Making your own hole in the door for your pet is as easy as shelling pears. A door loophole for a cat can be of absolutely any shape: round, square, rectangular, oval, curly. The work consists of the following stages:
How to make a hole for your four-legged pet in a wooden door with your own hands:
Door for cats in the door "Trixie"
A hole for a domestic cat (for the door to the toilet or between rooms)
The pet hole can be installed almost anywhere:
There is a wide variety of door openings on the market for cat products. Accessories from different manufacturers differ from each other in shape, material, size, and price. Each of them has both pros and cons. To choose the appropriate option, you need to study the features of the most popular models among consumers. Information about them is presented in the table:
If you are the owner of several purrs, then count on the most well-fed one. Add 5 cm to all parameters of the animal - this will be the size of the passage. If you don't want your sleep to be interrupted by a slamming door, don't cut a window into your bedroom door. Place such structures on the doors to the bathroom and toilet rooms.
A ready-made template, which you can buy in a store, is glued exactly in the middle of the product. Holes should be drilled in the corners of the doorway. The drill should be wider than the jigsaw. Work should be carried out wearing safety glasses and appropriate clothing.
Cat doors come in different types. Manhole is the simplest option. This is an interior solution, since it is not suitable for the role of an entrance door. This is a kind of hole through which the cat gets into the room it needs. In order not to spoil the design of the apartment, the manhole is made in an interesting and original shape. You can install special brushes. When the animal enters the room, excess hair will remain on the brush. Such a unique passage will become an ally in the fight for cleanliness.
Selection of quality accessories in the store
To choose the right door model for your pet, you need to answer a number of questions:
- where the passage should go - various rooms, a bathroom, a balcony, a street;
- the size and material of the product into which the cat doors will be installed;
- dimensions of the animal;
- a type of door that your pet will like.
The best way to choose the right type of aisle for your cat is to take your four-legged friend with you to the store. There, professionals will correctly calculate the dimensions of the animal and select the best option. If it is not possible to bring an animal with you, it is worth deciding in advance on the size of the pet, as well as the place where the selected product will be embedded.
There are certain brands that offer quality products. The most popular doors on our market are doors from Trixie and Ferplast. You can also purchase the desired product online, but you will have to pay extra for delivery.
Door
When cutting, the jigsaw must be pressed firmly against the door so that the movements are smooth, without jerking. The unnecessary fragment is deleted. The hole is treated with sandpaper.
A window differs from a manhole in the presence of a movable door. It consists of a metal or wooden frame and a movable plastic plate. Just like a manhole is not suitable for the front door, since uninvited guests, such as stray cats, can enter the house through it. If you install a sash lock, you can prevent the neighbor's cats from entering the apartment, but this process will also have to be controlled by the owners.
Interestingly, the first such door for cats was invented by Isaac Newton. According to legend, the scientist made a hole so that the cat would not interfere with his experiments with light, demanding to be let in and out of the room.
Compared to a manhole, in this case, noise insulation and protection from the penetration of unpleasant odors will be greater. Almost any animal owner can make such a window with his own hands. But such a design will still cause inconvenience at night, when the cat will “slam the door” every time.
Holding the nut in one hand and the screwdriver in the other, tighten the nut finger-tight. Repeat these steps for the other three nuts. After tightening all four nuts, make sure that the bottom edge of the door is exactly horizontal. Then tighten all nuts securely.
Drill Holes Drill a hole in each corner of the template. The positions of these holes indicate the square outline of the cat door. Mark horizontal and vertical lines directly on the door.
The diameter of the drill bit should be slightly larger than the width of your jigsaw blade so that it can be rotated in the drilled hole. Wear safety glasses when working and ensure that loose clothing and strands of hair are kept a safe distance from the tool.
Do-it-yourself cat walker - video instructions
Automatic cat door with microchip detector made of brown plastic. The unique system, which includes a microchip, is patented by Ferplast.
The model is suitable for installation in glass, plastic and wooden doors, as well as in walls. The opening system works as follows: the antenna reads the microchip that is installed in the cat’s collar when it approaches the door.
