SureFlap Microchip Cat Flap – Brow
SureFlap and SureFeed products have been recognised as being ‘Cat friendly’.
Cat Friendly Awards, by International Cat Care, 2014, 2015, 2018.
SureFlap Microchip Cat Flap
The ‘original’ SureFlap.
Only your cats can enter your home using their implanted microchip as their very own door key, keeping the neighbourhood cats out. Your cats feel safer and happier in their homes thanks to the Microchip Cat Flap.
- Compatible with all microchips worldwide.
- 12 month battery life (4x AA batteries – not included).
- Can be installed into doors, windows or walls.
| | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
Programme your cat’s microchip at the touch of a buttonYour pet’s microchip is then permanently stored in memory. | Install the cat flap in a door, glass or wallA range of accessories are available for glass and wall installations. | The cat flap unlocks when your pet approachesIt reads the unique code on your pet’s microchip or collar tag. | Intruder animals can’t get inThe cat flap remains locked for unwelcome cats and wildlife. |
| Weight: | 454 g |
| Dimensions: | 53.34 x 60.96 x 30.48 cm; 453.59 Grams |
| Model: | SUR001BR |
| Colour: | Brown |
| Pack Quantity: | 1 |
| Batteries Required: | No |
| Batteries Included: | No |
| Colour: | Brown |
| Quantity: | 1 |
| Volume: | 1 Cubic Centimetres |
Keeps other cats from coming im, my cat is so much happier and no longer stressed!
Sureflap is a secure door for your pet, very easy to ‘add a pet’, the door will save your pets microchip ID when they pass through the first time, just press the button next to the batteries until a red light flashes! Then allow your pet to pass through. Door will quietly click as the lock is activated. Some pets may be timid and take a little longer to get used to it, we are slowly encouraging our pet to use it with confidence. Great modern appearance and suitable for all doors. Great product all round
Bought this as we had manual flap and had issues with other cats trying to get in, our 2 cats stressing out so we got this one works perfectly east to instal and program to your cats
I bought this Sureflap microchip cat door in July 2012. As it approaches it’s 10th year, I felt I had to write a review on it’s performance to date.
My cat has used it continuously throughout the 10 years, and I have not had one single problem with it. Not one. To find a product as reliable as this over such a long period is rare. To find a product that performs perfectly 100% of the time even more rare. (Just to mention that I have always used Duracell batteries, which usually only have to be replaced once a year)
If you are looking for a reliable, long lasting and value for money cat door, then this surely has to be the one for you.
My cat has enjoyed 10 years of freedom because of it, and I’ve had peace of mind that he can come and go whenever he pleases.
Congratulations and thanks to Sureflap on this wonderful product.
This is well designed, matured technology. It’s easy to set up and it just works faultlessly for years. Brilliant.
I like the fact that i could replace the existing regular catflap with this one as the hole-size very similar. Was fortunate that a friend did it for me and only involved drilling a couple of additional holes. Setting the flap to my cat’s chip was very easy. However it has taken quite a long time for the cat to acclimatise to the tunnel and also the fact she needs to press her nose against the flap for it to recognise her chip put her off in the first few weeks. A fair bit of shaking of the cat treats box when she has been outside now to encourage her to be persistent means she uses it without too much flaffing. She can now go in and out at her leisure so happy with the purrrrrchase.
This is a replacement our previous one has failed after more than 10 years. This fitted in the same hole! Locks faster after entry than old one so is even better than before
Best Buy ever. Just press the button and place your cat next to cat flap and it registers it’s ID microchip. No longer do I have to keep letting my boy continuously in and out. And won’t come home to the neighbourhood cats in my house.
Not a bad cat flap. Not too difficult to install in my wooden door with a jig saw and supports a fair amount of door thicknesses with 3 different sets of screws. Installed now 3 months. Stays shut without flapping (our old one didn’t) and only flapped a bit in storm Malik (which in fairness was horrendous). Still on original batteries 3 months in. Easy to program to your cat’s chip. My cat wasn’t used to chip detecting cat flaps and initially the loud click put him off but he soon learned to ignore that. Once activated by the chip the door stays unlocked for a while and it may be long enough for a following cat to get in but in fairness it needs to stay unlocked for long enough for your cat to get in.
My only problem with this cat flap is the opening is very small and the tunnel quite long. I don’t think our cat is that big and definitely under 5Kg but he has to stick his paws in and then his head (to allow the chip to be spotted) and then jump though. He has got used to it but it is a very tight fit. With hind sight I’d have bought a bigger one. Arguably, I might have installed it closer to the ground by a few centimetres so I might have made it more difficult for him.
The best thing I ever bought for my cat. Use to just leave the window open for him to go in and out but it was also letting the heat of the house by doing so. This is great for him to come and go when he wants. Didn’t think the upgrade to the more expensive one with WiFi was worth the money, besides I have a camera at the back door which tells me when he comes and goes. Just got a glazer to fit it for me. Highly recommended.
20.01.22 Update: contacted Sureflap customer care, new flap sent out and has solved the problem. Couldn’t have been more helpful. Recommend you do the same if suffering the same issue. Rating changed to 4 stars.
I have bought and fitted two of the same cat flap in the past and had no hesitation replacing with the same product. Once installed, I soon realised the draft excluder fitted around the flap is not fit for purpose as it doesn’t fill the gap. There is a 2-3 m gap around the door letting the cold air blow through leaving the room cold. I am currently considering returning this item due to the poor design and fit of the draft excluder. I welcome others views and advice. It seems the design or build quality isn’t what it was previously. One star just because of the draft. (The photos don’t really show the gap in the dark, will repost pictures in the daylight).
Simple design and less noisy if you have a nervous cat.
I bought this to replace a Cate Mate that had become faulty after 2 years, what I didn’t realise is that it’s smaller in internal height, i.e is 20mm less (125mm instead of 145mm), although my female cat can get through it, I can see it isn’t as easy for her to bring her back legs into position to exit. When chased by another cat she could quickly and easily enter through the Cat Mate, but now she is slowed considerably, I think a large cat would struggle with it, the makers should think about improving this, apart from that it seems well made.
