Unless you're the proud owner of a house cat, a cat flap is pretty much a necessity for a cat owner. Listening out for your moggy and repeatedly getting up to let them in and out gets tiresome. Installing cat flaps offers a convenient means of allowing your feline friend to come and go as they please without having to leave your door open all day.
Cat flaps are no longer simple windows for your feline to nudge with their noses; they now often include magnetic doors or even microchip readers. With such a range of designs, how do you choose which one is right for your cat? Queue our buying guide! We're here to run you through everything you need to consider, then we'll count down the top 10 best cat flaps in the UK from Amazon and Argos.
For those after a quick look, here is our Top 5:
Image | 1 ![]() SureFlap | 2 ![]() SureFlap | 3 ![]() PetSafe | 4 ![]() Purrfect Portal | 5 ![]() Gloglow | 6 ![]() SureFlap | 7 ![]() PetSafe | 8 ![]() CEESC | 9 ![]() LYNX | 10 ![]() PetSafe |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Microchip Cat Flap Connect With Hub | DualScan Microchip Cat Flap | Staywell Classic 4 Way Locking Cat Flap | Interior Pet Door for Cats | Clear Flap Pet Door | Microchip Cat Flap | Staywell Aluminium Pet Door | Magnetic Pet Door With Rotary 4 Way Lock | 4Way Locking Cat Door | Staywell Original 2-Way Pet Door |
Features | Remote Control and an Abundance of Features | Set Different Permissions for Different Cats | A 4-Way Flap From One of the Best-Known Brands | Allow Easy Access Between Rooms in Your Home | Invisible and So Quiet You’ll Forget It’s There | Allow Your Kitty to Roam While Keeping Out Intruders! | A Flexible Flap to Allow Comfortable Entry | Advanced Features for a Reasonable Price | A Cute Flap That'll Bring a Smile to Your Face | A Budget Option From a Trusted Brand |
Price | £200.00 | £90.00 | £22.00 | £28.90 | £42.99 | £55.00 | £43.99 | £21.99 | £44.95 | £11.00 |
Type | Microchip-activated | Microchip-activated | 4-way | - | 4-way | Microchip-activated | Traditional | 4-way | 4-way | Traditional |
Locking Options | 4 - opened, locked, in only, out only | 4 - opened, locked, in only, out only | 4 - opened, locked, in only, out only | - | 4 - opened, locked, in only, out only | 4 - opened, locked, in only, out only | 2 - opened or locked | 4 - opened, locked, in only, out only | 4 - opened, locked, in only, out only | 2 - opened or locked |
Microchip | Yes - set different permissions for individual cats | Yes - stores up to 32 cats, set different permissions for individual cats | No | No | No | Yes - stores up to 32 cats | No | No | No | No |
Surface Location | PVC, wood, glass | Wood, PVC, glass | Wood, glass, brick | Wood, PVC, brick, metal | Glass | Wood, PVC, brick, glass | Wood, PVC, metal | Wood, PVC, brick, metal | - | Wood, PVC, brick, metal |
Material(s) | Plastic | Plastic | Plastic | Plastic | Durable ABS plastic | Plastic | Aluminium frame | - | Durable, scratch-resistant flap | Plastic |
Dimensions | 14.2 x 12 cm | 14.2 x 12 cm | 16.2 x 14 cm | 20.32 x 16.5 cm | 20.3 x 18.4 cm | 14 x 12 x 7 cm | 27.3 x 39.6 cm (other sizes available) | 21.5 x 5.5 cm (other sizes available) | 37.4 x 29.1 x 10.8 cm | 17.8 x 15.2 cm |
Colour(s) | White | White | Brown, white | White | Clear | Brown, white | White | Black, white | White, black | White |
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First up is the traditional cat flap. They have clear panels that swing on hinges, allowing your cat to make an easy exit or entrance to your home. One of the main benefits of this cat flap is its simplicity — install it, and you won't need to think about it again. Being basic in features, this type of cat flap is also highly affordable - less than a tenth of the price of some more expensive choices!
Predictably, their downside is their total lack of features. While some of those found on more advanced cat flaps are little more than glorified gimmicks, others - such as the ability to keep out intruders or set the lock so your cat can re-enter your home and not leave it again - just make plain sense. It's often worth spending a little bit more on features that'll make your life a lot easier.
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4-way cat flaps provide a step up from their traditional counterparts. They work similarly but give you the flexibility to operate your cat flap in various ways. As the name suggests, there are usually four options. One that allows your cat the freedom to come and go as they please; one that allows them only to leave; one that allows them only to enter; and then a complete lock.
The benefit of such flaps is, of course, their flexibility, but some of these options, while seemingly insignificant, can be life-changing. For example, if your cat is a bit of a late-night wanderer, the 'in only' option will allow you to go to bed without having to wait up for them. And believe it or not, these flexible cat flaps are not that much pricier than traditional ones!
The trouble with cat flaps - whether a traditional one or one that allows you to pick from multiple locking options - is that they don't only allow access to your cat. If your feisty feline has a habit of getting friendly with other cats in the neighbourhood, you may find yourself with some unwanted visitors.
Microchip-activated cat flaps solve this problem by allowing access only when the correct microchip is detected, which, of course, will be attached to your cat's collar. The advantage of this is obvious - nobody appreciates unannounced guests, feline or otherwise! - and if you have multiple cats, there are even microchip-activated cat flaps that'll allow you to set different permissions for individual cats!
