic cat doors are useful gimmicks if you want your cat to become an indoor and/or outdoor pet. It is scientifically proven that when cats have the freedom to roam the great outdoors, they are healthier and happier in safe environments and with proper care. In this article we review the SureFlap Dualscan.

 

SureFlap DualScan Microchip Cat Door Review

 

The SureFlap DualScan microchip cat door is an automatic pet door with an dual antenna. The antenna reads your cat’s unique ID microchip when exiting and entering the door.

The chip operates as a key to unlock the program, and you can have it implanted under your cat’s skin. Or, if you do not wish to microchip your cat, it can be used in conjunction with a SureFlap RFID collar tag.

If your cat has already been micro-chipped, the SureFlap DualScan works with most existing 9, 10 and 15 digit microchips. The only exceptions are those starting with 000, 010 and 020.

The pet door’s internal memory can store as much as 32 microchip codes.
The SureFlap DualScan, with its selective entry and exit feature, is helpful if you need to limit a couple of your cats to indoor-only, while simultaneously allowing other cats to go out.

 

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The device will keep the neighbor’s cat from getting into your home. At the same time, you’re in a position to block the exit function to the cat you want to stay indoors.

In order to let your cat remain inside, remove its specific ID number from the pre-programmed exit-allowed memory. Or perhaps, don’t microchip the cat. If your cat isn’t chipped, you can simply remove your pet’s RFID collar tags.

The device comes with a 4-way manual lock, allowing any combination of in/out. The door has a strong magnet on the middle which stops it from flapping in the wind.

 

What Are The Features?

The DualScan technology with twin antennas features selective entry and exit, allowing to keep indoor-only cats safely inside.

Safety mode allows indoor-only cats to enter through the flap in the rare case they do escape through windows or doors left open. My cat Pushkin is very adept at escaping through open doors. Now I think of it, escaping cats are not rare at all.

Will it keep unwanted pets or perhaps other animals from getting into your house, including raccoons? Yeah. It will prevent intruder animals entering your dwelling, that includes extra protection against cheeky raccoons.

Will it work with your cat’s existing microchip? Probably. It is compatible with nearly all conventional 9, 10 or even fifteen digit microchips (except those starting with 000, 010 and 020).

It works with RFID collar tags (not included, buy them separately here) if you don’t want to chip your cat.

Simple programming of the flap by clicking a button; easy reprogramming allows you to change exit and entry permissions at any time.

It provides you with the flexibility to manage your pets ability to get in/out according to your requirements.

It features 4-way manual locking. By moving a control, you can put the door in Locked mode. This action shuts the pet door completely. The SureFlap DualScan may be implemented in doors, windows, and walls.

This device requires four AA batteries (not included). Battery life is up to 3 months, based on the use and quality of the batteries. It has a built-in battery life indicator. Color: white

Sizes and Dimensions

  • Exterior Frame Dimensions: 8.26? (W) x 8.26? (H) / 210mm (W) x 210mm (H)
  • Flap Opening Dimensions: 5.59? (W) x 4.72? (H) / 142mm (W) x 120mm (H) (This dimension is actually the smallest location of the cat door that your cat will have to enter).
  • Hole Cutting Dimensions: 6.5? (W) x 6.73? (H) / 165mm (W) x 171mm (H) (The size of the gap had to place your cat door. Installation Template enables you to reduce the hole).?
  • Tunnel Depth (outside): 2.75? / 70mm?
  • Tunnel Thickness: 0.18 / 4.5mm?
  • Tunnel’s Interior Dimensions: 5.9 (W) x 6.1 (H) / 150mm (W) x 155mm (H)?
  • Front Frame Depth (frame from inside): 3.0 / 78mm? Item Weight: 3.5 lbs / 1.6 kg

 

Sureflap MicroChip Collar Cat Pets
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Location of the microchip

The microchip gets implanted under the cat’s skin. To get the cat’s implanted chip scanned, whether, from the inside or the outside of the SureFlap, the cat has to thrust its head in the tunnel/opening for the door to unlock.

This means the microchip ideally has to be put on the cat’s back neck.

If your cat was microchipped a fairly long time ago, you might have to determine if the chip hasn’t migrated further down its neck, because it may not do the job effectively if this occurs.

If you are hesitant about microchipping your cat, simply place a chip on his/her collar instead. Now your kitty can use the automatic cat flap. You can buy these tags separately, and they’re affordable.

How Does This Device Work?

DualScan Sureflap Pet Door Review
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SureFlap DualScan operates with passive RFID technology, meaning a microchip implanted under the cat’s skin holds information that’s waiting to be scanned by a scanner on the cat door.

