Types and selection of cat doors

For many, the appearance of a cat or a cat at home is a pleasant event, because pets bring a lot of joyful emotions. But along with this, many small everyday problems arise that require a quick solution. The comfort of not only people, but also the cat itself depends on this. First of all, it is necessary to resolve the issue of relocation. And in this matter, special doors become great helpers. To make the door comfortable, you need to study all sorts of options and choose the most suitable one.

Cat doors play the same role as a similar item for humans. With the help of it, pets can enter or exit somewhere, as well as get from one room to another. The door itself may look like a through hole or an opening closed by flaps. It is usually used in such cases as:

• if the cat needs to get from the street to the house and back;
• to move between rooms.

In fact, nowadays, street doors are less and less installed, since the self-walking of cats is no longer so popular. Interior doors for cats can be an effective tool for moving an animal inside a house or apartment without the help of the owners. Depending on the purpose, the door must meet the following requirements:

• be comfortable for the cat in the first place;
• keep out dust, drafts and odors;
• fit well into the interior of a door or wall;
• easy to install and dismantle;
• have additional functions - a lock, a brush for collecting wool, tracking sensors and so on.

It is best if the door appears in the house at the same time as the kitten. If the animal is an adult, certain difficulties may arise.If the cat cannot adapt or is afraid to use such an opening, time, patience and training will help.

When deciding whether a cat door is necessary, it is necessary to consider both its pros and cons. Among the positive aspects, there are several.

• Freeing owners from having to open doors or keep them open all the time. There is no need to jump up and drop everything if the pet wants to enter or leave the room. It is believed that this device was invented by Newton, who had no time to open the entrance for his pets.
• Cats and cats feel more free, especially if they have access to all the right places. If the litter box is in the closet, food bowls in the kitchen, and toys in the living room, closed doors can cause constant stress. It is not surprising if animals start scratching the walls impatiently or do not have time to go to the tray. In the case of unobstructed passage, there are no such problems.
• Unlike permanently open interior doors, doors with built-in passageways protect against dust, odors and other environmental influences.
• The pet's freedom can be controlled at the request of the owner. If the room needs to be isolated, then an ordinary or magnetic lock can be installed on the existing cat door.
• Self-walking on the street, if approved by the owner, has its advantages. No litter tray odor at home and no filler problems. On the street, living conditions are close to natural, cats can climb trees, run freely, jump, hunt. The outdoors has a positive effect on health thanks to fresh air and vitamins.

Negative factors are mainly associated with street doors, because the majority of accidents occur outside the home.

That's why most animal rights activists call for giving pets only to homes without self-walking... This is especially true in the urban environment, where, in addition to dogs and parasites, machines and even people can cause significant harm to health. Disadvantages of interior walkways for cats are mainly related to imperfect design and material.

All cat doors can be divided into two groups depending on their design features. The first group includes all kinds of manholes, which are a through passage. This is the simplest model with the following positive characteristics:

• the size of such a hole can be any;
• their low position is especially convenient for cats;
• the passage of animals between rooms is not limited by anything;
• the edges of the manhole can be trimmed at your discretion, as well as equipped with brushes or a fleecy cloth to clean the animal;
• no need to spend money on installation, all stages of manufacturing can be done independently;
• in such a simple design, there are no parts that can break at the wrong moment, there are no obstacles for the cat - they are not afraid to go through such a passage and easily get used to it.

The second group includes passages with sashes. Here, the simplest model looks like the same manhole, but already equipped with a door.The principle of operation is quite simple - the cat comes up, pushes it and gets where it needs to be. The doors open in both directions. The pros are as follows:

• there is protection from insects, animals, debris, cold and so on;
• the cat can move quite easily if the door opens easily;
• you can install a latch and close the passage for a certain time;
• there is an opportunity to do it yourself - attach a sash to an ordinary hole on any fasteners;
• installation is possible both on the front door and inside the house.

