Cat flaps are most commonly located in the bottom panel of a kitchen door that leads outside. In practicality it is the most convenient place, and there are no problems with heat loss or leaks when it?s cold or raining.

Ideal doors have a bottom panel of roughly 2ft x 2ft in which to fit the cat flap. It?s normally positioned in the middle of the panel, as near to the floor as possible.

Sometimes it?s not possible to fit the flap as low as you wish, but cats seem to cope adequately even if it is a little higher than ideal.

Fitting a cat flap in a wooden door

Wooden doors are the easiest to fit cat flaps into, and can be a straightforward DIY job. Essentially all that needs to be done is to take out the original glass and replace it with plywood.

Then it?s just the task of cutting out a hole in the new panel to the size you need, and attaching a cat flap.

Fitting a cat flap in a double glazed aluminium door

This is a different ball game altogether. You can use plywood to replace the double glazed window and stain it up, or use an uPVC sandwich panel if the door is white.

Because of the varying level in methods of design and construction of aluminium doors, it could be a straightforward job, or require specialist attention.

For the easier doors, there will be a removable interior wedge and four external aluminium beads.

You will need to contact a specialist if your door does not have all four beads.

Fitting a cat flap in an uPVC double glazed door

The double glazing can almost always be removed from a white or wood grain door fairly comfortably. A uPVC sandwich panel will comfortably match the framework of most double glazed doors.

However, one of the pitfalls here is the different shades of white available. Remarkably, there are seven common shades on the market, so ensure you find the perfect match. The supplier you are dealing with should have a colour swatch available on request.

To find a local double glazing door supplier with both you and your cat in mind, click the following link – Double Glazing Supplier Directory

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