The door memory can store 32 ISO chips at a time. Chips are written to the system memory by pressing the memory button.
The entry and exit indicator informs the owner where the pet is currently located. It has 4 operating modes: input, output, closed and microchip input. Product dimensions: 22.5×25.2 cm.
- Plus: suitable for installation in entrance doors.
- Disadvantage: high cost.
Price: 17998 rub.
Flamingo leaf door
The plastic leaf door (window type) has two working positions: entry, exit. The model is made of high quality white plastic.
Suitable for inserting into glass and wooden interior doors. Product dimensions: 19.2x20 cm. Passage depth: 16.5x17.4 cm.
The passage opening can be expanded with additional tunnels, which must be purchased separately.
- Plus: easy to install.
- Minus: not suitable for entrance doors.
Price: 1068 rub.
Extended XL cat door Trixie 3867
The larger model TX-3867 can be installed on doors with a thickness of 17-34 mm. With the help of additional tunnel elements, the passage depth can be expanded to 45 mm.
The door is fixed in a vertical position using a magnetic clamp at the bottom of the product immediately after the cat passes through - this is protection from drafts. The presence of a sealing edging allows for silent closing of the sash.
- Plus: it closes without slamming.
- Cons: high price.
Price: 1850 rub.
Ferplast Swing 7 set
The automatic folding model for cats and small dogs made of non-toxic plastic is equipped with a draft prevention system. Works in 4 modes, has 4 locking directions.
Installed in doors made of glass, wood, metal or in walls. The last passage indicator helps the owner to know where the animal is: on the street or in the house.
The door is opened using a magnetic key, which is attached to the animal's collar. Product size: 25.2×22.5 cm. Passage depth: 9.6 cm.
- Plus: automatic opening using a magnetic key.
- Disadvantage: high cost.
Price: 2999 rub.
Installing the cat door on site
Most cat owners install the door in the center of the door. To do this, mark the center of the door with a dot.
Once you've run the jigsaw along all the lines, remove the inner wood rectangle from the hole. If you haven't purchased a ready-to-use cat door, use this piece of wood to make a homemade cat door. Finishing Finish the edges of the hole with sandpaper and remove dust with a vacuum cleaner. Place the front of the door over the opening and check that the door can move freely.
Cats are all different sizes. The door must be at the correct height for your cat to get in and out. The average height of a cat door is 15 cm above floor level. This is also the average height of a cat's belly. Mark the correct height at two points to make a straight line.
By placing the front of the cat flap directly on the door, you can mark the positions of the mounting holes in the four corners.
First of all, measure the dimensions of your cat. Based on the measurements obtained, we select the appropriate width of the doorway. Remove the door from its hinges. We determine the height of the door installation. The optimal indicator is 15 cm from the floor level. To create a straight line, mark two points and draw a horizontal line.
The cat hole can be decorated with decorative elements so that it does not spoil the appearance of the door
Make holes
Press the drill bit firmly into each corner to create a small dent about half a centimeter from the guide. This will keep your drill bit from wandering as you drill through the steel. Once you have placed a dent in each corner, place the point of the drill bit into the dent and begin drilling slowly. You must go straight down through the door, thereby creating one hole in each corner.
Source
What types of pet doors are there?
Based on the type of design, there are three types of cat devices for entering a room: a manhole, a window and a door. They all have their own distinctive features. The hole has no doors and is essentially a hole in the door through which the animal can freely pass between rooms. The disadvantages of such a system are obvious: the penetration of odors and noise, the impossibility of installation in the front door for obvious reasons.
Installing a ready-made pet door involves cutting a hole to fit the tunnel and assembling the entire structure inside it. It is noteworthy that the width of the tunnel can be adjusted by adding additional parts or cutting them. This allows you to choose the most optimal option for any thickness of door or even wall. The overhead parts are pulled together with long bolts, but can also be screwed with self-tapping screws to the surface of the door leaf.
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.