The microchip itself doesn’t send this data to the scanner; it must be read by the scanner to unlock the flap mechanism.

When your cat gets near the pet door, the scanner mounted in the DualScan’s tunnel reads the data stored in the microchip, recognizing the ID and unlocking the system.

Next, the cat must push the door with its head or nose and move through. To get its microchip read, the cat has to put its head in the tunnel.

After the cat has passed through the flap, a magnet located on the flap’s bottom part will help shut the door. The magnet will keep the door from not locking correctly and from flapping in the wind.

The SureFlap DualScan has two antennas or scanners to check the microchip with: one scanner is placed on the inside of your home. The other one is placed on the outside.

The inside and outside scanners can be programmed separately, which permits pet owners to decide which cats will be indoor/outdoor and which cats will be indoor-only.

This device is the sole microchip cat door that enables you to program which cat can exit the door. Simultaneously, it provides you with the capability to prevent unwanted animals from getting into your house.

 

Effective against Raccoons and Neighborhood Cats

Perhaps the most awesome feature of the SureFlap DualScan is its power to entirely block the malicious plans of raccoons to pull open the door from outside, which occurs, unfortunately, quite often with various other brands of cat flaps.

This cat door features double locking technique, an outside catch outside will stop the raccoon from taking the door outwards, making it raccoon-proof.

Precisely the same way, if you have smart cats in your neighborhood who figured out how to pull your cat doors wide open,  this flap can remedy this issue too.

 

Safety Mode

The device has an emergency mode which allows your only-indoor cat to get into the door,  in case you forgot to shut the windows or doors and your pet escaped through it.

 

4-Way Locking Settings

  1. 2-Ways.
    When the cat’s ID is programmed in to have enter and exit access, your cat is free to come and go at as he or she pleases.
  2. Only-In.
    Your cat can easily get in, but it cannot get back out (set manually, by turning a dial). This setting comes in handy to keep outdoor and indoor cats at home at nighttime, or when you’re expecting a Vet visit. Using this mode, you have all cats inside without having to reprogram all ID’s.Additionally to the mechanical Only In function, you can electronically program the door for Only In for a cat of your choice, who you would like to be indoor-only. Either permanently, or just for a few days.
    Unlike the manual Only-In, which latches the door for everyone, the electronically programmed Only In stops only the inside cat from going out, while leaving the others free to exit the house when they want.You can do this by programming its microchip in Safety Learn Mode. To do this, push a button and make your indoor-only cat go through, so the mind learns its chip code.
    In Safety Learn Mode, the indoor cat will not be in a position to get out, but if the kitty escapes through a window, it’ll still have access to go back in through the pet door.
  3. Only-Out.
    Your cat could get out, but it cannot get back inside (latching the door by hand, by turning a dial). This enables you to maintain your cat outside in case you need. This particular setting isn’t used very often, but it might be helpful if you’ve visitors with a bad allergy to cats.
  4. Locked.
    Completely barred from both sides (manually by turning a control). In this mode, the door cannot be utilized at all by your cats. This setting is commonly used when leaving for a trip, or to lock in brilliant cats.

 

How to Program the Device

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To program the device, you have to press a button. This way it’ll go into Learn mode. Then you have to make your cat pass through to let the mind to retain the microchip ID. A pulsating light with a click sound suggests that the ID chip has been preserved. You can do this before the setup or perhaps after, but it’s far better to do it before to ensure that the microchip works.

Programming in metal doors it’s a bit different. See the way to program a metal door here.
The cat has to get used to the click sound when the door unlocks then push with its nose through. There are many methods for the cat to get used to the door’s tunnel and the unlocking sound.

The noise is audible, but not intrusive. This device is actually among the quietest on the marketplace, but the cat still has to get used to it. On the other hand, it’s helpful to know when your cat is actually waiting to are available in or perhaps when leaving.

How To Train Your Cat To Use The Pet Door

In the event that you would like to train your cat, these are some suggestions used effectively by customers:
Take the batteries out and make use of the door as a non-automatic one.
Tape the door opened for several days and let your cat make use of it the way, so it’ll get used to the clicking noise as well as the tunnel, without the stress of having to drive the door.

Get a SureFlap collar tag so that you can open the door yourself and promote the cat to pass through it.

Install the cat door in a carton box first, and get your pet used to pass through it before you install it in the door or wall.

SureFlap DualScan Mounting Adapter

 

A Basic Guide To Installing The Cat Flap

You install the DualScan in a regular sized door (1.3/4″ thick), the tunnel created measures six inches at it’s narrowest, where the cat has to go through.

