Cats have a number of unusual qualities – they’re sneaky, independent, curious little creatures – which all add to their appeal as one of the country’s most popular pets.
They’re also unusual in the sense that they may either live predominantly indoors or outdoors, with owners assured that the latter will always return home for a meal and a place to rest.
Often, their return is at the discretion of the owner, who has to physically open the door and invite them in. This, however, isn’t always the case…
Would Your Cat Benefit From A Cat Flap?
Cat flaps of long been a staple of a cat owner’s home, allowing simple, convenient passing between the warmth of the home and the excitement of what lays outdoors.
For some they’re a dream, whereas others view them as a security risk that they fear may compromise the safety of their home.
Here’s Everything You Should Consider Before Installing A New Cat Flap…
With a number of models on the market today that overcome many initial concerns, however, it seems that now more than ever may be the time to invest in a flap for your cat!
How Old Is Your Cat?
The first thing that you’ll want to consider when looking at cat flap options is the age of your cat.
It may sound trivial, but the stage of life that your cat is at will play a vital role in the success of them taking to a new cat flap, with older cats typically more set in their ways.
Think about your routine and the logistics of it. It your cat waits by the door to be allowed in, they may take to a flap more quickly than a cat that waits to be summoned to the house.
With kittens, there will likely be no issues whatsoever, as you’ll be able to train them to use the cat flap from a young age. Similarly, if you have an older cat that already uses the flap then introduce a kitten to the home, they’ll likely follow the lead of their senior and use the cat flap autonomously.
Before you make any kind of leap, be sure that you’re thinking of what’s best for your cat – otherwise you’ll be stuck with an unused hole in your door.
What Type Of Flap Do You Need?
Now that you’ve decided that a cat flap is for you, it’s time to consider all of the options and figure which one is the right fit for your cat.
As we said before, cat flaps aren’t a standard thing anymore, with many boasting a range of hi-tech features that improve security and give you reassurance that only your cat can make use of the feature.
If you live in an area with an abundance of cats, a flap with a magnetic lock could be a great option, with it’s accompanying collar allowing your cat to open and close the flap as they need.
Similarly, there are a number of new cat flaps that connect to your mobile phone, allowing you to lock and unlock the flap remotely, should you want to let your cat out whilst you’re away from the home.
What we’re saying is, make sure you do your research. Cat flaps can be a great addition to the home, but you need to make sure that you get the right one for your cat’s specific needs.
Work, family and social commitments mean that there often aren’t enough hours in the day to give our pets the attention that they deserve. Click here to find out how Tailster can put you in contact with hundreds of pet carers in your local area, meaning that you can rest in the knowledge that your pets are being well looked after.