Wednesday, February 15, 2012

SureFlap Review!



I was given the opportunity to review the SureFlap cat door.  I was really excited about this review as I have two cats at the moment though neither of them are micro-chipped.  I know how important it is to feel safe in one’s home and I have heard stories of people and animals entering the house unwanted through a cat or dog door.  This door will stop unwanted animals from entering the home as well as unwanted drafts.

The Sureflap is powered by 4 AA batteries and only allows cats whose microchips are programmed into to go through the door.  This is also a one way door so it only lets the cats in, but you will have to let your cat out.  This works with FDXA, FDXB and the Avid Secure/Encrypted microchips which encompasses a majority of the microchip types available.

I thought this view shows you real well just how thick the two sides of the cat door are. The thick side goes on the inside of the house.

This door will still work if your cat is wearing a collar with a metallic bell or tag.  Another great thing about this door is that is comes in either white or brown and can be programmed to allow up to 32 different cats microchip identities.  This door is compact so you don’t need to worry about excess space being taken up.  The door fits most cat breed with its 5.59” wide by 5.39” tall entry.  The SureFLap can be purchased for $149.99 plus S&H at SureFlap. 

The door I was given is a demonstration product that came with a stand, installation kit, batteries, and a stuffed cat with a microchip in its head.  The set up was very easy and from looking at the manual would be no different than the installation in a door or wall except for the fact that I did not have to cut the hole in the wall or door.  If you plan on installing this on a wall they do have wall installation kits for purchase. 

You can see the backwards glass base here.
Also note the little circular switch that is an extra security lock.

Once I had my door put together I set it up on my table and had to laugh at myself I had put the glass piece of the stand on upside down so it said SureFlap backwards!  Once I had fixed it I put the batteries in and followed the directions.  Next to the batteries is a little button that has an M on it.  This M stands for memory.  While you hold it you need to put your cats head in the doorway of the SureFlap.  Once the light blinks red your cat is programmed.  For me this took seconds.  This might take longer when you have a squirming cat in your hands.

The cat going through the door.  Doesn't he look so cute?

After I programmed the cat I put the cover on the batteries and stuck his head into the door watching and hearing the little grey latch go down so I could push the cat through it.  The plastic door is light and easy to push open so a cat would have no problem with it.  I was not sure of the size of my one cat since he is rather large and I was not about to try to get him to hold still so I could measure him, I wanted to see if he would be able to fit through it since he is a 15-20 pound cat, but he did fit through.

The cat all the way through the door you can tell since his string is sticking out through the doorway!


What I did was tape down the latch and put a blanket over the doorway to create a little room then I put some treats on the other side since my cats would not go through and I convinced him through it that way.  I admit the unveiling was the best when I pulled the blanket off and my cat gave me a startled look since he thought he was protected and thought he would get all the treats while the other cat got none which did not happen!

Overall, I love this door.  If we ever microchip our cats this is the door I would use.  It is safe because of how small it is and because it locks.  Another reason is that there is a bigger lock you can flip when your cats are inside and you want to feel a little safer.

You can find SureFlap on Facebook, Twitter, their blog, and their website.



*This product was given to me by the company specifically for this review.  I was given no monetary compensation and all opinions are 100% mine.  I only provide reviews of products that I would use myself.*

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