Photo gallery
The main tools of masters and craftswomen here are imagination, design skills and small financial investments. On the Internet there are many photos and videos of homemade windows - these are just passages in the form of old frames, and cut plastic bottles, and even creative ones with carvings. There is a lot of room for imagination here; you can combine different ideas or create and invent something new.
Types of cat doors
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What materials and components may be needed:
To avoid mistakes, plan your work on arranging a cat hole and follow the plan exactly. To begin, remove the door in which you plan to install a shutter for your pet from its hinges. Place it on a flat surface.
Sometimes it may seem that your beloved cat wants to unsettle you due to its desire to move freely around the house. Now she needs to go to the balcony, now from the balcony, now into the room, now out of the room. And every now and then you have to walk behind your pet and open and close the door while caring for it. What to do in such a situation? Some owners prefer to install a cat door themselves rather than endlessly groom their pet.
Door with hinged leaf
Mortise entry door for dogs
This type of passage is quite convenient and is the best option for apartments and houses. You can purchase a plastic or wooden model in the store that is suitable for the door into which you plan to install a passage. The design itself consists of three similar parts, and one of them, like a window frame, outlines the edge of the entrance for the pet from the inside. Others are attached to both sides of the door and add aesthetics. The inner part, depending on the thickness of the door, can be trimmed or, conversely, several pieces can be secured at once.
The construction is made of high-quality plastic - a completely worthy and reliable option. The assortment of online stores also includes models made of strong wood. As a rule, such structures are resistant to external influences and are not afraid of moisture. Accordingly, their cost is much higher.
Types of passages for pets
Homemade door
Such a door will allow the cat to independently enter and exit from one room to another whenever she wants. A quality cat door can be installed in both interior and exterior door systems. The simplest cat door can be made using wood or plastic. To ensure safety, the structure is equipped with a latch and a sash.
If you are afraid that a strange cat will enter your house, then you can purchase a special sensor that receives and transmits a signal that comes from a microchip built into the cat’s collar. This means that besides your pet, no one else will get into the house. However, before you get started, you should measure the dimensions of the cat, which will allow you to decide on the size and shape of the door.
Now cut a hole at the bottom of the door leaf, which can be from 10x10 cm to 15x15 cm. It all depends on the size of your pet. To ensure your door remains aesthetically pleasing, the base of the cat hole should be treated to form a frame. At the top of the cat hole, install swivel and swivel hinges or hinges. Now fasten the finished doors on their hinges and install the door leaf in place.
The opening part can be made of wood.
You can make a hole for a cat by purchasing and installing a special clamp, or you can do it yourself. It doesn't take long and is easy to create. It is best to make a cat hole during renovations in the room, but it is also possible after. They install tunnels for cats in the interior walls and in the walls - wherever it is more convenient.
Based on the measurements taken, you need to cut the required hole in the prepared canvas.
Rubber against noise
They are used to aesthetically hide a hole in a wall or an interior door. They are not able to close hermetically, they allow air and smell to pass through, there is no cat access restrictor to the room. There is no way to lock it in a specific position. Suitable if there are small cats in the house. It is necessary to select environmentally friendly materials, because they will come into contact with the animal’s skin. Used as decoration for plastic tunnels.
Inserts made from it are used on window-type structures when it is necessary to make it more airtight. Reduces knocking, friction, noise. Replaces door holder. It can be used to close a hole in interior walls, but it does not look aesthetically pleasing and is difficult for a cat to use. In addition to this door material, glass, metal, wood, and fabric are used.
Once a passage through the cat door has been created, some time will have to be spent teaching the animal how to use the door. A toy on a fishing line suspended from a piece of canvas will help. You need to spend up to 5 days, after which the animal will become independent and will use the tunnel whenever it wants. The size for the door is selected individually, based on the cat’s parameters.
The market is diverse and you can choose a product to suit every taste. Install cat gates in the interior or entrance door. There are these types:
Cats, of course, are smart and dexterous animals, but they also do not know how to open doors if these doors are tightly closed. And since the “cat litter” is usually located in the bathroom, a tightly closed door can lead to unpleasant consequences.