This is the second time I’ve installed one of these in a property – and I have never had a problem with them. Once up & running, they end the occasional 4am cat fights in the kitchen that would happen when a stray followed my own cat through a non-chip sensitive flap.
They’re not a cheap item, but are very much worth the money for peace of mind of the cat and the owned person.
Easy to fit. Suits a wide variety of thicknesses and the tunnel just sticks out further on a thin door.
Easy to code it to cat chip. Just stand the other side of the flap with food or biscuits to entice them through to activate flap.
Works for our 2 cats fine. No others have entered yet. Not had a large strong cat tried to bust in yet as some of the other reviews suggest.
I removed a window next to the door and replaced with a hardwood panel and installed into this. Binky quickly figured it out after a demonstration and a little coaxing with Dreamies.
Previously an indoor kitten, with adventures outside in a cat harness, Binky was feeling the call of the wild. This flap is ideal because Binky regularly loses her collar, so a collar mounted ID would be no good. No problems with microchip setup and recognition. I will need to change the batteries at some point and I worry that Binky may be shut out when they go flat, so I’ve deducted one star from the 6 stars I would have liked to award. That works out on the Amazon rating scale pretty well.
I just have to figure out how to decorate the front door as a castle gate, with the cat flap as a sally port. 😉
This is the third one I have bought ( new doors – so have bought a new flap as the white does discolour after several years. My current cat took to it really easily, after I programmed her into it. I do wish they could improve the draft excluder aspect as that can be a bit drafty if the wind blows – but better than most flaps I’ve had in the past, but otherwise its great. Batteries last at least 6 mnths or more. Cheaper on amazon than on the company website. The company are really helpful too when I had my first flap a chip went wrong within warranty – I had a replacement within a day of emailing and simple instructions how to fit it!!
I have deliberately left writing a review for a few months so that I could feed back on longer term use. We purchased the brown option and had it fitted in July (which cost us 145 for a UPVC door, it needed a new flat panel in order for the flap to fit). Our cats had no previous experience of a cat flap so we got them used to it by propping it open all the time with a bulldog clip and gradually moving it so that the gap got smaller (luckily we are at home most of the time so this wasn’t an issue). Yes, it does make a clicking sound as others have mentioned, but even our more nervous cat got used to the sound – maybe it was helped by the cat flap being held open while they were getting used to the noise.
I had read a comment about the silver reflective sticker on the brown models getting scratched up by the cats and then not being able to get in, but this hasn’t happened to us at all. Also the batteries we put in it weren’t brand new and I have only just noticed today the red light indicator that they are getting low, so they’ve lasted almost 5 months. Touch wood no other cats have tried to get in, so I can’t comment on how strong the lock is at preventing unauthorised access! I didn’t give the lock feature full marks though as the manual lock (which we put on every night to keep them in) sometimes feels a little flimsy, as though over time it might wear out. Our neighbour has the same flap and her cat managed to pull the lock out completely, so we put a stool in front of it at night in case the cats were tempted to try. Overall, really pleased with it though and no faffing with opening and closing the door for indecisive kitties!
We replaced our old one which had become unresponsive at times. We were unsure if it the cats chip had slipped or the unit wasn’t working properly. Anyway the old one lasted many years so got our money’s worth and the new one works perfectly. Just remember to put the cat through before you fit it, makes it easier! But still easy enough if you put it in train mode as lasts quite a while so the cat can saunter through in its own good time.
So impressed with this cat flap. I have only just got around to reviewing although I have had it for over a month. I have 2 6 month old kittens who are now exploring the garden and surroundings. I can easily switch the lock to keep them in if need be. I was a bit worried about next door’s cat attacking them or coming in. It tried to get in this morning and ended up going away with a headache !! The microchip identification is brilliant!!
The only thing I would criticise is the ease of reading the settings on the switch. You have to get right down on the ground – unless you have really brilliant eyesight!
We have 5 cats, two are tiny, two average size and one larger than average. They all fit through no bother once they figure it out, but if you’ve got a Maine Coone, or maybe even a large Norwegian forest cat (7kg+) I’d look for something bigger.
The microchip scanner works superb, way easier than I thought it’d be, just push your cats head in gently and in just a second the chip is learned. Took ours a little while to get used to but any flap would be the same. The click definitely puts them off a bit at first but even our proper flighty cat got used to it.
Superb.
So, this is the third Sure Flap I have bought, which tells you two things. First, I like Sure Flap and second, they don’t last forever! The first one lasted about six years – not bad at all. The second about four years and then we moved house and had to buy a third.
The trickiest part of installation is cutting the door, after that it’s a piece of cake.
One of our cats is a bit portly these days, he has trouble getting through, especially with a high doorstep. That’s hardly the fault of the product though.
In short, I recommend it for micro-chipped cats.
I bought this cat flap to replace one we had had for a number of years which had stoped letting the cat in; why I don’t know; but we couldn’t mend the cat flap we decided to buy a new one of the same make. The correct item arrived on time, well packed and as described. This cat flap in easy to fit and the cat is happy to use it. Itis also very useful to be able to keep all the other neighbourhood cats out.
Anyone who has cats, and a cat flap knows that on occasion you may end up with an unexpected visitor or 2!
Frequently such visits are not welcome by your resident cat and varying degrees of chaos ensue!
This is an excellent, albeit not cheap (for a cat flap) solution – as long as your car is identichipped!
You see the chip is what the cat flap uses to recognise who can enter and who is cattus non-grata :).
The sensor is located in the upper part of the flap housing and reads the chip, usually located in the skin just above their shoulders.
Ok, so fitting the cat flap is somewhere between straightforward and really awkward dependant on where it is going.
In a standard wooden door it is easy. Just use the supplied template, drill a large pilot hole and then use a jigsaw to cut the shape. Fitting the 2 parts either side of the door really does not need explanation.
Fitting into a reinforced door is possible and follows the same process but will take longer and require a proper metal blade on the jigsaw.