The full external dimensions, when installed in a regular door, are approximately 8-1/4 width x 8-1/4 height x six depth

This system comes with screw sets to make adjustments to the door’s depth so that it will fit in non-standard doors as well.

Equipment required to install the automatic cat flap:

1. A marker with a felt tip
2. A tape measure
3. A jig saw
4. A 1/4 bit drill (6mm)
5. A Screwdriver
6. A leveling device

How to Install The DualScan In Different Materials?

Wooden Doors

Installing in wooden doors is simple. The cat flap system doesn’t demand any kind of adapters. You can easily install it with ease, with the items included when you purchase the device. There’s a good instructional video on youtube, showing you precisely how to install the SureFlap DualScan.

Metal doors

Installing the Dualscan in metal doors or walls requires mounting adapters.  You have to set up the flap with a Cat Door Mounting Adapter (product code GMA001) because metal interferes with the Radio Frequency control.Exactly how much the metal blocks the RF is determined by just how much steel is in the door. The more steel, the more the signal gets blocked.

DualScan Sureflap Cat Flap User Experiences Reviews
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Glass Doors

To setup the cat door in a glass door or window, you will need a SureFlap Cat Door Mounting Adapter. This adapter is a circular one, and it measures 11 inches. We suggest calling in a specialist in dealing with glass, also known as a glazier,  to cut the gap in the door. This will help you to avoid any nasty accidents with glass.

Walls

To install the DualScan in a wall, we suggest you get the Mounting Adapter (GMA001).You also want a SureFlap Cat Door Tunnel Extender (TUN001). You might need one or even more SureFlap Cat Door Tunnel Extenders, based on the thickness of the wall. You’ll be adding approximately 4.25″ to the wall thickness.

 

DualScan Sureflap Cat Flap Batteries
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How Long Do The Batteries Last?

The batteries could last approximately from six months to a year, based on calculations for one cat.

Batteries lifespan will depend on:

  1. How many animals use the pet door
  2. What quality of battery you use, and if they are rechargeable or not.
  3. If your cat likes to sit near the automatic door, unlocking it from the inside few times a day. No critters can go through the door from the outside if this happens.
  4. If you have a lot of unwanted visitors attempting to get through the door from outside. This way the motion sensor gets activated more.
  5. Keeping the automatic cat flap clean. If you make sure the flap isn’t obstructed by dirt of filth, your batteries last longer.

What Are The Advantages and Disadvantages of the SureFlap DualScan Cat Door?

The Good

  • 4-way locking system
  • Easy to set up in a standard door
  • Easy to program and reprogram
  • Reliable operation.
  • Safety mode which enables you to keep your indoor cat in just (not permitted to exit), but if your pet escapes through the window, it’ll have the ability to get back in the building.
  • Selective entry/exit keeps completely out unwanted animals
  • Raccoon-proof
  • Double locking system outside and inside, keeping unwanted animals from taking the door inward with their claws
  • You can decide per pet which cat will be inside and which one outdoors.
  • It opens by scanning the unique cat’s programmed microchip code.
  • Excellent option for cats that shed their collar often or perhaps cannot handle collars well.
  • Good quality, sturdy,  and well thought of design.
  • Rigid plastic flap, excellent stray animal deterrent
  • You can use it as a regular, non-automatic cat door by getting rid of the batteries. This simple feature is desirable to train your cats in the beginning.

 

The Bad

  • A bit smaller than the typical cat door. A tall cat (measured by the height of its neck) or even a cat weighing over eleven pounds could have trouble getting through it.
  • For a cat to use the door, it has to kind of squat down as it passes through. The door is 4.72″ in height.
  • Most cats, in general, do not care about going through a narrowish hole, but several cats may not be used to it.
  • There is a delay between the microchip getting read and the latch unlocking. This delay might be a source of stress if your cat is escaping from a perceived threat.
  • The flap might not unlock if the microchip is too far down your cat’s neck.
  • RF technology can mean issues with metal doors. Try and install it somewhere else, if you can.
  • The scanner’s reading range outside differs than from inside. Make sure your pets can get through both ways.
  • The soft clicking noise when the product unlocks might frighten some particularly scaredy cats. Keep in mind, all automatic cat doors make a clicking sound when they unfasten.
  • The flap’s brush does not seal completely. It may let in some draft.
  • The motion sensor doesn’t work well with cream colored cats.
  • Screws do not have a great quality.
  • Batteries last less with cats that love to sit down in front of the catflap window and stare at the great outdoors all day.
  • Only-In system is manual
  • The device doesn’t have a timer.

