Sure Petcare SureFlap Microchip Cat Flap, RFID Collar Tags and Microchip Compatible, One-Button Control, Install in Doors, Windows and Walls, White, 4 x AA Batteries Required, Not Included

We have 3 cats and my son has 2 cats and visits frequently. INFRA RED COLLAR TAG TYPE: We had used a different manufacturers infra red type cat flap for 2 years, until four months ago, when we finally decided the cost of buying the replacement infra red transmitters was prohibitive at between £10 to £15 each time. Either the plastic collar tag terminals corroded or the plastic collar tag cases split - with monotonous frequency. To be fair to the manufacturer, the tags are guaranteed for 2 years and they say they will issue a replacement free of charge - but you try finding the receipt for the respective INFRA RED collar tag after several weeks - we were never able to take advantage of the maker's 2-year guarantee We abandoned the INFRA RED collar tags and left the cat flap unlooked so that our cats could come and go as they pleased. This worked well for 4 months until last week – 27th January 2013 – when a neighbourhood un-neutered tom cat decided to visit on two consecutive nights and spray urine on the furniture downstairs. Sureflap Microchip Cat Flap: We bought the Sureflap Microchip Cat Flap on the basis of the highest number of 5 Star reviews we have seen of a product. I was concerned that the hole in our new PVC back door would not be the right size to fit the Sureflap Microchip Cat Flap. There was no need to worry as the sizes were almost identical and did not need any modifications – other than the screw holes were in slightly different positions and I had to drill 2 x new 6mm holes to fit the new cat door. The build quality of the Sureflap Microchip Cat Flap is excellent – the housing components fit together seamlessly, the plastic is thicker, the door features a draught excluder, which works (it doesn’t stop draughts completely but is more effective at minimising draughts compared to our previous cat flap). The Sureflap Microchip Cat Flap door is marginally narrower than our previous cat flap by about 10mm but this has not proved to be a problem with our 3 cats, two of which are quite large in size. Aesthetically, the Sureflap Microchip Cat Flap is very good. In operation, the Sureflap Microchip Cat Flap has been flawless and so far as we are able to determine, has allowed our cats unimpeded access, whilst denying the neighbourhood tom cat access to spray in our house. I like many people, do not usually write reviews for the many products, which I buy. I am so impressed with the Sureflap Microchip Cat Flap that I felt compelled to review it. It deserves its 5 Star reputation. It is an excellent product.

So, the usual cat owner problem, our cat soft as grease (as are the neighbours cats in fairness, though it's fair to say one of them is soft as dough... like a dough ball... that eat all the other dou.... you know what I'll say it, SHE'S FAT. That kitty consumes worlds for breakfast, she should have the silver surfer going ahead of her to warn people of their impending planetary doom), as I was saying...... just sits back and watches the neighbours cats eat his food. When we're at work we have no idea if he's actually managed to get a look in (as we work different times sometimes he's not in when food goes down). Well that has all changed thanks to this cat flat! *Robust construction - Definitely the most sturdy cat flap we have used. *Easy installation - if in a glass door you will need a new glass panel that has a hole in it (less than £30 for a patterned, toughened, double glazed panel with the required cut out for the flap, from my local glazer) you will need the additional surround (frankly this finishes it off much nicer anyway) and bare in mind, you may need to trim the bottom of the said surround, but unless you are infirm this is a simple task with a good sharp stanley knife (other brands of knife are available), or I guess hacksaw and file.... *VERY EASY TO REGISTER YOUR CAT(S) and for the cats to use - Even our cat that is scared of anything different had no problem wandering up to it and soon (less than a few hours) was happily hopping in and out. *Batteries last around 6 months and there is a low battery indicator. *IT IS NOT TRIGGERED by your cat simply being in the vicinity, this is the cleaver part, it reads the chip as your cat pokes it's head in (and it is instant), so no chance of interlopers popping in just because your cat is sat on the back step, or sat next to the flap. *The most compact scanning cat flap I have seen, it is barely bigger than a normal cat flap. *Our cat is much happier and seems a lot more settled now. Sir Isaac Newton would be proud of Sureflap for improving upon his invention! UPDATE: ONE YEAR ON *Changed the batteries for the first time late last month. *Still working fantastically well. *The flap has now paid for itself due to the money we have saved in food. *Our cat is a hell of a lot more confident and happy than he was, to the point where when he is outside he no longer let's other cat's bully him. *As an added bonus we have noticed that we no longer get gusts of wind blowing through on stormy days!