Of course, special hatches for cats that can be embedded in the door have long been invented and sold, but we are not looking for easy ways. And I don’t go to pet stores, but googling showed that such hatches for cats are relatively expensive. At the same time, two “penny” plastic plumbing hatches for gypsum boards were on hand. All that was left was to break off the lid latches so that they would open in both directions, cut out a hole in the door evenly, and glue in these hatches symmetrically.
What happened can be seen in the photo. Of course, this is not for those who have a “designer renovation”, but for an ordinary apartment it is quite suitable. No shortcomings were noticed, animals and people are happy with everything.
The pleasant purring, tenderness of cats and devotion to their home evoke love in the heart of almost every person, in return we are ready to give no less, pamper and fulfill all the purrs that come. Dogs require no less attention.
Today, stores offer cat and dog owners a huge assortment of windows, manholes and even tunnels designed for the convenience of moving pets around the apartment or from home to the street. Some of them can be ordered. But why overpay if even a beginner can handle this type of construction work with his own hands?
What to look for when choosing
When an owner chooses a toilet for cats, he must think through all the details for his own and the cat’s convenience. After all, this choice will determine whether the pet will walk in it and whether it will be convenient to clean it
Which is the best cat litter box? So, when choosing a cat litter, it would be nice to pay attention to:
Price. A cat litter box should not be too expensive or too cheap. You need to choose something average and reliable. It is advisable that it serve the pet for the rest of its life, because if you have to go through changing the litter box as a cat in adulthood, it will be more difficult than training a kitten. Size
It is very important to buy a tray for your cat so that it fits entirely in it, that is, it should not be small. If you buy a tray for a kitten, then you need to focus on the size of a mature animal of this breed
This is especially true for such structures as an enclosed toilet for cats that looks like a house. When choosing a house, you need to pay attention to how the roof is located, determining whether the house is low for the animal. The material from which the cat litter box is made. The material must be light and durable; as a rule, plastic is used. The cat tray should not be too light, so that a large animal does not turn over while scooping up the contents of the tray. Presence of defects The cat tray must be smooth, without any defects, so that the pet is not injured. Design. This refers to the presence or absence of a lid. A pet tray with a lid resembles a house and is called a dry closet. It is convenient because the animal will feel in privacy, and the filler will not spill out during raking. The house option is well suited for shy pets. And for those mustaches who do not like to be in solitude, a house will not be the best option. Easy to clean. This is an important aspect. When choosing, you need to see how easy it is to clean all the corners. There are trays into which disposable bags, such as garbage bags, are inserted. Appearance. Toilets for cats should not have a strong odor, too bright unnatural colors indicate low quality litter.
Types of shutters for cats
If you are worried that the cat may get injured, the opening can be treated with a smooth, soft and pleasant-to-touch cloth, preferably with lint. At the moment of sliding in the hole, such “upholstery” will allow you to collect shedding hair from the animal.
A mortise door is a device that looks great. The product can be made of wood or plastic and can be created in many ways. As for the structure, it is equipped with individual parts and a connecting tunnel.
In order for the animal to live in comfort and not cause unnecessary trouble, for example, to be able to go for a walk on its own, owners often have the idea of building a small door in the front door. Such openings can also be constructed in ordinary doors to a room, for example, in the door to the kitchen. Animals won’t have to meow and spoil the wallpaper, and you won’t have to be distracted from your daily duties or from relaxing.
Window
This design is designed for free passage of the cat and is installed directly into the entrance or interior door. It consists of glass or plastic and a metal or wooden frame.
The cat window is well insulated and will not let in odors, unlike a regular cat window. If desired, you can easily close the passage using a latch or a simple lock. It is very easy to make such a design yourself.
One of the disadvantages is the lack of noiselessness. The structure will clap or creak every time an animal passes through it. For this reason, windows are rarely installed in interior doors, since such sounds can irritate or interfere with rest.
