10 Best Cat Doors for Cold Weather in 2024 – Reviews & Top Picks

If you have an indoor-outdoor cat, you know the struggle of constantly getting up and down to let your cat in and out according to their whims. There’s an easier way to deal with this, though, and that way is by installing a cat door. But if you live in a location with extremely cold weather or lots of snow, the idea of a cat door may seem unappealing. After all, wouldn’t your cat constantly be letting in cold air?

Luckily, you can find plenty of cat doors made for cold weather—ones that are insulated and seal incredibly well. There are a lot of these cat doors for cold weather out there, though, so finding the best one can be time-consuming. Our reviews below feature some of the best doors available and offer the information you’ll need to make your decision quickly.

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites of 2024

	Image	Product	Details
Best Overall		PetSafe Weather Pet Door	Three-flap design for extra insulation and energy efficiency Has a lock Can get another panel for the exterior if wanted	Check Price
Best Value		Cat Mate 4-Way Self Lining Door	Four ways to lock Made for larger kitties Flap is quiet	Check Price
Premium Choice		Endura Wall Mount Pet Door	Heavy duty for extreme weather Energy efficient Locking cover	Check Price
		PetSafe Door for Sliding Doors	Made for sliding glass doors and screen doors Shatter-resistant UltraSeal used to insulate	Check Price
		PetSafe 4-Way Locking Cat Door	Designed with larger cats in mind Can use practically anywhere Four-way lock	Check Price

The 10 Best Cat Doors For Cold Weather

When you want the overall best cat door for cold weather, our choice is the PetSafe Weather Energy Efficient Pet Door. Not only is it heavily insulated to keep outside air from getting in, but it’s also energy efficient! It accomplishes this energy efficiency by incorporating three flaps instead of the typical one. Of the three flaps, the center one is the one that keeps the temperature in your home where it should be.

That isn’t all, though. This cat door also locks, so your cat can only use it when you want them to, keeping your home warm and cozy on those super chilly days. You can even get a separate closing panel for the outside if you want even more protection.

This cat door comes with everything you’ll need to install it—hardware, clear instructions, and a cutting template.

Our pick for the best cat door for cold weather for the money is the Cat Mate Large Cat/Small Dog 4-Way Self Lining Door. With two color options and a great price, this door is made especially for those kitties on the larger side (provided their shoulder height doesn’t go over 14 inches). It offers not one way to lock, but four—locked, unlocked, out only, and in only—so you can control how often your cat is in and out.

The plastic flap allows your pet to see the outside while staying warm inside if they want, plus it’s quiet, so neither you nor your pet will get startled when it is in use. And the weather and draft-proof brush strip utilizing a magnetic closure keeps the elements out, so your home isn’t cold or damp.

We recommend the Endura Flap Double Flap Wall Mount Dog & Cat Door for the person looking for a premium cat door for cold weather. This heavy-duty door is dual-paned, so it works particularly well in places that have harsher winters. The company says the magnetic seal on it can withstand winds up to 50 mph! Don’t worry about your pet not being able to push the door open because of that, though. You can decrease the magnetic strength as needed.

This door also comes with a cover that locks to prevent unwanted nighttime visitors such as raccoons from getting into your home.

If your pet needs to go in and out of a sliding door rather than a regular door, this product has you covered. Designed to fit sliding glass doors or screen doors, the PetSafe Freedom Patio Door for Sliding Doors is made from heavy-duty aluminum and safety glass that is shatter resistant. PetSafe uses UltraSeal as part of their flap system, so outside weather is kept outside, and energy is conserved in your home.

The manufacturer claims installation is simple, with no cutting involved. However, sliding glass doors that are recessed will require more hardware for this cat door to work. You can also take this cat door with you if you move homes!

The PetSafe 4-Way Locking Cat Door is made with larger kitties in mind—up to 25 pounds—but should still work equally well for smaller cats. It contains a lock that works four ways—open, locked, in only, and out only—and provides a magnetic closure, so the door stays closed tight while in use. The cat door fits all types of doors and even windows so that you can place it at the best point for your indoor/outdoor cat.

You can also up the insulation factor by getting the PetSafe Pet Door Installation Kit that will help block even more wind, snow, and rain, so your home stays nice and warm during the winter months.

The Perfect Pet All-Weather Energy Efficient Door can keep your home warm when it’s cold outside and help conserve energy with the use of double flaps that create a pocket of air in-between that works as insulation. Add in the wall tunnel kit that comes separately, and this air pocket becomes even larger for an extra boost of insulation. The frame of the door is adjustable—you can move it from 0.75 inches to 1.75 inches if needed.

Besides the flap that seals magnetically in place, this product also comes with a sliding door you can put on either the inside or outside to lock animals in or out as needed.