 

81tPQj2zRCL._SL1500_Usage Tips and Advice

When you change the batteries, do not take them out all at the same time. You might mess up the programming settings.
Maintain the machine in a pristine, clean state; wash the bottom part of the frame, as well as the motion sensor, to make sure it is a proper operating condition.
Before buying this unit, an excellent tip is to ensure to that you get the most recent SureFlap DualScan version.
The manufacturer improved the unit’s design and its antenna function.

If you buy the SureFlap cat doors from the well-known retailer Amazon, the manufacturer guarantees you will receive the newest model of this particular device.

 

Our Conclusion

DualScan Sureflap Cat Flap User Experiences
Click Here To Read Real User Reviews On Amazon

The SureFlap DualScan is an excellent cat door that works as advertised. It is a great alter solution for cat owners who have several cats and wish to keep some of them indoor-only and the others both outdoors and indoors
Additionally, some individuals might have intruder problems with cheeky raccoons. As the mechanism locks both sides, it’s impossible for raccoons and other small animals (including cats) to pull the door open with their claws.

Based on the advantages and disadvantages, we recommend SureFlap DualScan to you if you:

Have cats that are an average to smaller size. Larger cats might need to get used to making themselves smaller. In the end, it will come down to your cat’s flexibility and willingness to go through a smaller hole.

  • If you have a cat or perhaps kitten inside and another cat both in- and outdoors.
  • If you wish to keep out raccoons.
  • If the neighborhood cats come in your home to spray and eat your cat’s food.

The cat door might not be ideal for:

  • Tall and large cats (some large cats squeeze themselves through it though)
  • Particularly scaredy cats, due to the unlocking click noise
  • Old cats and cats with arthritis or disabilities impairing movement.

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Why Does My Cat Pee or Poop Outside His Litterbox?

Litter Box Training For Cats That Don't Shit, Poop Or Pee In Their LitterBox

Most of the questions a cat behavior therapist gets are about incontinence and spraying. That isn’t so surprising: it is the most common behavioral problem in cats and also, it is a predicament that most owners would like to get fixed ASAP.

 

What To Do If My Cat Keeps Pooping Or Peeing Outside The Litter Box?

Questions about stopping cats from peeing or pooping outside the litter box are often difficult to answer. There can be so many different causes why a cat is showing incontinence or spraying.

Keep in mind, the marking of specific places with urine and stools is, in fact, a part of normal cat behavior.

 

Healthy cat behavior

Spraying and marking with urine and stool is healthy, normal cat behavior. Cats use odors to communicate with each other. With their smells, they can pass on information to other cats, including:

  • Which cat has marked the location.
  • When has the location been marked
  • The emotional/hormonal status of the feline who has marked.
  • Where the boundaries of the cat’s territory lie.

Marking is not only done by urine and stool, but also by scratching objects (visual marking) and giving headbutts to objects (scent marking).

Our cats have glands on the sides of their heads and under the legs. These glands release so-called pheromones in places where they scratch and rub.

 

Feline Incontinence

With incontinence we mean:

The cat displays natural cat toilet behavior, except for the location: outside the litter box. If the cat shows an unnatural positioning of the body or loud meowing, consult a vet.

The cat then seeks an alternative place because the cat does not want or dare to use the cat litter box or place where the cat litter station is placed.

Or maybe because the cat finds another area to be more attractive to go to the bathroom in.

Once a cat has used the toilet several times in a particular location, this gives him a feeling of learned behavior.

 

Common Causes of Feline Incontinence:

  • Pain in excreting on the cat litter box, for example, due to urinary tract problems.
  • Your cat does not like the grit in the box.
  • The litter box is not clean enough.
  • The cat litter box is too small.
  • The cat would rather not have a cap on the litter box
  • Your cat wants more privacy. It would rather have a cap on the litter box.

 

Dislike of the placement of the litter box, for instance by:

  •     Feeding trays and drinking fountains standing next to the litter box
  •     The scent of other cats in the cat litter.
  •     Prevent from other cats that the cat uses the cat litter.
  •     Being a victim of the behavior of other cats.
  •     Being a victim of the behavior of other animals or people.
  •     Fear of other objects near the litter box.

 

Your cat might want its litter box placed:

  •     Further away from other cats.
  •     Further away from noise.
  •     Further away from activity.
  •     Further away from other things that make the cat anxious.
  •     Preferred for a different surface than the currently used litter grit:

 

Cats can develop a preference for a particular substrate. If this is the case, it is most likely for soft surfaces, such as towels, pillows, etc.

These preferences can spontaneously develop in cats, but there is often a connection with a dislike of the cat litter box, or the location of the litter box.

