How To Install A Cat Door (Cat Door Installation Guide 2021)

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How To Install A Cat Door

If you’re a cat lover but can’t manage the hassle of door keeping because your feline friend keeps moving in and out, we have a solution for you. It’s time to invest in a cat door.

The foremost benefit of a cat door in your entry gate is you are free from being a constant doorman for your kitty.

It’s common for kittens to enjoy sunbathing or roam in society for fun. However, it becomes frustrating to open the entrance repeatedly, and you risk the mosquitoes coming in too. So, we have compiled a guide for you that is useful to learn how to install a cat door.

Here you will also know about the necessary tools for the process and the benefits of having a kitten door. Let’s dive in!

Why Should You Invest In A Cat Door?

How often do you beat yourself up for leaving your pet home in an emergency as a pet owner? It isn’t easy to manage a pet and a job together. Often, you get stuck with the same question: where should I leave my feline friend?

You also can’t stop worrying about the mess your home can be once you come back with obviously torn furniture. Besides, not every pet owner can afford to have a kitty sitter. So, with all these endless questions, the best solution is a kitten door.

If you wonder how it’s possible, we can tell you the immense benefits of having a cat door.

  • Your lovely feline friend gets the freedom to move in and out as they please without having you as a doorman.
  • Your feline friend is less likely to tear down your furniture in boredom and maybe hit the street to enhance their social skills. So, your home is safe.
  • You can be stress-free about your kitten reaching home before you do, especially while being stuck in traffic.

Besides, you can install a kitten entrance in your home with ease. We will help you with a good guide for tools and the process of installation. In no time, your kitty can enjoy moving in and out of its entrance.

If you follow our steps, you will hardly sweat. It is important to highlight that you can install a cat entrance not only at the entrance but any other gate in your home. It can include a garage entrance, a laundry entrance, or your bedroom.

So, you can be worry-free of being a doorman even inside your home. Make sure to follow our guide and surprise your little fellow with a cat entrance.

Tips For Pre-installing A Cat Flap

Here are a few tips to tick off before installing a cat flap:

Measure the size of your kitten

Before moving on with any step, make sure that your measure your cat. You can think over how disappointing it would be for your kitten to have a door that can’t fit them. So, without any mistakes here, measure with patience.

It is also important to highlight that having a kitty flap slightly larger than your kitty size comes with risk. Your home can become an open place for stray animals that you do not wish to welcome at home.

Therefore, with proper measurements at hand, you will have the right size cat flap. Measure your feline from their shoulders to feet. Some other factors should be considered as well. It includes checking the distance of your feline’s head to the underbelly.

Before installing, experiment the whole process with the help of a cardboard piece and cut it out as the size of a cat flap. Next, leave two inches of gap vertically and horizontally around the cat flap. It will ensure two things:

  • Your kitten can move in and out without feeling stuck.
  • If they get bigger in time, you won’t need to install a new pet flap.

The door

Once you are done with a satisfying measurement, the go-ahead for the best quality cat door. It is important to note that there is a range of options when shopping for a kitty flap. It includes:

  • Single flapped door
  • Double flapped door
  • Frameless
  • Self-framed

Also, you can install your newly bought pet flap on:

  • The front doorway
  • The bedroom doorway
  • The garage doorway
  • The back doorway

Besides, if you’re looking for an electronic entrance, you have options like:

Moreover, while purchasing the kitty flap, make sure to keep the thickness and measurement in mind. Check the durability and feasibility. We recommend checking out a self-framed doorway. It is efficient in the installation process and ensures safety from water and weather.

Location and tools

After you have selected the best cat flap, you need to highlight the place in your doorway to fix the pet flap. You can do so at the entry doorway as well as within the inside doors. The essential tools for installing the cat doorway are:

  • Pencil
  • Drill
  • Ruler
  • Measuring tape
  • Drill bits
  • Dusk mask
  • Masking tape
  • Pet door kit
  • Earplugs
  • Screwdriver
  • Safety glasses
  • Jigsaw
  • Utility knife
  • Workbench for comfort

The Guide To Install A Cat Flap

After taking the pre-installation measures and getting everything you need, it’s time to install a pet flap for your furry baby.

Select the right position

Before getting on, make sure to remove your big doorway from the joints. It will help ease the installation process. Once done, take a ruler and pencil to mark the right position for installing a pet flap.

While doing this, make sure that you mark the position 10 to 12 inches above the ground. It will help your cat to easily move in and out without adjusting the height from the floor.

Drill

Once you have measured and marked the position on your entrance, you can drill away. However, make sure to put masking tape in the corners. It will ensure your safety in the drilling process.

Now you can drill holes at the four edges. These points act as your jigsaw’s access area.

Cut to fix the pet flap

Cutting the marked area is a tricky process. You have to be careful and put the jigsaw into the holes properly. Then, you can patiently cut the marked area while ensuring your safety. When the process is over, you will find a short space for your kitten flap.

Attach

Once that is done, attach the self-framing entrance to the hollow part of your entrance. For this, use a screwdriver to put up the cute furry doorway safely. With that, the process is over. All you need to do is prepare your furry to use the pet flap without being dependant on you.

Summing Up

We hope the above steps can help you install a kitten door without any hassle. However, it is important to note that you will need to practice patience.

It might not be easy to get your feline to use the cat doorway when you install one. After all, it’s a new thing for your kitty, and it will take time. But worry not, your little friend will move in and out of the car doorway like a pro. Give your furry feline some time!