Another door made with bigger kitties in mind, the Ideal Pet Products ChubbyKat Door fits cats up to 25 pounds. Made from lexan, which is weather-resistant, this door also contains a lock that works four ways for different levels of access (in, out, in only, out only). The flap uses magnets that create a strong seal when the door isn’t in use.

The manufacturer says this cat door is compatible to use in any standard exterior or interior door. It’s also reasonably simple to install and comes with detailed instructions to make the job even easier. Plus, this product comes with a one-year warranty.

The Baboni Pet Door is made from aerospace quality aluminum alloy and metal steel. It is welded together using laser welding technology from the automotive industry, making it extremely durable even for harsher weather. The frame is a tunnel that telescopes to fit a space anywhere from 4.75 to 7.25 inches thick. This cat door is also suitable for a wide variety of wall materials, including brick, stucco, and wood.

Dual flaps featuring a magnetic closure offer insulation and energy efficiency. Plus, an extra metal panel can slide in to offer more protection during the most extreme weather.

The PetSafe Staywell Big Cat/Small Dog Pet Door has a slim profile that makes it easy to install, and it’s not just your front door you can place it in. You can also place it in sliding and glass doors! The plastic frame is incredibly durable, while weather stripping around the door’s flap offers protection from harsh winds and weather. The cat door comes with a four-way lock—in, out, in only, and out only—so you can monitor your pet’s comings and goings.

This door comes with a cutting template, detailed instructions, and a 3-year warranty from the manufacturer.

The Freedom Pet Pass Insulated Cat Door claims that its DoubleMag is nearly airtight and 15 times more efficient at keeping cold air out than even the usual standards for windows and regular doors. Featuring a frame made of PVC, the flap on this door is incredibly thick for better insulation. Plus, this door contains a panel that can be easily locked to keep your cat in or out when needed.

Installation is easy as detailed instructions are included. This product also comes with a 3-year limited warranty.

Buyer’s Guide: How to Select the Best Cat Door for Cold Weather

When it comes to purchasing a cat door for the first time that’s specifically made to help keep cold weather out, you may not know precisely what it is you should be looking for. When it comes to cat doors for cold weather, you should factor in the following.

Size

Not only do you need to look at the overall dimensions of the cat door to see how big of a hole you’ll need to cut into your door or wall, but you need to consider the size of the opening your cat will be going through. If your pet is a bigger kitty, they may have trouble fitting through a standard cat door. Luckily, some brands offer doors specifically for these cats. Other brands may offer several sizes of doors, from small to extra-large. Measure your cat’s shoulder height and width if you’re unsure of what size door to get!

Insulation

Besides making sure you have the correct size door for your cat, insulation is the next most important aspect to factor into your decision. Insulation is what will help keep warm air in and cold air out. There are a few ways a cat door can be insulated.

One is the flap itself. A thick, insulated flap will help stop cold air from coming in. Likewise, dual flaps will do the same by creating an air pocket of insulation that slows down any air coming in or out. Finally, look at what the frame of the door is made from. Aluminum is less thermally conductive than plastic or PVC, while a frame containing foam has many tiny air pockets that help provide excellent insulation.

Seal

How tightly a door can seal is equally important to how well it’s insulated. Because if a flap doesn’t seal well, cold air will get into your home despite any insulation. Most cat doors for cold weather will have the flap closing via magnets. The question is, how many magnets are there? A single magnet won’t seal nearly as well as a row of magnets or a magnetic strip.

Features

Many cat doors will come with extra features. One feature that’s extremely helpful is the ability to lock the cat door. Some may offer only an on/off lock, while others will offer different ways to lock your door (in, out, in only, out only). This feature allows you to help control how and when your pet is going in and out. It also offers protection against any animals, such as raccoons getting in during the night. A few cat doors may even offer doors that open and close on their own via a microchip in your cat, which should make things easier for your pet when it comes to getting in and out.

Price

The majority of cat doors for cold weather will be reasonably priced, but a few will be on the far pricier side. Determine how much you’re willing to spend and whether your chosen cat door offers everything you need for the price.

Reviews

There really is no better way to figure out if a product is for you than by reading reviews from other pet owners who have experience with the product you’re eyeing. Reviews by pet owners will typically offer far more information than what the manufacturer has given.

Conclusion

We find the PetSafe Extreme Weather Energy Efficient Pet Door to be the best overall cat door for cold weather with its great insulation and ability to add further insulation. For the best value, we recommend the Cat Mate Large Cat/Small Dog 4-Way Self Lining Door due to its low price and four-way lock. Finally, our pick for a premium choice is the Endura Flap Double Flap Wall Mount Dog & Cat Door, as it is heavy-duty and can withstand winds up to 50 mph.

Featured Image Credit: Baboni, Amazon