pet porte catflap

A question about : pet porte catflap

has anybody got one of these? they are the microchip activated cat flaps that only your cat can get through. i suspect that a neghbours cat is upsetting our 2. i have seen rosie spraying up neighbours cars( didn't know girls sprayed) AND THERE IS A CATTY SMELL round the front door sometimes, but not all the time.

these cat flaps look great but are very pricey so i want some opinions before i descide to buy.

Best answers:

• these are Ј77+ Ј5postage on ebay- did you find anywhere cheaper??
• Anyone know how tough they are? Last cat flap had been installed in the wall- we have a marauding and very large ginger tom-but before that our cats had demolished the last cat flap (one of dozens that have bitten the dust ). Is this a feasible installation ?
• just checked the answers on the web site-looks ideal in theory.
• We actually have one of these: overall, very impressed. It's expensive, but you do get what you pay for. I've no connection, apart from being a satisfied customer (although I've no way of proving that here, of course...)
  Rather than a detailed post, here's a summary:
  Pros:
  * Micro-chip detection (only lets in your cats)
  * Night-mode (will lock to in-only when light reaches a certain level - we don't let ours out at night, but we do work until 7pm, so very useful in winter)
  *Vet mode - i.e. in -nly, so all cats locked in
  * Open mode - both in and out open freely
  * all the above modes work in combination; we tend to use open and night modes, so any cat can come in and out until it is dark, at which point the flap becomes in-only. But then again, we have the neighborhood's top cats - you can just as easily use chip mode and night mode together.
  * Surprisingly easy to fit and program
  * Very helpful support - you can ring up the inventor, and he will ship you new/upated versions for free if you hit problems.
  Cons:
  * Needs to be near an electricity supply
  * In case of power-cut, it will reset to default mode - it will remember the cats' chips (up to 10 - they are stored permanently) but will forget, for example, if you have set night mode.
  * Some cats' chips can be difficult to read - our flap is at the top of steps, and one of our six can fail if he approaches at speed / makes a flying leap from the side: the flap doesn't always read the chip in time. Having said that, you can alter the sensitivity (ring Pet Porte for details), and I suspect there wouldn't be an issue if it wasn't for our steep steps / the fact our cat has an old (15 year old) chip. You can also check this before fitting, and send the flap back to PetPorte if it doesn't read your cats.
  * You really do need to read the manual - this isn't like your average Staywell.
  * There are only two lights/buttons on the flap - so it can be easy to get lost as to exactly what mode it is in; but you can always start again by flipping the power!
  * Mains power lead is quite short...you'll probably need the extension cord (Ј5)
  Finally, it's made in Jersey by a real practicing vet - which I think is a plus overall as it means they are in touch with the real world. However, be aware -
  * you won't get 24 hour support - they are very good in my experience, but you can't demand this from a small firm
  * Their phone number is a Jersey number, which is often means it's not included in any BT/mobile minutes; be aware that it can cost to call them - having said that, they always have offered to call me back without prompting.
  Overall ; I'm glad I purchased it, and when I have had issues (steps + cat whose chip had migrated from its back to its upper front arm), PetPorte have spent literally hours on the phone helping me diagnose and re-program the flap. Since then, it has worked flawlessly; I only wish I could get this support when my broadband stops working!
  d
• I also have a Petporte which I bought to protect my small and rather timid female from a large ginger tom who liked to visit her foodbowl and even slept in my house on occasion.
  I've not had any problems with it and I think the pretty expensive cost is worth it as an effective solution to problems with "invaders." If you don't have these kinds of problems I don't think it's worth getting a Petporte given that it costs so much more than an ordinary catflap.
  On a sidenote, Petportes are from Guernsey, not Jersey! We Channel Islands can be rather miffed when you get us confused. It's a bit like when someAmericans assume everyone from the UK is English.
• Well as it is from Guernsey and Not Jersey i am even more interested, being a Guern myself. Our cat is not worried by other cats too much, but we do have a huge problem with other cats coming into the house, and i am sick of feeding them all and am worried about the others spraying my house!
  Am still a bit worried about the cost, but the idea of it reading his microchip is fantastic.
  Thanks for all the advice
• Have now bought a Staywell infra red. Our Siamese cat had to be X rayed for cardiac problems-on his X rays hismicrochip showed up as having migrated half way down his back.the vet said this was relatively common-rang the microship cat flap company and they said the flap only workas if the chip is in its original position in the neck.Just thought I'd warn people. I wouldn't have knwown if he hadn't had an X ray but I presume your local vet could scan the cat and find out where in the body the chip is located.
  PS The vet said it's still safe as the chip is inder the skin and affects no internal organs or structures
• Can anyone explain how the mains power works with a door that swings open? Do we need to have wires trailing around the bottom or side of the door? Or is there a breaking point to allow the moving parts to separate from the mains?
  thanks
• make sure ur cat has an ordinary chip as very few work with a biothermo chip (reads their temperture as well)
• I had done a search for the Sureflap cat flap but nothing came up - then I saw this thread! I have been looking at a replacement flap as my cats are a nightmare when it comes to losing collars and we have had foreign cats coming into the house - not an experience to be repeated!
  The Sureflap cat flap is priced at Ј75 which I thought was enough! Having seem this one is Ј127 (without the discount) I nearly choked!!!
  Interesting reading about the Pet Porte, but the power cut issue will be a major problem for me even with a UPS, as we seem to have one every other week! Shame there is no battery backup.
• The Pet Porte cat flap is available from www.identichipcatflaps.co.uk for Ј89.99 and from www.petporte.com for Ј102.50.
• i got the cat flap, which works well. not may problems with drafts. BUT ONE OF MY CATS WONT USE IT!!! the stupid cat has refused to go through it from day 1. the female cat has no problem. but gordon will not use it, he used the old flap. any ideas people?
• Mrs E
  Sorry but to fit any kind of cat flap means you will have some drafts. You simply can't have a big hole with an internal flap that moves easily and not have. That said, it may be possible to put some form of arrangement in place outside that shields the hole from prevailing winds to minimise the potential problems. Pardon me for asking but what are the dimensions of your room and what size is your 'massive' k2 rad? Are you cavity wall insulated?
  Anyone/Everyone
  Anyone got any codes for deals for the Pet Porte please. If I don't get one soon I'm going to end up in court for enjoying cat abuse (i.e. our neighbours who insists on terrorising our two, eating all their food and using our gravel drive as its personal bl**dy toilet...)
  BTW to protect your sanity DO NOT, under any circumstances (even a gun to your head) waste your money on Staywell rubbish. I'd personally like to shove the ones I've had where our cats can't climb - you get my drift!!!!
• Hi,
  I have just fitted and programmed 2 cats in. It worked okay and they successfully came in and out, but last night I heard one at the cat flap. I eventually got up to find both cats outside and pusihing at the flap with their paws and head unable to get in. I have now turned it back on to open mode.
  Has anyone else had cats that can't use the flap. They have been recently micro chipped and seemed to program easily.
  Thanks