Fitting into a glass door will require a new glass panel and is not a DIY job at all.
You can also fit through a wall and there is a separate “tunnel extension” you can buy for this purpose.
Once fitted you will need 4 AA batteries to power it and your cat(s).
The instructions explain how to put it into programming mode (simple) then you just need the cat to go through the cat flap in order to store the code – a not so simple process!
My cats were used to cat flaps, but trying to persuade the cat to go through this new one, when you wanted them to, was a demonstration of the contrary nature of the cat!!
You see the cat has to be outside and coming in for the programming part.
The sight of me on the floor, calling to the cat, shaking a bag of Dreamies, (normally something that will attract a cat from 1,000 yards) and trying to convince them that they really should go through the flap had my wife reaching for her camera in between the fits of laughter!
My attempt at bribes failed, with the cat just sitting there with a very suspicious and unimpressed look.
Of course the moment I open the door he shoots inside and looks for the treats!
So, take cat back outside, and “persuade” it that going through the flap is a good idea.
This finally succeeded with no harm to the cat and wounds to me that should (hopefully) not leave a scar!
There is also a manual control so you can lock the flap to be out only, in only or fully locked.
We have had the flap in place now for a few years and it has worked perfectly.
Batteries last around 9 months to a year (2 cats using it).
So, while it appears expensive at the outset, it has proved an excellent investment in the long term and has stopped ALL other cats from getting in.
In my opinion, a truly outstanding cat flap and it won’t be changed until someone invents the cat flap that stops your cat bringing in live mice/birds/rabbits and snakes (yes, a snake!) 🙂
Having heard horror stories of friends being woken at 3am by their cat fighting with a strange cat in the bedroom, one of these microchip-reading cat flaps was the first thing on my list when I rehomed a rescue cat. Yes, they seem initially expensive but, in all the years I’ve had one, I’ve never had an issue with strange cats entering the house and fighting with mine, eating his food or scent marking everywhere and, for these reasons alone, it is worth every penny! I have a happy, stree-free kitty who knows he doesn’t need to be on guard when he’s home.
It’s simple to program (better if you do it before fitting it in the door), easy to fit, and my cat soon got used to it quickly. He’s locked in at night, which is made easier by the ‘entry but no exit’ setting on the locking dial. If a strange cat comes in an open window/door, it can still get out of the flap (providing it’s set to ‘in/out’ or ‘out but not in’ modes).
I would recommend one of these over a normal cat flap any day, especially if you have a lot of cats in the neighbourhood.
Our house was a free for all with all the local cats coming in with our old cat flap and we caught one on our camera spraying so we had to get a microchip cat flap. It was easy to programme by putting the cats fave treat on the flap and holding it to their faces while they nibbled. It installed easily but we did need the additional part so there were no gaps. At first my cats hated it cos of the click and it was new and scary for them and I hated seeing them run away! I did let them in occasionally but with a little patience, they eventually came round only after a day or so. They know where their food is and we’d wake in the morning to both cats being inside. You just need to have a little patience with them and they’ll get used to it eventually. We did see some other cats trying to get in and failing so we’re very happy with the purchase!
This was very easy to install, having the same dimensions as a standard cat flap of this type. Programming it for the cat’s chips varied from pressing a button and them coming in, to pressing the button and then having to push the reluctant cat through. For 3 of our 4 cats it works fine, but I think the chip must have moved on the 4th because she has to squeeze her face against the flap to activate it. It’s quite funny to watch, but I don’t think she’s amused. Other than that, it works fine.
The only thing I didn’t like was the noise. We introduced the cat too quickly. It scared the cat off to the point where he ran away and didn’t come home for over a day. It’s not like him, normally he doesn’t leave the garden.
I would recommend turning the microchip feature off and letting them get used to the normal cat flap first.
Does exactly as you’d expect from a cat flap for our two chipped cats. Although the opening is quite small so one of ours has to push his way through a bit more than the other and he’s only 18 months old & not fully grown yet! Gulp!
We bought the flap because the neighbours Tom cat is twice the size and likes to chase her in, in the last flap he would follow. Here is a video of him trying to get in.
Bought this chip/cat flap in Summer of 2020. I didn’t want to write a review immediately as I would want to know how well an item performs in the long run. Glad to say the cat flap still works really well, was a bit worried that my rather chunky boy may be too big but he’s had no problems with it.
I did find that the 1st couple of sets of batteries didn’t last very long but using more expensive, better quality batteries work much better and last approx. 4-5 months per set.
I would highly recommend it. No more worries about neighbour’s cats sneaking in at night, which we used to have and our cat not nervous about intruders.
My standard cat flap had been adequate for decades, until the Cat From Hell appeared on the scene. My cat put up some good fights, but it cost me nearly 150 at the vet’s to patch up the damage to him. Then the CFH started coming in the house and wasn’t even afraid of me — he just snarled at me. Until I discovered the plant sprayer with the nozzle adjusted to water pistol setting. He really doesn’t like water in his face!
The last straw was coming downstairs one day to put a log on the stove and finding the CFH sitting smugly in the middle of the sofa, admiring the fire as if he was lord of the manor. I screeched like a banshee. He got the message that it might be time to leave.
Time to order a Sureflap cat flap. It was dead easy to install, since it just fitted the hole for the existing one. Programming it for my cat was simple. He was slightly wary of using it for a week, due to its small clicking noise, but then confident. Success was watching him sitting confidently inside while the CFH snarled just outside the flap.
I used new Duracell batteries, as recommended, and everything has worked perfectly for 7 months without the batteries needing changing. I wipe the outside every few days to keep the sensors clean, my cat being a feline feather duster who brings half the garden in with him.
The only thing I don’t like about this cat flap, as others have noted, is that the draught proofing is rubbish. I would recommend buying a roll of brush pile draught excluder, stripping off the manufacturer’s flimsy material and re-doing it. If it wasn’t for that, I would give it 5 stars. It’s been a godsend for me and worth the money.