Works perfectly and with a very basic diy skill set, its easy to install too. No more leaving windows open or the constant cycle of letting the cat in/ out/ back in again. We can come and go as we please and so can our cat. No unwanted feline intruders allowed in either thanks to the I.D. chip reader built in to the surrounding of the flap. Worth every penny for the benefits it gives to cat and humans alike, very pleased with this purchase

This is a high quality product, that was easy to install in our UPVC Door Panel, and we thought this would be the panacea to our constant demand to let our cat in Out and In throughout the day. However, the LOUD CLICK of the Automatic Door Lock activation, each time her microchip is detected, deters her from using it with the Flap Closed. For the past 3 months we have tried everything including putting her favourite treats in the tunnel and either side of the unit. If the Door is Opened, and secured Manually with tape, without the Batteries installed and the lock activating, she will use it no problem. If you have a cat that is scared of clicks and noises then this might not be for you and a normal Manual Flap might be the answer. We will continue to persevere and if she eventually overcomes the NOISE issue then we'll upgrade to 5 Stars...

This is a cracking cat flap. As the chipped monsters (sorry, the chipped kittens) grew and became ready for outside, it was clear that we'd want some control of what they did (ie when they could come/go), and more importantly, how we were going to keep the several other cats (a couple of which are curious nosy and bulshy little fellas) out of house. Lots of review reading (mainly on here against other products) later and this was the choice - and I do not regret it. The boys didn't take long to get the hang of it - one is one of those curious nosy bulshy types I mentioned above - so much so that he does this hilarious Superman dive through it even time he goes out. Our other one is a little neurotic (the wife says sensible, but meh) and much more nervous reserved and careful so it took him a bit longer. The manual says tempt with ham/meat/etc - heck just rattle the cat treats on the other side of the door with it propped slightly open, he'll soon get the jist. Mr Neurotic our end had a slow start but realised he had to man up if he didn't want to miss out on the adventure outside. Folks do say some folks get a bit scared by the clicking. Again if your cat is a bit sensitive this maybe the case at first but persevere. They do realise in the end that actually to come in that the click is a good thing and means they can come in. I was a bit worried about the draft initally, and whilst there is a very small one despite the furry flap edges in the frame, it's not that bad. That said my flap is installed 90 degrees from the direction of wind - the wind cannot hit it straight on and it does look like you can kinda see between the flap edge and furry insulation and the outside world, so this might be a problem for others. The other thing to note (that doesn't bother us due to the location) is it looks OK and not too bulky from the inside (which is the side you can see in the main picture here on Amazon), but some my find it pig ugly on the outside due to the surround over the sensors - it does stick out a good couple of inches. This is a practical element for the cat flap, but yeah, if the cat flap is in a prominent location and you want a discreet cat flap, again please consider carefully. So far in the past 2.5 months the sensors haven't become that blocked. Unlike the state of the rest of the cat flap, with its mud and leaves dragged in by the monsters, so whilst I've had to clean the cat flap, the sensors haven't been affected. Range on the sensors is good and we've had no problems so far. I leave the cat flap set so that they can ALWAYS get in (even when locked in, just in case they do one day break out when they shouldn't) and we've had some noses up against the flap trying to get in, but as expected, no unwanted visitors. The only way such an unwanted visitor can get in, is if (s)he tailgates your own cat in, and that isn't going to happen unless they're friends and your cat is trying to have an unauthorised party whilst you're out (who needs teenagers?) Lastly, our cats are not allowed out yet after dark. We're both long day workers spread over the 7 days, so some days neither one of us in until a few hours after sunset. We get some help from the neighbours and family if we know we're going to be late (don't worry, they're not neglected when we're gone, they get plenty of visitors and love!), however I do wonder if I should've looked for a chip cat flap with timer. That's not a limitation of this cat flap, this does more than I expected better tahn I expected - but if you are reading this, do consider when your cat(s) is allowed out, and if you're around to lock 'em in. For what I wanted tho, great cat flap and so far so good. If we do have a disaster I'll update this, but I don't think I'll need to. Anyway, too much chat, hope this helps folks, I'll shut up now.