The cat will then develop a new preference for a spot to pee and defecate in if the cat feels that this place is better suited for him.

Also, misunderstood behaviors like kitten / young cat, which has developed the young as a preference for a different surface regularly, think of:

  • Kittens who can not reach the cat litter in time and find soft pillows on their way.
  • Cats and kittens who, if they are just new at home, can not find the cat litter.
  • Cats and kittens who, if they are not new at home, do not dare to use the cat litter because they have to pass a dog or cat present at home. 7

 

Cat Spraying  and Urine Marking

A common misconception: only male cats spray to urine mark. Spraying is not just only the behavior of male cats. Some quick facts:

  • Unneutered tomcats spray the most on average.
  • 10 % of castrated ones still spray urine occasionally,
  • About 5% of female cats spray from time to time

Castration is, therefore, no guarantee of ending spraying behavior.

Spraying is recognizable by the cat’s position. The cat is upright, peeing a small amount of urine straight from the back. The cat flutters its tail frequently during spraying.

A cat can mark by spraying while standing up, but also, a cat can also mark while seated in the normal excretion position.

This marking can be done both with urine and feces. Cats exhibit these behaviors for the same reasons as spraying.

Spraying (and marking) at home is behavior that shows cats especially when they are feeling insecure about their territory.

Causes of feelings of uncertainty about the territory include:

  • Stress.
  • Problems between cats in the house.
  • Problems with cats outdoors.
  • Too many cats at home (spraying occurs more often in households with multiple cats. The more cats in the house, the greater the chance of spraying).
  • Strange new scents in the home.
  • Abandonment anxiety.
  • Change of family composition (new pets or family members).
  • A change in routine of the owner.
  • The way the owner interacts with the cat.

If the cat is intentionally spraying while in sight of the owner while looking at the owner while performing the act, there is almost always a frustration in the cat that is related to the behavior of the master concerning the cat.

 

Treatment of Feline Incontinence

Cross out a possible medical cause first. Think of urine examination and possibly additional research by the vet.

If there is no medical cause, try to figure out what other possible cause of litter box failure there might be.

Maybe your cat prefers another location, or just dislikes the litter box itself?

Maybe your cat doesn’t spray mark, but suffers from incontinence caused by other factors. Possible solutions:

  • Place sufficient cat litter boxes throughout the house (equal to the number of cats +1).
  • Use cat litter stations that are large enough (1 ½ times the length of the cat).
  • Make the cat litter box as attractive as possible by using a grit that your cat loves.
  • Keep the litter boxes clean
  • Provide sufficient personal space your kitties in multiple cat households.
  • Clean the contaminated sites thoroughly with a special detergent that is suitable for removing cat urine / feces.
  • Rinse the contaminated areas after cleaning, by rinsing it with plenty of fresh water.
  • If necessary, use a special spray that changes the odor molecules on the excretion site, so that these places lose their smell. Make sure that the spray itself does not contain any other fragrances.
  • Make the excretion spots temporarily unreachable and put (if possible) a litter box on or near this place.
  • If the cat is urine spraying, try to figure out what is the reason for this and try to remove or fix the reason.

If you think stress or feelings of insecurity play a role, you can buy a pheromone vaporizer. But do not forget to fix the real cause, instead of using a band-aid solution to mask the symptoms.

What you should not do:

  • Apply strong odors to the excretion site or clean the location with strong smelling detergent. The cat will perceive this as a mark placed over his own. Your pet will likely put his scent back on that same marking location as soon as possible.
  • Put the cat on the cat litter and hold it. there This action causes the cat to start disliking the cat litter box.
  • Punish your cat. In practice, the punishment is always late and is not understood by the cat. The punishment causes the cat to feel insecure or frustrated, and consequently, it will display even more problematic behavior!
  • Drug your cat with medications such as sedatives, hormone injections or antidepressants, without treating the cause of the toilet issues. The chance of success with the sole use of medicine without adaptation to the cat’s environment is small.

In the meantime, you will only spend a lot of money.  The cause of the bathroom problems will only get more and more tricky to fix, as time goes by.

 

Final Thoughts

Cats not using the litter box and spraying in your home can be remedied, if you can find the cause and treat it or remove it. In addition to tackling the cause, it is important that the cat learns to use his designated toilet and the associated behavior again.

Your cat will never spray or excrete in your house to harass you. Your pet always has a good reason for showing this behavior.

If a medical cause is excluded by the vet, and you can not solve the problem yourself, a cat behavior therapist might be able to help you. He or she can then help you find the cause, and help you train your pet to only use the litter box.