Working very well. No more unwanted visitors and no more un-neutered tomcat smells in the house.
Both my cats (who were already used to a manual cat flap) are using the microchip feature without problems.
Installed the SureFlap microchip in place of existing cat flap. Had to make adjustments to the size of the aperture and position of screw holes and this was quite difficult.
Once installed, left the flap unlocked without batteries for the first day so the cats could get used to using it. Registered their chips with the flap by putting the flap in “learning’ mode and waiting for each cat to use it. This worked better than trying to lure them with treats!
This catflap is very quiet – no loud clicks, and doesn’t frighten the cats. Was worried that one of the cats, who tends to forget about her rather fluffy tail, might get it caught when the flap locked but this does not happen as the flap does not re-lock until all the cat is through.
Flap does exactly what it is meant to. Microchip feature works well, it has stopped a neighbours cat coming in and only allows entry for my cat.
Different lock options are great, in only option allows the cat to come in at night but stops it going back out until the flap is unlocked.
First flap developed a fault after a few weeks but was replaced immediately with no fuss, top customer service.
Obviously, your cat has to be chipped. Very easy to ‘programme’ it so that your cat(s) chips are recognized. Bought this one to go with a new door. I did find with my old one of the same make, that with lively younger cats going in and out a lot, that I had to renew the batteries a lot, but when I retired and was at home much more and felt that I could keep a better eye on whether or not they could get back in when the battery warning was flashing, that in fact it worked for many weeks after the warning light had indicated that the batteries should be changed.
Having discovered the new ginger cat on the block sitting on our upstairs landing in the middle of the night (and the next night behind the sofa) we knew it was time to upgrade our traditional catflap. Programming it with just one touch of a button to only open for our three cats was a doddle. Fitting it was really simple probably as we already had the hole in our door from the old one so I’m not sure how easy it is starting from scratch. Our old boy Bailey (16) likes to sit and look through the clear window for ages and all three cats like to have a good nosey before they go through! It’s very quiet; I didn’t realise how noisy the old one was (years old and had a sort of frame round the door that flapped shut with a clatter when a cat used it)
No idea what it’s like with wind/rain but our door is quite protected so will probably be water and draught proof. It’s pricey but as it’s stopped the new cat dropping in and making himself at home and thereby calming ours down it’s worth it!
Also – well done Amazon (for once) for the packaging. The product box was wrapped in in a brown paper envelope, no nasty plastic/bubble wrap/polystyrene so almost all of it was recyclable. Win wi
This is our second and as a cat flap it is excellent, however be aware that if you have a door that has any depth to it, the screws provided will not fit and no matter how hard you try, you will not be able to find screws long enough, with the right diameter and screw thread pattern that will connect the front and the back of the catflap. If anyone knows where to find some, please let me know as this is the only issue. If you have a thin door of under around 70mm then you should be fine (but don’t quote me on that!), but anything larger and you either have to screw the front in and leave the inside loose, or try something else.
I did ask their support line and they responded quick with a screwfix link which also wasn’t long enough, nor was in stock throughout the whole of Scotland!
We replaced a rather old and basic cat flap with this one after we caught a neighbours cat coming in and making a mess. This cat flap works brilliantly to prevent any other cats from coming in and so far has been working great with our cats microchip. It does click quite loudly, but our cat quickly got used to the sound and has been fine adjusting. The bigger issue is the gap above the flap which isn’t covered at all and hence lets in quite a lot of cold from outside, and while this can be fixed by putting something on yourself, it is a little disappointing that the design doesn’t take this into account.
Unfortunately the one I received was faulty. The low battery indicator kept staying on even after I changed the batteries twice (Duracell). Then it started making a ticking noise. I contacted SureFlap and they said it’s a mechanism problem. They sent me out a replacement within two days and the new flap works fine. Great customer service from SureFap.
This obviously meant that I had to pay for someone again to come replace it so it did cost me more just because I received a faulty product.
I’ve had my sureflap since 2014 and it has worked brilliantly for 7 years. It is easy to fit and programme and the batteries last for ages. I used a bosch pmf plunge cutter but you could use a jigsaw (about 15 quid from Amazon) and a drill. It comes with a template so you just cut it out. This might frighten you if you’re not used to diy but honestly it’s super easy
My cats have battered it twice when I’ve had to shut them in for various reasons. Once they broke the door and once the lock. Customer service sent me parts next day for free with fitting instructions!! Latest was yesterday so after 7 years they could’ve charged me or told me to buy a new one but they didn’t. Haven’t experienced this level of service before absolutely blown away. 100% recommend
Needed to buy a cat flap to stop other cats from entering the house. Looked at a few microchip ones and kept coming back to this one. I found it to be great, my cat is quite nervous and was a little wary of it at first, but is getting used to it. It’s great she can go in and out and I don’t have to worry about another cat trying to get in. It was easy to set up and I registered her chip on the flap before installation, by enticing her with a treat and holding the flap while she moved forward into the flap entrance- i would recommend doing this otherwise you could be scrabbling around after installation waiting for the cat to come back in through the flap. It does make a small click sound as it unlocks to let her in, but she seems fine with it and as I say is very timid. If you are having problems with other cats entering the house I would highly recommend this product.
I knew I had to make a change when I found a snaggletoothed monster of a tom cat had practically moved into my cellar, where the old cat flap was and was being kept fat by stealing my cats’ food. I found this catflap, which was brown, to match my door, and the same size as the old flap, so I could use the old hole and worked with the cats’ microchips. I have two cats, a bold and greedy female, fairly small who with the use of some treats. got the hang of the flap very quickly, and a large, gently and slightly nervous male who jumps at every click. His chip registered quickly, but he was very cautious. We fitted the flap in the door, which wasn’t too difficult despite the old hole being a different shape. It all jammed in well. Little female was in and out trying it out. Big male would approach, curious and then run away when it clicked. She kept showing him it was all right. I set it so it was unlocked to exit and in effect just like the old flap. Once out, if he wanted to come in, he just had to brace himself and try. I had been worried it would be a tight squeeze for him but it was fine. I should have fitted this flap a long time ago.
