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A restless feline can be quite an annoyance, running in and out of the house and meowing at you every time you lack the courtesy to leave a door wide open for them. A great way to end the hassle is to install a cat door. Cat doors seem like a difficult proposition, but they are pretty easy to install and will save your cat from some verbal abuse.
Because cats are so agile, it is possible to install cat doors in your home that are not actually on the door itself. This is great for families with small children or for anyone who has seen the movie Home Alone. It also allows you to keep your screen door closed without negating the whole purpose of the installation (although models which fit screen doors are also available). Cat doors can (of course) be installed in regular doors, but they can also be installed in windows, walls, and patio sliders. Whatever choice you make among the various doors, the door itself will come with instructions on the correct installation. As a general rule, most doors require a measurement of your pet in order to determine the correct height for the door to be installed at. The door will come with a template, so use it to determine the height of the door by holding your cat up to it. Mark the spot with and X and nail the template to the door. Then make sure the template is square, and trace the edges with a marker. Next, drill holes that are large enough to fit your saw into at each corner of the tracing. Saw out the section of the door, and then install the rest of the cat door according to the instructions. Remember to caulk the edges after the installation to prevent drafts and heat leakages. When shopping for cat doors, keep in mind that you will want a flap that will allow your pet to go through both ways. A double-hinged solid door will allow for this, as well as a simple flap of a material that the cat will be able to push through. Of the two, the flap is probably the best option in terms of energy savings, as the hinged door will not stop swinging for a few seconds after the cat has gone through it. Double flap models will also allow a cat to push through but will not allow smaller animals entry (in case your cat is easy on pests). Cat doors are a good addition to the home of any cat owner. Every cat owner knows how insistent a cat can be when it wants something, and that God has equipped them with a whine frequency that is only rivaled by tiny newborns and Fran Dresher. Cat doors will save you time and sanity.
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Pet Doors