Naturally, the downside of such advanced cat flaps is their price. You can expect to pay upwards of £60 and all the way up to £200 for one with state-of-the-art features. That's quite a steep price when you can get a traditional cat flap for under a tenner. Though, for the right person, spending the additional pennies will be completely worth it.
Once you've decided on the perfect type of cat flap for you and your cat, the next step is to ensure that it can be fixed to your chosen location. Cat flaps can be fitted to various surfaces - such as windows, doors and walls - and several different materials - like wood, metal and glass - but not all cat flaps are compatible with all surfaces and materials.
The last thing you want is to end up with a cat flap that doesn't fit. Luckily, checking compatibility isn't difficult - take a look at the product description, where you'll be informed of what types of surfaces and materials a cat flap can be fitted to. For your convenience, we've also included compatibility in our top 10, down below.
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A cat flap is for life. Once you've paid and gone through the effort of fitting it, you want to ensure that it'll endure daily use for many years to come. Therefore, it's worth ensuring that any cat flap you buy is durable and will stand the test of time.
The key thing to ensure is that your cat flap is well-made, with a frame reinforced by a sturdy material such as high-grade ABS-plastic or metals like aluminium. There are also plenty of cat flaps with additional features that'll help protect them from the elements.
Look out for weather-resistant or UV-resistant materials and scratch-resistant panels. These work wonders at preventing your cat from ruining the flaps pristine appearance with their persistent scratching! You may be required to fork over an extra few pennies for such well-made cat flaps, but in many years to come, when it still looks as good as new, you'll be glad you did!
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This ranking has been compiled by the writing team at mybest UK via careful evaluation of the points made in the buying guide and thorough research of each product and comparing multiple verified customer reviews across the EC sites used.
£200.00
Type | Microchip-activated |
---|---|
Locking Options | 4 - opened, locked, in only, out only |
Microchip | Yes - set different permissions for individual cats |
Surface Location | PVC, wood, glass |
Material(s) | Plastic |
Dimensions | 14.2 x 12 cm |
Colour(s) | White |
£90.00
Type | Microchip-activated |
---|---|
Locking Options | 4 - opened, locked, in only, out only |
Microchip | Yes - stores up to 32 cats, set different permissions for individual cats |
Surface Location | Wood, PVC, glass |
Material(s) | Plastic |
Dimensions | 14.2 x 12 cm |
Colour(s) | White |
£22.00
Type | 4-way |
---|---|
Locking Options | 4 - opened, locked, in only, out only |
Microchip | No |
Surface Location | Wood, glass, brick |
Material(s) | Plastic |
Dimensions | 16.2 x 14 cm |
Colour(s) | Brown, white |
£28.90
Type | - |
---|---|
Locking Options | - |
Microchip | No |
Surface Location | Wood, PVC, brick, metal |
Material(s) | Plastic |
Dimensions | 20.32 x 16.5 cm |
Colour(s) | White |
£42.99
Type | 4-way |
---|---|
Locking Options | 4 - opened, locked, in only, out only |
Microchip | No |
Surface Location | Glass |
Material(s) | Durable ABS plastic |
Dimensions | 20.3 x 18.4 cm |
Colour(s) | Clear |
£55.00
Type | Microchip-activated |
---|---|
Locking Options | 4 - opened, locked, in only, out only |
Microchip | Yes - stores up to 32 cats |
Surface Location | Wood, PVC, brick, glass |
Material(s) | Plastic |
Dimensions | 14 x 12 x 7 cm |
Colour(s) | Brown, white |
Medium
£43.99
Type | Traditional |
---|---|
Locking Options | 2 - opened or locked |
Microchip | No |
Surface Location | Wood, PVC, metal |
Material(s) | Aluminium frame |
Dimensions | 27.3 x 39.6 cm (other sizes available) |
Colour(s) | White |
£21.99
Type | 4-way |
---|---|
Locking Options | 4 - opened, locked, in only, out only |
Microchip | No |
Surface Location | Wood, PVC, brick, metal |
Material(s) | - |
Dimensions | 21.5 x 5.5 cm (other sizes available) |
Colour(s) | Black, white |
£44.95
Type | 4-way |
---|---|
Locking Options | 4 - opened, locked, in only, out only |
Microchip | No |
Surface Location | - |
Material(s) | Durable, scratch-resistant flap |
Dimensions | 37.4 x 29.1 x 10.8 cm |
Colour(s) | White, black |
Small
£11.00
Type | Traditional |
---|---|
Locking Options | 2 - opened or locked |
Microchip | No |
Surface Location | Wood, PVC, brick, metal |
Material(s) | Plastic |
Dimensions | 17.8 x 15.2 cm |
Colour(s) | White |
Yes, this option is usually for those who can't find any other good spots for a cat flap or don't want to risk cutting through a wall or wooden door just in case the needs change in the future. You will need the help of a qualified cat flap glazier.
Cat flaps can be installed in a variety of window and door configurations, including single- and double-glazed glass windows. So if you don't have any other suitable spots in the house for a cat flap, a window could be a good option. This will also require the services of a certified catflap glazier.
Written and Researched by Ben Willimett
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