Bought this to keep a neighbour’s cat out as he kept eating our cat’s food and, no matter how much we use flea treatments, she had constant fleas! I found him in my house lots of times, he would wait for us to go to bed then come in and party. I noticed my cat was getting really withdrawn and hiding in the house all the time.
Bought this, scanned the cat before installing (stupidly was scanning using the wrong side as I forgot the tunnel would be on the outside, doh!) and installed fairly easily as a replacement for a Staywell. That was 4 months ago, and we haven’t had any issues with the cat flap since.
Our cat is much more relaxed again, happy to lay on the floor instead of hiding in the bedrooms and NO MORE FLEAS!! We treated the whole house after installing and it took a month but finally we are flea free. My only negative is that there is a small gap around the swing door. It isn’t a massive issue, even when we had snow a few weeks ago it wasn’t that cold, but I will buy some insulating stuff to fit around it. It isn’t very noisy (some other reviews said that the click was noisy) and our cat adapted to it very well. She is a bit of an idiot though and spends time pawing at it, whether coming in or going out! The most noise is when the cat flap swings shut but it hasn’t really woken us or anything. The lock is still working 6 weeks in, wil update if we have issues like others have done (we kept the old flap just in case!)
I was pleasantly surprised with how quickly and easy it was to get the cats scanned in, my 2 cats just pop their head in and it unlocks straight away. Wouldn’t reccomend for larger cat, I have a big ginger boy and he only just squeezes through! I had it fitted professionally by the company that fitted my new patio doors so can’t comment on installation, they did put an extra panel above the catflap on the outside though and said this was due to many people complaining of rain dripping in this way. Only downside the air that gets around the glass flap, it could be better insulated as the gaps are quite wide and let the cold air in.
Ordered this as was fed up of my cats food being pinched by the local intruder coming through the old cat flip and tormenting my cats in their own home. Once arrived and batteries installed took a little while to register the cats chips, (cause they weren’t having none of it!) but relatively easy to do. All three chips registered and out with the old cat flap and in with the new. Cats were a little unsure of the noise it makes when it registers their chips to allow them in, but after a couple of days they have got used to it and come and go as normal, best bit is the local menace can no longer steal my cats foods and the cats are safe in their own home Happy owner and content cats. Worth eatery penny
I bought this in Sept 2018 and its now Dec 2020. It was definitely a Sureflap brand and I registered its warranty. It has been working well. I had to change the batteries around 8 months or so. The cat seems to have his chip far back in his neck and we had to raise our step so that he could get the right angle to activate the flap. He got the hang of it and would stand poised to enter until he heard the click. Unfortunately I don’t know if the flap took a bashing from a fox or my cat is getting fat, but I noticed in October the clear plastic door had cracked. Sureflap were helpful and sent me a new door free, but it refused to lock. They then sent me a replacement bit of mechanism, but no luck even though the mechanism is clearly still turning and clicking its not working with the catch. I think all sides have given up. It still shuts with the magnet, but will not repel invaders, not that I have had any. I can also manually lock the door if I need to.
Overall a good product and customer services were also helpful to a degree, but I am disappointed that the flap has now failed after only 2 years. Having said that, from my experience so far I will probably buy a Sureflap replacement at some point.
It’s okay, a little expensive for what it is but pretty easy to install in UPVC. Our 6 month kitten has recently learnt to use it and for that we left the batteries out, so that he could get the hang of what a catflap is without the microchip reader slowing the unlock.
I can’t comment on how good the microchip feature works yet, I bought it to have the option in case other neighbourhood cats become a problem, but hopefully may not need it.
What i can say is that without batteries the plastic catch on the inside is always in the up position, which means its locked for incoming but not outgoing, or, you can turn the dial to lock it both ways. You cannot have it completely unlocked to make it freely open each direction. We had to tape the catch down to do this. This could be a problem if it stops working or the batteries run ou
My partner installed through a PVC door that had an MDF middle piece it, we watched a very simple video on YouTube which I will link if I can find again.
Took Stitch some getting used but with enough treats he got the hang of it eventually, as seen in his not so graceful entrance!
Would recommend and purchase agai
Very simple for our glazier to install and it was easy for us to register the cat’s microchips to it. Both our cats use it easily and it didn’t take long at all for them to get used to using it. It is quite robust, we have two boisterous boys, who will try and come in at speed too. There are various lock settings that are achieved by simply turning a dial on the cat flap.
My only niggle is that it takes a while between the chip being read and the door opening. My black cat (who is only small, bless him) was attacked by a rather large male stray cat and he tried to get in through the cat flap but it wasn’t opening quick enough, leaving him in a panic! My fianc had to rush down and get Salem in, whilst chasing the other cat off!! This has happened twice now (and it’s the same big ugly male stray beating him up!) but at least only my two boys can get in and out.
That’s the beauty of a microchip cat flap, no unwanted guests or pests can get in.
I initially bought one to see if it would recognise our cats chips.. it did, so ordered the glass panel online.. local glass companies wanted 3x what I paid to get it delivered!
it works fantastic.. took cats a few days to get used to it, but now they don’t hesitate..
Installed a platform outside so they don’t have to stretch to get in. By the way, don’t forget to seal with silicone on the outside bit or you will get rain inside.
Was thinking it was going to be draughty.. it’s not too bad at all
One other thing, if you are installing through a glass panel like I did, none of the supplied screws were the right length.. I had to cut off 10-15mm.. otherwise they will pierce through the facia.. so if you feel resistance, stop.
I need to contact the seller because the flap does not shut after my cats go through it; it gets stuck in the open position and I have to pull it shut otherwise every cat in the neighbourhood will come in and it’s letting in the cold. There appears to be no option to contact seller only to return item. I don’t want a gaping hole in my door until I get a replacement one. I just want to ask seller for advice. Apart from this great product. Easy to install. Catch releases quickly when cat is close to the flap and they soon got the idea how to use it and enter the home. Just wish the flap would return to close position once cat goes out.
