If another cat is finding its way into your home, the next question is not simply “Which flap fits?” It is “How should this door decide who comes in?”
There are three options worth separating before you buy.
A manual flap gives you control over the opening
A manual pet door does not identify an individual animal. Its lock settings let you manage access, depending on the model.
That may suit a home where the aim is to give a pet a route outside. It does not answer the same problem as recognising your own cat at the door.
A collar-magnet door uses a magnet
A magnetic model responds to a compatible magnet worn on the pet’s collar. It does not read the pet’s implanted microchip.
If you are comparing products, check what the animal must wear. “Magnetic” and “microchip” are not interchangeable descriptions.
A microchip door recognises a registered identifier
A compatible microchip model reads a pet’s registered identification chip. Some models can also work with a compatible RFID collar tag.
First Glass supplies and installs SureFlap options for cats and small dogs. The right model depends on the animal, opening and installation. Entry control and exit control can differ between models, so tell us what you want the door to do in each direction.
A product name alone does not confirm that it suits your household.
The glass still matters
Choosing the flap is one part of the job. We also need to check the glass and how the door or window operates.
An existing toughened pane cannot simply have a new hole cut into it. Double glazing needs assessment for a replacement sealed unit prepared for the selected pet door. If you have a sliding door, the flap must also be considered alongside the moving panel.
Send a photograph of the whole panel and another of any existing flap. Tell us whether the panel slides or swings, whether it is single or double glazed if you know, and the size of the pets that will use it. If you are unsure about the glass, say so.
Explore the options
Compare how each door controls access, then explore the models and real installations on our pet-door page.