Pet owners know how difficult it is to predict when their pet needs to go to the toilet and needs to be taken outside. Therefore, you have to keep watch so that the cat or dog does not fulfill its needs in the apartment or its own home. But such a problem can be solved once and for all. To do this, install a special small cat door directly into the front door. Then the animal will not have to wait every time for the owner to go for a walk. The pet will be able to run outside and return to the house on its own.
Features and purpose
A cat door can cover not only the entrance to the street, but also the opening in the interior doors. It gives the pet the opportunity to go outside or move from one room to another inside the home. Outwardly it looks like a small hole with a closing flap. The main function of cat entrance doors is to allow free movement.
These devices must meet certain standards:
- Have the required size;
- Easy to open and close;
- Be airtight;
- Combine with the interior.
In some cases, the doors are equipped with a lock, a brush for collecting hair, and various sensors.
It is best to make the hole while the kitten is still small, and it can be easily and quickly taught to use it. At first, without a door at all, then with a soft curtain, and finally with a full-fledged, durable sash with a spring.
Choosing the right finishing material
Even if the animal is raised and trained to live with a person, no one is insured:
- from scratches on the floor or furniture;
- from the fact that it tore off the upholstery or chewed the front door just because it was upset about something.
In this case, choose the right type of finish. The most durable coating is anti-vandal powder coating. He is not afraid of cat claws - the animal will not have the strength to put in so much effort to leave scratches on such paint. Dogs also won’t be able to do anything with the coating, except that they will leave a couple of unnoticeable holes from their fangs.
All other materials - MDF, laminate and especially vinyl artificial leather on foam rubber - are taboo for animal lovers. Or think about protection, since modern industry has long ago resolved this issue.
Advantages and disadvantages
When deciding to organize a passage through the door leaf for a pet, you should take into account its positive and negative aspects.
Clear advantages include:
- Eliminates the need to leave doors open or constantly let the cat in or out;
- Organization of unhindered movement of the pet, which does not cause stress and aggression due to closed doors;
- The cat hole in the door is sealed, keeping out dust and odors from the street.
The disadvantages include the lack of control over an independent animal, which can lead to accidents.
Also, shortcomings may be associated with incorrectly selected design and unsuitable materials.
Benefits of canvas for pets
Most four-legged friends have a restless character. They constantly need to be in the company of their household members. And if there is more than one person living in a family, then they definitely need to be everywhere and with everyone at the same time. They are always moving around the house from one family member to another. When obstacles appear in their path, such as doors, they use clawed paws, sharp teeth or a pitiful howl. By installing doors with a window for pets, you will protect the door leaves from damage and ensure peace of mind both at night and during the day.
Several main advantages:
- If you install a door for a cat or dog in the toilet, you will not have to make sure that your pet has constant access to the litter box around the clock. You can freely go about your business during the day, sleep peacefully at night and not be upset if suddenly the door is closed at the right moment.
- A door for a dog, for example, to the kitchen, gives the animal the opportunity to drink some water or chew on its favorite bone when it needs it. And you will calmly lie on the sofa and watch TV, and not get up every time to let your pet pass.
- Interior doors with a window for pets will last much longer. Four-legged friends will calmly pass through the hole without the use of teeth and claws.
Types of devices
If you pay attention to the photos of cat doors, you can see several types of structures made of different materials: Wood, plastic or metal.
All devices are divided into four main types:
- An open door without a leaf;
- A window with a simple hanging sash;
- Full mortise door with closing mechanism;
- Electronic door.
Each option has a lot of advantages and disadvantages that should be considered when choosing.
Average prices in the Russian Federation
The cost is calculated per 1 sq. m .
If you purchase a product with a profile, then its price including measurement and installation ranges from 1,900 rubles to 3,000 rubles. When purchasing mesh per linear meter, the cost is about 850 rubles per 1 linear meter. m (width 1400 mm). An aluminum mesh with the same width costs 600 rubles per 1 linear line. m.
There are reinforced models with a modern design, the cost of which can be about 6,000 rubles.
Opened door
In essence, this is a simple hole cut into the door leaf according to the size of the animal. It has no doors and is designed to allow cats to pass through interior doors. At the entrance to the house, such a product is sometimes installed only in summer country houses.
Its main advantages:
- Easy to manufacture;
- Easy installation;
- Unlimited movement of the animal.