I have in the past had various other expensive models of cat flap and have to say that this one is cheaper, simpler and the most effective.
However, this is the second time I have ordered this item, after my first one lasted roughly 2 years until the locking mechanism stopped working. Only realised when another cat had wondered in! With regards to the locking mechanism stopping working it was likely due to me not taking care of it properly as to be honest I didn’t really clean it very often.
All other features one would expect are included.
Can’t complain about the product.
Bought it and set it up for my cat, the customer service line was great and checked to ensure my cats chip would work for it. (This call was made during peak Covid as well)
In order to get it fitted I had to contact a glazer they seemed to know what to do.
My cat was initially afraid of the lock noises but figured it out fairly quickly.
Personally I have found this a great product, unlike my previous cats this cat only likes to go outside in short bursts (He was a stray and maybe it’s afraid of living on the streets again, I dono they are strange animals). We were worried about leaving him outside overnight especially in the area we live in.
This product has given us the piece of mind that he can come and go when he pleases.
We haven’t had any issues with other cats gaining access to the house or attempting to even.
Installed to replace exactly the same item which had failed after four years (rotating locking knob snapped off inside).
The new one is a slight improvement with (funnily enough) a better locking knob. Only issue we had with the previous one was low batteries (reduces range at which cat is sensed.
Top tip, when activating for a cat, if your cats microchip is not being registered make sure you get the cat to go through the opposite way too. If red LED flashes, replace the battery.
Solidly working for 4 years is pretty good. Only snag is getting the holes perfectly aligned.
Easy for both human and cat.
I placed a few nibbles in the cat flap and set the memory of the kittie and later on got the man of the house to fit it on the door and it perfectly fitted in the gap left by the previous cat flap. At first my kitties was a bit alarmed by the clicking sound it made on reading her chip but with a bit of encouragement and a promise of dinner, she overcame her hesitation and is using it nonchalantly.
Love it. I can’t wait for my cat to enjoy the privacy of her home without putting up with invasion from the next door tom cats.
Over the years we’ve had several different cat doors, including ones operated by a magnet on the cat collar (cat kept losing the magnet or collar and getting locked out). Now with a new house and microchipped cats I thought we’d try a more high tech door.
It arrived; I cut hole in house door; fitted cat door; pressed button on cat door while holding each cat near it for a second. Job done. It has worked flawlessly for a few months. Cat approaches from outside, door catch clicks open just before cat face bumps into the clear plastic, cat enters, door clicks locked. Neighbour’s cat (arch-enemy) tries to get in and fails. Our cat pulls faces at it through the transparent window. Everybody happy.
Cats took zero time to learn how to use the new cat door. The slight click did not bother them.
Because our house door was a composite type with raised panels, I sealed around the outside of the car door with white silicon to cover any gaps and make it watertight.
An excellent product and not expensive. Cats give it a 4-paw rating.
My little kitten LOVES this flap… all I hear is the noise of the flap as she jumps in and out! Easy to configure for her little chip (with a little bit of food as a bribe to go through and activate the reader) and looks great in our uPVC French windows.
When I bought it we had a bunch of cowboys install it the wrong way round with the wrong screws and screw covers. I had to turn it around and the screw covers would no longer fit, so I emailed the manufacturer and they sent replacements free of charge so now it’s fitted correctly with all the right parts. Couldn’t be happier and the manufacturer has amazing after sales support.
Definitely recommended, I asked my kitten for her opinion but she’s a bit shy so didn’t say a word – just lept through the flap to demonstrate how easy it is for her to use.
I have never needed a cat flap until I adopted my 1 year old cat last July. Getting woken up at 3am or waiting up until 1am to be let in/out started taking its toll! Having researched the catflaps this one always seemed to come out best. I had mine fitted into the wall. For this you will need a wall adapter and tunnel extenders (how many depends on thickness of your Wall). I needed 6 extenders, yes they are a fiver each but they are needed. I read the reviews slating them and was nervous but I but the bullet and purchased them. They are fine and well worth it if you want the job done properly. After 1 day of training, my cat uses the flap and has changed both our lives. I have my sleep back and she can come and go when she wants. I also have piece of mind with the microchip programming that she is the only one that can get in. Not had any issues with this and so easy to programme. You get a 3 year warranty with it anyway. I cannot fault this product. If in any doubt just go for it.
This is perfect as we have lots of cats around our neighbourhood who would like to come for a unwelcome stay at our house so the microchip cat flap is purrrfect!! So easy to program in just push a button and get ur cat to walk through and ur done!! It makes a little clicking noise when ur cat is using it so you can always hear when ur fur ball is back! (The clicking noice is not too loud to notice if ur another room!) It can open on it’s own in high winds but I’m sure that’s the same for most cat flaps!
I don’t really use the other diles much to comment on but I have used the stay closed one a few times when my fur ball is going vets and don’t want to let her out and have had no problems with that at all
All in all a very good cat flap!!!
Keeps unwanted cats out of the house, which was our reason for buying it.
The scan is a little slow so the cat has to take her time coming in, but it works OK and she uses it without any trouble.
Suggest you change batteries every couple of months as we never notice the red light flashing when they are about to run out. If you use rechargeable batteries this is even better as you just swap them around.
We had a problem with a neighbourhood cat coming into our house each night urinating or attacking our cat. Since installing this we’ve had no issues with that.
Two issues we have had – 1. The lock takes a moment to unlock when it recognises the cat, so if it’s being chased it can sometimes struggle to get in quickly (yes the local cat is a *******)
2. In the recent storms the wind has been strong enough to pull open the cat flap when it gusts. The wind has to be very strong to do this but it can be annoying.
Even with these issues the difference it has made to our piece of mind and our cat makes it good purchase.
Great product for allowing only specific cats to enter your property.
The thing that lets it down though is the crappy way it ‘notifies’ you when the battery is running low (a flashing light which usually flashes anyway but will apparently flash more quickly when its low).
The first time the light started flashing every 5 seconds to signal the batteries were low they last over 2 weeks more, so it would have been a fair waste of batteries if I had disposed of the ’empty’ ones straight away.