Despite the protection from external factors, such a hatch will not be completely sealed, so there is a possibility of foreign objects entering, cold air and unpleasant odors. This problem can be solved with a seal. Installation at the required height is not always possible due to the nature of the doors. In addition, it is worth worrying about when opening and closing the sash, no clapping sounds were emitted.

The most reliable are cat doors, which are a complex system of frames, seals, fasteners and sashes. They are made according to the principle of real doors, but only in a reduced form. Their strengths are as follows:

• when closed, they completely isolate the premises;
• opening and closing without noise;
• can be installed both in the door and in the wall (for double doors or thick walls, there are transitions in the form of a small tunnel);
• there are models equipped with sensors and allowing you to control the arrival of a cat or restrict the access of other animals (all data is read from a cat's collar);
• a large selection of materials, colors, sizes with different costs;
• they cannot be made on their own, but factory production is a guarantee of good performance, reliability and durability.

Choosing a cat door seems simple at first glance. Having made a hasty decision, in the process of using the access door, flaws may come to light. And it is not so easy to dismantle an existing passage and replace it with another one - this requires both funds and forces. And the pet will have to be limited during the repair. Therefore, there are several nuances to consider.

• First you need to determine the zones that you need to visit your pet. In everyday life, this can be: a street or a balcony for walking, a bathroom where a tray is installed, a kitchen with a place for eating and a room where all family members communicate, and there is also a sleeping place. If all of these rooms are separated, 3 to 5 cat doors must be installed.
• Further, it is necessary to determine the degree of complexity of such inputs. For example, ordinary manholes can be placed in a living room. Passages to the kitchen and to the toilet should be closed by doors. And in the balcony or front door, you need special mortise systems with good sealing and thermal insulation.
• The size of the manhole raises many questions. Narrow passages will make it difficult for other, larger animals to access, and they look more aesthetically pleasing. But it is necessary to take into account the growth of the pet and look for information about the sizes at different ages. For cat owners, possible pregnancy must also be considered. Factory products have a fixed dimensional grid, but you can make absolutely any dimensions with your own hands.
• Cat doors are made of plastic, wood, or metal. Usually they are selected for an already existing door or are guided by the appearance of the interior. In addition to beauty, strength must also be appreciated. The most reliable metal in this regard, but the cost of such a product will be pretty decent. In addition, such a sash can be too heavy when opening. The tree is not suitable for outdoor placement.In contrast, plastic is more resistant to moisture and washes well, but it is less durable.
• If your pet is not afraid of crowded places, you can take it with you to the store and test the passage on the spot. Before buying on the Internet, you can additionally study existing reviews.
• Any door should be well inspected for defects, sharp edges and details. Be sure to check the operation of the hinges - the sash should open easily. The weight of the moving parts should not be heavy, so as not to pinch the tail or limbs.

The complexity of the installation depends on the material from which the large door is made, as well as the presence of stiffeners, panels, glass inserts, and so on. If the door is wooden, it is not difficult to install a cat manhole by following these steps:

1. it is necessary to remove it from the hinges and make markings along the frame from the manhole;
2. at the window cut out with a jigsaw, it is imperative to process all the edges;
3. then a frame is fixed in the hole or it is covered with a soft cloth, do not forget about the other side; so that in the open state the internal sections in the door leaf are not visible, it is better to pay attention to the tunnel doors or stock up on additional materials, for example, self-adhesive tape in color;
4. then the door is put in place and the sash is attached.

Working with an entrance or balcony door requires completely different tools and correct calculation. If possible, such a hole must be discussed when ordering new door leaves. In the case of going out into the street, there must be a lock in the cat's door so that thieves cannot use it when the owners leave.

Wall passages are not uncommon. It's just that punching them, especially when it comes to the supporting structure, is quite difficult. Moreover, here it is necessary to take into account the presence of pipes, wires and other nuances. In partitions inside the walls, it is better to think over such openings in advance - during the construction phase or, at least, before renovation. A hole in the wall is a good alternative when it cannot be made in a door.

How to install the door with your own hands, see below.