The hole shape can be any. Its edges are usually trimmed with a strip of fleecy cloth or a brush to collect hair during shedding. However, the hole does not provide tightness and does not allow control of the animal’s movement.
Window with sash
The simple design resembles a manhole, complemented by a hinged door. The opening is usually rectangular or square in shape and is covered by a door that can operate in both directions.
- The door opens by simply pressing the head.
- With its help, you can limit the cat's movement by installing a clamp.
- The product is mounted, like a manhole, on interior doors or at the entrance of country houses.
Its main drawback is the loud knocking sound when the sash is closed and the risk of pinching your pet's tail.
Electronic door
The design of the product is similar to a mortise door, but is supplemented with electronic sensors that protect the entrance from the entry of foreign animals into the home. Electronic doors are opened using a chip built into the collar of a domestic cat.
This system is ideal for country houses, since with the help of sensors you can track the movements of the animal and always know where it is.
Making a door yourself
Making an electronic door for a cat with your own hands is quite difficult, so it is better to purchase such designs in a store. You can assemble and install a simpler product yourself, which does not require much experience or specific skills.
The best option in this regard would be an interior passage with a door that opens in both directions.
Step-by-step instructions will tell you how to make a door for a cat of this type:
- Prepare the door leaf for work by removing it from its hinges and placing it on a level place.
- Take measurements of your pet and calculate the opening, taking into account a small margin to prevent getting stuck, injured and stressed.
- Draw a marking in the shape of a hole.
- Drill through the blade, insert a jigsaw and cut a hole.
- Carefully sand the edges and paint. This will protect the end areas from moisture penetration.
- Cut a sash from a plastic or rubber plate. Its dimensions should be 1 mm smaller than the opening, which will ensure free movement in both directions.
- Attach the sash to the top of the opening using hinges or piano hinges.
- Decorate the opening with platbands in combination with the finishing of the interior door itself.
- Hang the interior door in its place.
Work on making a cat passage should always be done with the canvas removed. This will make it possible to do everything neatly and beautifully.
Every cat owner wants his pet to feel good and not experience any discomfort. Convenient passage to the street or between rooms will give the animal the necessary comfort and freedom.
Types of Anti-cat nets
In industry, plastic, steel and aluminum are used to make them. Each option has its own characteristics and advantages. If a fine-mesh polymer mesh is at the same time a reliable barrier to flying insects, then a coarse-mesh metal mesh transmits more light and has greater resistance to mechanical deformation. This type of protection is often used by owners of large breed cats.
Often the choice of material is also influenced by the price of the fence, area and features of the frames. Appearance doesn't have the last word. After all, in addition to direct protective functions, the mesh is part of the interior of the living space.
Rice. 1. Types of window nets.
Steel mesh
It is an ordinary canvas made of intertwined steel wire, mounted in a metal (usually aluminum) frame. Square cells have sizes from 1 to 5 cm. The choice depends on the size of the pet.
Rice. 2. Steel mesh.
At the intersection of the wire, it is additionally secured by spot welding. This type of barrier ensures 100% safety and lasts a long time. May rust, so needs anti-corrosion coating.
Fine mesh stainless steel mesh 18Х12Н10Т is in design condition. But it is unlikely to compete with those already available due to the high cost of the material.
Aluminum mesh
The threads are not secured to each other. The density of their weaving is such that protection for cats can simultaneously serve as protection against insects. It is often sold in the form of rolls of a certain width. Popular among home craftsmen due to good wear resistance and low cost.
Rice. 3. The aluminum mesh will only support a kitten.
But, if your pet is quite heavy and likes to hang on vertical surfaces, such protection will not last long. Wires that are not secured to each other can pull down, forming holes and unsightly sagging, or completely break out of the mesh.
Polyester mesh
The most familiar of all, the cheapest and most convenient to install. They are made from black Pet Screen polyester. A thin thread 0.6-0.8 mm thick is intertwined, forming cells measuring 1.65x1.65mm or 1.1x1.5mm. For strength at the points of contact, they are additionally thermally soldered together. Such canvases are sold in rolls in stores. Also, a specialized company may offer to purchase a standard frame with such a mesh or make it according to individual sizes. Aluminum frames are removable and can have an additional horizontal rigidity bar.
Rice. 4. Polyester mesh.