To improve the battery low situation it would be better if there was a sound to signal low batteries instead of relying on counting the gap between the flashing light. Perhaps start with the quicker flash and then 10 days later have a beep of some sort.
I bought this chip-detecting cat-flap to replace a worn-out cat flap to prevent our neighbor’s cats coming in and stealing our own cat’s food… moreover this cat was caught (attached) on night-time video-cam prowling around the house. It even knocked off the portable TV in the kitchen breaking the screen causing more than 150 pounds of damage.
The new cat flap is smaller than the original (same width / different height) so had to figure out how to fill the gap from the previous screen. I used MDF on the inside – cut a hole to match and used an exterior filler on the outside and painted the wood on both sides before fitting the Cat Flap.
Net result: One very very happy cat that can face-off intruders through the clear plastic window without even going outside! If we’d bought it earlier, it would have saved the TV!
Much better than our previous brown cat flap (same brand). Our old one was not good at detecting the chip so our cat had to roll upside down for the flap to work however our other cat had no issues. I’m sure there’s some truth behind the rumour that the white ones detect the microchip better due to the fact they don’t need the reflective stickers. So far our cats have had no problems getting in with this new one.
Installation instructions were straightforward regarding cutting out into a UPVC door. I had drill and a Bosch jigsaw on hand which did the job. It was a tight fit so had to use a soft face hammer to knock it in place. Be careful not to install too low down so it sits on the lip of the door (like I did) as I had to go along the top edge again with the jigsaw to get it to fit. Once finished I used some all-weather white silicone sealant to fill the gaps for a proper job (from Screwfix). Job took about an hour to do. 3 months in and all is good.
Freddy is our new cat who is a young and very active outdoor at, so he needed a catflap.
We wanted a microchip flap as there are lots of other cats around and we do not want and “friends” visiting. As Freddy is really good as “losing” collars and other sort of lockable flap was not going to work
This is perfect. The lock works very well with the chip and is easy to set up. There is a small “click” and the tunnel is a bit longer than the lock-less flap, but – while it is possible that this might put over nervous cats – it took Freddy all of 10 minutes (and a packet of Dreamies) to work it all out. The video shows Freddy using the flap for the first time without Dreamies!
We got a local handyman to fit the flap as you have to cut it to the right shape – to be honest it would be beyond me! But as you can see it looks very smart in the PVC panel.
After the door developed a crack, I went on the Sure Petcare site looking to buy a new door. Not finding one, I discovered their SureSolve troubleshooting thingy on there which, after entering my details and telling it I had a crack in the door, sent me an email saying they would ship out a new door to me with instructions on how to fit it! That’s excellent! Especially as I now realise that the cat flap has only one month left on the warranty!
So, after 3 years of use, how’s it been? We did have an issue with it using up batteries mysteriously fast which I discovered after 3 sets of batteries was down to fur stuck over the sensors in the roof of the tunnel. After clearing the fur and sticking down the reflective sticker again it started working properly. As for the door, I suspect our new cat headbutted the door too hard while it was locked (I mean literally running from across the garden into a locked flap which he’s now stopped doing) so I really can’t fault the catflap at all and it’s got that excellent warranty to back it up.
Works well with our two cats. It’s quite funny to have to scan the cats the first time, it’s an easy process though. The cats quickly learn to use it, they stick their head in and presumably wait for the slight unlock sound and the jump through. About two or three times a year I have to clean the latch as the flap no longer glides past, but that’s a five second job and not fault of the thing really.
Rain or wet cats makes no difference, it still works so hopefully that helps as some reviewers said it was a problem.
It was no harder to fit than any other cat flap. I put it in a new composite UPVC utility door and sealed it with some caulk before putting the final piece in place.
The batteries last a long time, maybe a year with two active cats.
Not as drafty as some cat flaps I’ve had in the past either.
My new house has a cat next door that decided it like to eat at our house, so I needed to keep the scrawny thing out. As my cat has a habit of losing collars I wanted a catflap that worked with her chip. As my back door already had a hole for flap, and indeed had an old cheapo flap fitted – I needed one that fitted exactly the hole.
This one ticks all the boxes. It is much better contructed the the old one, its not flimsy at all. Its easy to fit and doesnt come with loads of extra bits, its just two sections.
As it is deigned to fit a variety of doors the tunnel is a bit longer thanthe previous one. But my cat got used to it quickly enough.
The programming works, although it took a few attempts. But thats cos my cat is awkward and hates being handled.
But we are happy – she can get in and out as she please, and I have had no unwelcome visitors since fitting it.
Super happy with this product, it has given me and my robo-cat freedom and up until now it works great! I have only had it for a month so it’s early days but what a difference it has made to us both! No more unwanted neighbour cat sneaking in and stealing his food, however she does wait in the tunnel to attempt access and he checks who is about before venturing through his tunnel (4 extendors). The adaptor was more of an aesthetic finish to the installation as it is a wall not metal door hence not necessary but a nice finish! Hope nothing needs to be replaced as I have gaffataped the tunnels to ensure a strong join and the electonic pieces seem intricate when accessing the battery compartment…hence hope there is no need to have to fix anything ie; replace door flap! Manual and video easy to follw, just the partner i should have taped uo as he laughes whilst I watched, sying it was easy therefore unnecessary and insisted to cement the tunnels into the wall (I fltly refused) almost causing a divorce!!! Would buy again, great idea, good price and customer service prompt to reply!!
This product is easy to install and has performed well for a couple of years now. It is sturdy and battery last reasonably long (6 months +)
Beware the opening is quite small. Our cat is by no means overweight, but is tall, and find it a bit narrow., to the point of loosing a bit of hair from the constant brushing on his back.
The locking is not very strong. We had to keep the cat in on a few occasions (trip to the vet), and it was no trouble at all for our cat to force it open using his claws. The flap is bendy enough that he could pull it past the lock. Just pushing with his head he would no doubt be able to force his way in too. And he is just a normal cat. I find that unsatisfactory, the flap should be able to keep my cat in, and other animals out even if committed to enter.