It's 3am. You're in the depths of slumber. Your body gradually rejuvenating itself, preparing you for the busy day ahead. Nothing can bother you. In your dreams you are the master of your own destiny. Except those who have purchased a 'SureFlap Cat Flap with Microchip Identification, White, 21 x 21 cm'. Because for you, you will be awoken at hourly intervals to your cat trying to head-butt his way through the inoperable plastic gateway which serves not as a gateway, but a barrier to your feline overlord entering his dominion. You may as well have saved your £60 and endured the incessant miaows at the window, or the desperate squeak of paws at the glass, wax-on wax-off fashion, attracting your attention to his plight of being outside. "You've just been unlucky enough to receive a faulty product", I hear you say. And yes, that was my initial reaction too. On contacting the customer service desk, you will be politely provided with an assortment of top tips, to get the best out of your 'SureFlap Cat Flap with Microchip Identification, White, 21 x 21 cm’. Adjust the screws, for fixing them too tight can be the cause of this problem. Still seeing no improvement? Try cleaning the battery contacts - poor connections can impede operation. (On an item less than nine months old, this all seems unlikely, but you don’t want to cause undue hassle. You willingly oblige.) When this fails, you are asked what batteries you are using, because of course, you were informed that only premium batteries work with their product... No recollection of this requirement on purchase? No, me neither. But this is an irrelevance, as everyone knows the old adage, 'you buy it cheap, you buy it twice'. (SureFlap being the exception). You cat will suffer significant distress. Imagine the thoughts of your disapproving companion, when he fears he’s been locked out for good. For you, there will be months of domestic disharmony, as you succumb to middle of the night arguments as to whose turn it is to allow the blighter in, repeating the whole process an hour later, when it's clear he returned solely to stock up on Whisk-as Tasty Pockets, before making the arduous journey back to the neighbour's garden to evacuate his bowels. My main criticism of the 'SureFlap Cat Flap with Microchip Identification, White, 21 x 21 cm' is that it fails in its primary function of being a cat flap - allowing a cat in and out of your home, without involving you in the process. **** UPDATE: A replacement was finally offered which has been working without issue for almost 2 months now. ****

Good. Easy to fit and working as it should

Update October 2011: Have had this a few months now, and would still give it 5 stars. It has been absolutely faultless in operation, and have not had one unwanted cat in my house. In short, a bit pricy but alot of thought has gone into this product, it is easy to use, works well on batteries; I don't think you will get anything much better than this. I seem to have the most recent version which is in answer to complaints about the previous model, so this version has a brush round the edges of the flap itself to minimise draughts, although there is still a small gap at the top but this is to allow the flap to swing; the flap also locates very positively in the centre (closed) position and the catch closes straight after my cat has gone through, in answer to complaints that there was too much delay with the previous model. It is my first cat flap for my first cat. Worried about other cats entering the home through more conventional flaps, and I didn't want any cumbersome magnets or whatever on her collar, I decided to get the most hi tech one. I had her microchipped first then ordered the flap which arrived very quickly. Before fitting it in the door I made sure it would respond to her chip, which it does very easily. It's dead easy to program; you simply put it into 'learn mode' which means you just press a button in the battery compartment, and it will memorise the chip of the first cat which goes though the flap, it then goes straight into normal operating mode. For your other cats you simply repeat the process. It is not possible for someone to press this learn button by mistake thus allowing foreign cats to get in, because the button is hidden under the cover of the battery compartment in normal use. There are only a couple of circumstances in which an unwanted cat may get in: 1) If the unwanted cat is chasing your cat and tail gates it through the flap; 2) If your cat is inside looking out and sticks its head right up to the flap, the catch operates; at this moment another cat may be able to get in; hopefully these two circumstances would be very rare, and I don't see how this could be improved. In addition there is a manual overide control, which is simply a knob which you rotate to set the flap for in only, out only, or completely locked. A great product which works well, and I can't see how it could be improved. I don't think you will be disappointed if you buy this.