Cat flaps

seun · Sep 14, 2010

Odd question of the day: can anyone give me any tips on replacing a cat flap - how easy is it, the expense and so on? The flap I've got is cracked with one of the two locks broken. My cats don't go outside much and getting a new one is mainly to stop the draught. I figure it'll be cheaper to install a new one than get a new door. Never done it before so no idea where to start.

Fenika · Sep 14, 2010

Why do I have deja vu?

How important are looks? Two bits of thin plywood/wood/plastic and a bit of insulation (you can even get insulation foam in a can) will work 100x better than a cat flap and be a damn sight cheaper.

If you still want the cats to go in and out, the ease of installation depends on the brand... But remember you get what you pay for too in terms of likelihood to last.

And whatever you do, don't install it on the wrong end of the door while the rest of the family is watching (that wasn't me, so I got to laugh. Mercilessly)

seun · Sep 14, 2010

Locks are pretty much essential. We live right next to a busy road and the cats aren't the brightest.

scarletpeaches · Sep 14, 2010

I can't be the only one who saw this thread title and thought...

Anyway. I hope you get your flaps fixed soon, seun, and the wind doesn't cause a draught through them.

thethinker42 · Sep 14, 2010

scarletpeaches said:
I can't be the only one who saw this thread title and thought...

Anyway. I hope you get your flaps fixed soon, seun, and the wind doesn't cause a draught through them.

*starts to speak*

*values AW membership*

*excuses self from thread*

brainstorm77 · Sep 14, 2010

I have no clue about them. My cat does not go out. TBH I've never seen a cat door here in Newfoundland... But if a cat does go out, it's a great idea.

Priene · Sep 14, 2010

seun said:
My cats don't go outside much and getting a new one is mainly to stop the draught.

Are cats good at stopping the draught? I imagine they'd keep moving around.

robeiae · Sep 14, 2010

Are cat flaps like mud flaps? You know, to protect your undercarriage when you're driving through cats...

Right?

seun · Sep 14, 2010

scarletpeaches said:
I can't be the only one who saw this thread title and thought...

Anyway. I hope you get your flaps fixed soon, seun, and the wind doesn't cause a draught through them.

I should have put money on you being the first to say that. :roll:

Mr Flibble · Sep 14, 2010

scarletpeaches said:
I can't be the only one who saw this thread title and thought...

I clicked with the intention of posting 'only the lady cats'

It's a) a doddle and b) cheap. You can get a cat flap from about £6, and they're easy enough to take off/put on. If I can, you can.

Shakesbear · Sep 14, 2010

If you already have a hole then make sure the flap is the same size or you'll need to come and borrow my jigsaw to enlarge said hole. No idea what to do if the flap is smaller than hole ...

You could invite self and IRU over and we could fix your flap for you ...

scarletpeaches · Sep 14, 2010

Holes and flaps must be the same size, or they will require a large cover to prevent things falling out and being shoved in.

seun · Sep 14, 2010

IdiotsRUs said:
It's a) a doddle and b) cheap. You can get a cat flap from about £6, and they're easy enough to take off/put on. If I can, you can.

I've had a look at my flap and it doesn't come off as I thought it would. Saying that, I think I can see how it works. Not as complicated as I feared (can you tell I do sod all DIY?). What worried me was because the guy we bought our house from was a complete dickhead who did all his own DIY with even less talent for it than me, I pictured the entire door collapsing if I messed with it.

scarletpeaches · Sep 14, 2010

seun said:
I've had a look at my flap and it doesn't come off as I thought it would.

For this alone, I adore you.

Mr Flibble · Sep 14, 2010

we bought our house from was a complete dickhead who did all his own DIY with even less talent for it than me, I pictured the entire door collapsing if I messed with it

I hear ya. When we moved in, we decided to take down a plasterboard wall. That had been nailed in with nine inch nails. And when we took it down the ceiling collapsed, because on one side of the wall, they'd broken off the lathe and plaster and redone the ceiling and all that was holding up the remaining lathe and plaster was....the plasterboard wall. Let us not even go to the smurf-blue artex on the walls with points long enough to cut your arm as you walked past.

And the guy advertised he was a 'master builder'. We almost don't dare do anything, just in case the whole house collapses, but it does explain why it was so cheap.

seun · Sep 14, 2010

Smurf blue? We had vomit orange walls. They were so horrible, they would have looked crap in the 1970s.

robeiae · Sep 14, 2010

IdiotsRUs said:
I clicked with the intention of posting 'only the lady cats'

I don't get it.

Mr Flibble · Sep 14, 2010

robeiae said:
I don't get it.

Try giving her flowers and chocolate, you might have a better success rate.

Or a dead mouse, if she's a cat.

Susan Coffin · Sep 16, 2010

Hey, a thread about cats.

I say nail the cat door shut and have your cats stay inside. I live next to a busy street and my kitty kats stay inside where they are safe.

Cat flaps

seun

Horror Man

Fenika

seun

Horror Man

scarletpeaches

thethinker42

Abnormal Romance Author

brainstorm77

practical experience, FTW

Priene

Out to lunch

robeiae

Touch and go

seun

Horror Man

Mr Flibble

They've been very bad, Mr Flibble

Shakesbear

knows a hawk from a handsaw

scarletpeaches

seun

Horror Man

scarletpeaches

Mr Flibble

They've been very bad, Mr Flibble

seun

Horror Man

robeiae

Touch and go

Mr Flibble

They've been very bad, Mr Flibble

Susan Coffin

Tell it like it Is