It is a great product, however, I would like to make some suggestions for improvement. Firstly, it would be helpful if the arrows that show which way the door is locked could be darker and larger as they are very difficult to see unless you get on the floor to open or lock the cat flap. They are drawn in a thin gold line which makes it tricky to see from a distance.
Secondly, it would be helpful if there was an optional solid panel or door, or some visual identifier, that could be attached to the catflap when the door is locked so that the cats know they cannot get out. Currently my cats scratch at the door trying to open it when it is locked because they don’t know it is locked This has left scratch marks on the soft plastic casing.
Charlie is a twelve year old cat who has recently got a new neighbor we call her the Rockville she is a Bengal cat who is extremely aggressive. So it was time to invest in a special cat flap just for him!!!!! He has never worn a collar and is too old now to have one so I also had to get him chipped.
My kind neighbor fitted it very easily as it was the same size as the old one, it took a few attempts to get him using it. The outside has quite a large lip to the entrance which I imagine is not easy to negotiate but apart from that it seems no problem. The rain can collect on it so keep an eye on that and wipe it off. At least he can be at ease in the house but it haven’t solved the problem when he goes out!!!!!
I’ve had this product installed in a glass door for around 18 months, and it’s been brilliant. Always opens fine for my cat, and denies entry to all others. It does everything it should. I keep my cat in at night using the manual lock, and over time he’s tried clawing at it occasionally until this week the arm of the manual lock snapped. Oh well, it’s taken some abuse from the cat and these things happen. I was going to order a replacement until my wife suggested looking for parts. I thought it was a long shot as everything is so disposable these days and parts are hard to come by, but it turns out SureFlap have a section on their website where you can say what part is broken and they will send you a replacement. I’d have been happy to pay for this service, but they’ve provided it for free, no questions asked. I can’t remember the last time I encountered a company that did this. Brilliant stuff.
Since our cat was already microchipped and we already had an existing cat tunnel and cat flap it was a no-brainer to buy this. The unit doesn’t come with batteries so make sure you have 4x AA batteries to hand. I put the batteries in, pressed the learn button and then put it on the floor and enticed my cat through the flap with some treats. As soon as the cat went through you heard a noise and the light flashed and that’s it, programming complete. I testing two more times with my cat passing through the flap before fitting it, this not only helped her get used to the mechanism but also reassured me that the flap was reading her chip correctly.
The existing cat tunnel was from a different brand but fortunately it fits with this, I just had to trim a very small portion of one of the existing tunnel extenders and it all went together well.
The motor/mechanism to release the flap is very quiet. We had a chip reading cat flap about 10 years ago which needed special chips on a collar and made a lot of noise which scared the cats. This is incredibly quiet and doesn’t scare our cat when it releases.
It’s done the job, we’ve witnessed the intruder cat trying to get in without success and backing out of the tunnel (and then scent marking it in frustration).
Highly recommend this cat flap to anybody worried about intruder cats.
Recently our two cats have given the flap a real bashing and cracked the plastic flap that stopped it working. An email setting out the problem and asking for a replacement flap, for which would happily pay as the damage was beyond reasonable use, was met with a new flap sent by return of post, and all free of charge. This is exceptional service which we truly appreciate. Lovely people to do business with.
Very sturdy and easy to fit with the wall bracket (sold separately). I would recommend getting this too as resolved a lot of hassle. I needed to drill extra holes in this top and bottom as I was running out of space either side and I know what my cats are like as they forced their way through the last one I could block off as eventually managed to wangle away from the wall. Programming of the cats was easy. Not had long enough to judge battery life. Recommend. Also to add I wanted to put one on both ends so could lock the cats out before they head through the tunnel and have to back all the way out of a think insulated wall. I just panelled this out instead of using the tunnel extra of which I might have needed two.
Anyhow brilliant for inside, cannot put on outside as would let all cats in and only your cats out – so if you intend to collect your neighbours cats or get them stuck in your tunnel not the best idea.
This is my second sure flap, the first one died suddenly after being reinstalled in a new door. It just stopped reading the microchip regardless of cleaning and changing batteries, it was almost 2 years old. Customer services didn’t answer when I tried to call for help.
I have already noticed that this new one is very poorly insulated all round letting in considerable drafts! This is an issue with most cat flaps but I have to say this is one of the worst I’ve used for this.
Its only just been fitted and I’ve registered it for it’s warranty so fingers crossed it lasts longer than the last one.
Generally speaking it is useful for keeping out cats you don’t want in although some cats know how to pull it forward to get in!
For the price they are on Amazon I’m happy to give 4 stars, just let down by the gaps around the door.
I bought this for my son’s cats as I already have one fitted for my own cat. I had my one installed by a double glazing firm to ensure it was a water tight fit, and it has been brilliant. I also bought a solid shallow step (from a disability shop) for outside to make it easier for my cat to climb through. It was a little tricky to get it set to my cat’s micro chip – being a rescue cat he was a little suspicious and initially not too cooperative, however, once this was done it didn’t take long at all for my cat to begin enjoying the freedom to come and go that the Sureflap offered him. I also liked to hear the little ‘click’ as he came in or out. My neighbour’s cat could never understand why it allowed my cat through and but not him, and he looks through it like it’s a little cat window!
Overall it seems to be an excellent product, that does exactly as it promises and I would recommend it to anyone that wants a secure exclusive cat flap, but that like me doesn’t like cats to wear a collar.
Our cats took a few days to be convinced that it was a good idea (the sound of the lock disengaging put them off at first) but they soon got over it and are using it all the time.
Our cats were around a year old, so had to teach them how to use it (by literally posting them through it a few times which was quite fun!).
We have had this for around a year, I’ve Just changed the batteries for the first time, pleased to report it remembered the micro chips.
When you need your cat(s) in, EG fireworks night.. Just change it to only allow them in but not out, and voila, you’ve caught yourself some cats.
Well designed, easy to use and very convenient.