While cats make great companions, they are independent creatures that want to roam when they feel like roaming. You could always install a standard cat door, but then you must worry about when it’s locked and when it’s open. You also may stress about the wildlife and other animals coming in through the door.
That’s where microchip cat flaps come in. However, just as with everything else on the market today, there are several flaps for sale. Our guide below will give you our top picks and reviews of the best microchip cat flaps in 2024. We do the research, so you don’t have to.
A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2024
A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2024| Image | Product | Details | ||
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Best Overall
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Cat Mate Elite Super Selective Microchip Flap |
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Best Value
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Sureflap Microchip Cat Door |
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Check Price |
Premium Choice
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PetSafe Microchip Cat Door |
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Check Price |
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Sureflap DualScan Cat Door |
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Check Price | |
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Cat Mate Microchip Cat Door |
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Check Price |
The 5 Best Microchip Cat Flaps
1. Cat Mate Elite Super Selective Microchip Flap – Best Overall
| Materials: | Plastic |
| Features: | Locking |
| Assembly required: | Yes |
| Compatibility: | Battery Powered |
Our pick for the best overall microchip cat flap of 2024 is the Cat Mate Elite Super Selective Microchip Flap. If you’re looking for a way to give your cats the freedom to run in and out of the house but keep other animals outdoors where they belong, then this is the best way to go, in our opinion.
This microchip flap uses the microchip your feline already has to let it into your home. The great thing about this one is that they sell a unit called the Cat Mate ID Disc to go on your cat’s collar, just in case you don’t have a chip for your furry friend yet.
You have full control over the flap because the four-way control system allows you to choose between locked, open, in-only, and out-only options. The flap also features an open and close timer function and can be used for up to nine of your feline pals.
The seal is weatherproof, and the system uses four AA batteries to operate. The LED screen allows pet parents to see the last time the flap was used, where their feline is at the moment, and the lock status of the system.
There have been reports of this flap being hard to program, and some pet parents mentioned that the buttons were hard to press.
2. Sureflap Microchip Cat Door – Best Value
| Materials: | Plastic |
| Features: | Microchip, RFID, Locking |
| Assembly required: | Yes |
| Compatibility: | Battery powered |
Our top pick of the best Microchip cat door for the money goes to the Sureflap Microchip Cat Door for its affordability. The system also features one-button programming, which makes it easy to operate. The Sureflap can be used with up to 32 felines, making it perfect for someone with multiple cats.
It’s battery-powered and easy to install, and you don’t have to worry about tripping over wires and cables near your back door.
However, the flap can’t be programmed to remain unlocked, meaning you can’t be in control if you’re away from home. It also has a flexible door, which many pet parents reported made it easy for larger, stronger cats to push through. This also means that other animals could go through the door as well. However, the Sureflap was worth putting on the list for the low price.
3. PetSafe Microchip Cat Door – Premium Choice
| Materials: | Plastic |
| Features: | Magnetic closure |
| Assembly required: | Yes |
| Compatibility: | Battery powered |
Our premium choice goes to the PetSafe Microchip Cat Door. It features four-way locking and is battery-powered. It can be used by up to 40 cats, making it a cat lover’s dream. The system also has an insulated, weatherproof door, which means you don’t have to worry about mold buildup, water, or extreme heat and cold seeping through the door into your home.
The Petsafe flap can be used with your cat’s embedded chip, or you can purchase the RFID chip to attach to your cat’s collar. The batteries are estimated to give you up to 12 months of battery life.
Pet parents have reported this flap as being a bit noisy and making a pronounced clicking sound when engaged, which can scare a cat away. Some customers also said that their cats managed to slip their paws into the flap and disengage the lock. On top of that, it is quite expensive.
4. Sureflap DualScan Microchip Cat Door
| Materials: | Plastic |
| Features: | Locking |
| Assembly required: | Yes |
| Compatibility: | Battery powered |
The Sureflap DualScan Cat Door can be locked manually in four ways and has a magnet that stops the wind and rain from getting into your home. If you’re a pet owner with quite a few cats, you’ll be happy that this cat door can be used by up to 32 cats.
The system also features dual scan technology, which means the door opens quickly for your feline pal when they need to get out or in. Some pet owners reported that the door leaks during heavy storms and that the tunnel area was too small for some cats. They also mentioned that it was noisy and broke easily.
5. Cat Mate Microchip Cat Door
| Materials: | Plastic |
| Features: | Locking |
| Assembly required: | Yes |
| Compatibility: | Battery powered |
Last but not least on our list of the best microchip cat flaps in 2024 is the Cat Mate Microchip Cat Door. The flap can accommodate up to 30 cats and is weatherproof to keep rain, wind, and snow out of your home. It features a four-way rotary lock so that you can easily control when your cats come and go.
The system is said to be noisy, and it doesn’t work as well as other cat flaps on our list. Also, pet owners said that changing the battery in the door makes you reprogram the entire system, which could be aggravating and complicated for some.
Buyer’s Guide: What You Should Know About Microchip Cat Flaps
A microchip cat flap serves as your cat’s very own house key. It also works to ensure that no unwanted animals get into your home when your cat goes out because the animals won’t have an embedded microchip or a collar with an RFID tag. Many cat owners, however, still wonder what the use of a microchip cat flap is. After all, they can just open the door and let their cats in and out or use a simple standard cat door.
Reasons To Invest in a Microchip Cat Flap
What To Look for in a Microchip Cat Flap
When searching for a microchip cat flap, there are a few things you want to consider.
You want the flap to be big enough for your large cats to get through but small enough that your tiny cats can’t get out unless you want them to. You’ll also want to check your cat flap carefully to ensure how many cats the flap can handle at once. A microchip cat flap that can only accommodate two cats when you have ten isn’t going to do you much good.
Make sure that the flap you choose is quiet enough not to scare your cats. Cats get scared easily, and the last thing you want is the noise from the cat flap to send your cat running the other way, resulting in the cat being scared to enter and exit its own home.
You should also ensure that the brand you choose is weatherproof, as you don’t want rain, snow, and wind getting into your home through the flap.
Wrap Up
When choosing the best microchip cat flap for your pet, you want to know that your feline will be safe and that you can monitor their movements. Our reviews of the top five cat flaps should help. Our best overall pick was the Cat Mate Elite Super Selective Microchip Flap for its LCD screen functionality. Our top pick for the money went to the Sureflap Microchip Cat Door for its affordability.
Our third choice was the PetSafe Microchip Cat Door for its ability to accommodate up to 40 cats. We hope these reviews and the buying guide help you find the right microchip cat door to keep your cats safe and happy for years.
Featured Image Credit: Nils Jacobi, Shutterstock
