Microchip cat flap, problems with cats getting in.

[ericmark]

At the moment removed, and re-programming it, waiting for the last cat to turn up. This is a last ditched attempt before we buy a new cat flap.

With two cats, it seemed to work fine, then we got my son's cat to look after, and she was not use to using a cat flap, so started by clipping the flap up, and then setting it to allow all to enter, so latches down.

Then it seemed one female on heat, so set to correct chip only to enter, and it, in basic terms, stopped all entering, correct chip or not, but when we switched to allow all the green light was still going on as our cats came in and out, so it seemed the flap was doing as it should, and may be the cat was not trying for long enough.

Not helped as the cat has worked out it can get claws around the flap, and open it in the wrong direction.

The flap is made by PetSafe, (Radio Systems Corporation) but what I want to know, is how others get on with this type of cat flap, should I replace with a different make?

 

[blup]

Why not let it miaow to get in, or goes it go out at night?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

We have the Sure Petcare SureFlap Microchip Cat Flap and generally that's been brilliant but have had one or two issues with it in the last year or so but then it is a decade old though one time I think other issues may have been relevant rather than the flap going bad. If and when it fail's properly I'll replace it with a direct replacement.

 

[ericmark]

In summer, they will jump onto the balcony and enter and leave by the open window, which the old Tom is not willing to do a leap of faith and hope he gets through the railings around the balcony.

The flap I have removed, cleaned, done a factory reset, reprogrammed in the cats, and re-fitted. The large male (mine) flap released, but he gets his claw around the flap, and opens it in the reverse direction.

The female green light comes on to show found the chip, but not for long enough for the catches to drop and let her in, the other female has not come to the flap, since I have set up the camera.

The black and white female was not, to start with, our cat, so the chip not put in her by the same vet, so maybe the chip is too far back in her body. The camera does not give a good picture, ⁣but good enough to see when there is a cat trying to get in. It was working fine with the two cats, it was only when the third was added, we got problems, most due to the third cat not being used to using a cat flap.

So to start with, we used a clothes spring hanger to hold the flap open, then set it to non chip detection so Sible the third cat got use to it, and we had not found a problem with the free for all setting, until a male cat decided our females were to his liking.

This was made worse, when one of our females, decided he was also to her liking, so we had to lock the flap, this has had a knock on effect, as again the cats have got use to not having a working cat flap.

The microchip only works for the in direction, so cats can always get out, unless locked, and there is a second cat flap not microchip type to another area of the house, so they can get out of the weather if they need to, but not to the food. Well at least dead food, I can't believe how they get frogs, moles, mice, bats, and birds through the cat flap. Often still live.

 

[ericmark]

This morning noted the red LED flashing to show discharged batteries, odd as only been in for a week, swapped them and tested at 0.9 volt yes they were discharged, looked at date 3/2034 so does not seem like an old packet Duracell Plus so reasonable make, and one out of same packet showing 1.6 volt, OK, no load, but that is what I would expect for a good battery.

Last set seemed to last a reasonable time, and not easy to measure current draw, but discharged batteries will not help to let the cats in, and the females are not as clever as the male, he gets his claw under the flap and opens it in the reverse direction. Having seen him in, I had assumed flap working OK.

Darn it, just when I thought sorted.

 

[ericmark]

New cat flap, same make and design as last one, fitted, two out of three cats have used it, so all seems OK. A set of Duracell Optimum batteries fitted, last time Duracell Plus were used.