Many cat owners want to give their cat the freedom to roam in and out of the house when they please. Installing a cat door is easy, convenient and allows your kitty access to the outside world safely.

Here are the top cat doors for your home in 2019.

Top Picks For The Best Cat Door

Best Overall (Recommended)

Best For On A Budget

Best For Interior Doors

Best For Glass Sliding Door

Best For MicroChip Cat Door

Different Types Of Cat Doors & What Are They

Cat doors, also commonly known as a pet flap are a small section of door or glass that have been replaced with a pet door. They give your pets the ability to enter and exit the house as they please.

They have come along way over the years, they are both stylish and safe with some offering electronically controlled access. There are many benefits of installing a cat door which I’ll get into a bit later.

When selecting a style of cat door that will suit your home you need to consider the location of the door. Will the door be specifically for cats or do you need to allow your dog to pass through as well?

Let’s check out the several types of cat doors available on the market below.

Exterior Cat Door

An exterior cat door can be installed in a solid wall, sliding door or they can be installed into a glass window. These are the traditional and most common among cat owners.

The thickness of your walls, doors and windows will determine the exact style of door to go for here. The material you want to use will also need to be considered. Most exterior cat doors will have an outer frame with an adjustment range.

Exterior cat doors can come with dual flaps, these are very efficient and some will even come with a slide in cover for added security.

Interior Cat Doors

Interior cat doors are small openings at the bottom of internal doors. They are usually cut outs of cute shapes and they provide immediate access to a room regardless if the door is open or not.

Baby Gate With Cat Door

As you can imagine, this is a baby gate with an inbuilt cat door. It allows your cat the freedom to easily pass through the baby gate without having to leap over it and possibly knocking it over. Genius!

Cat Door For Window

Definitely not the most popular cat door among owners, but it is worth mentioning. A cat door for your window will include a channel in the track of a sash window. They’re also quick and easy to install.

Cat Door For Sliding Glass Door

A cat door for your sliding glass door will be a panel that is fixed into your existing glass door track. The panels will allow you to lock the door in place, they’re surprisingly very strong and safe.

They should come with a new locking device as installing the cat door panel will no longer allow you to use the normal lock. Because of their size and many parts needed, these can run at a higher cost.

The Best Cat Doors

Below are the top picks for a convenient solution to give your cat the freedom they need.

PetSafe Freedom Aluminum Patio Panel Sliding Glass Dog and Cat Door, Adjustable

The PetSafe sliding door insert is a great way to add a pet door without having to cut or remove anything.

PetSafe offer a return policy, whereby they say if you or your pet doesn’t like it you can simply return it. If you’ve been thinking about a pet door but don’t want to quite commit to anything, this could be a good option.

Installation of the door is relatively easy if you have some experience with basic power tools. With a strong and durable construction made from weather resistant aluminium and shatter resistant tempered glass.

Make sure to measure your door first, you should measure from the inside of the upper track to the inside of the lower track. Check out the image below for a guide.

The PetSafe sliding door inserts come in a range of sizes, they have a handy video showing you exactly how to install the door. Check out the video below.

Ideal Pet Products Cat Flap Door with 4 Way Lock

The Ideal Pet cat door has a 4 way locking design incorporating an in only, out only, locked or open. It comes with a magnetic self closing flap, although there are videos of some clever kitties being able to get through the one way lock and open the flap with their claws.

It’s a very basic model of cat door, looks aren’t its strong point. You can use it for both interior and exterior doors. The flap is 6.25 inches by 6.25 inches, which is suitable for cats up to 12 pounds. However, there is a video review of an Australian Shepard dog squeezing through without too much trouble.

The Ideal Pet cat door is made with strong Lexan polycarbonate, meaning that it can withstand very harsh conditions and weather. If you need anymore reassurance it also come with a limited lifetime warranty.

PetSafe Cat Flap For Small Cats

Another PetSafe cat flap on the list simply for its incredible affordability. This model is suitable for interior doors and features a 2 say locking system.

Simple to install, it comes with detailed instructions and a cutting template so you shouldn’t have any issues when installing it. Suitable for doors that are 1/2″ to 2″ in thickness.

The flap opening size is 5 3/4″ in width and 5 3/4″ inch in height, which is why i suggest it’s suitable for small to medium size cats. Although we’ve all seen the “If I Fits, I sits memes, so a larger cat could probably squeeze through.

Perfect Pet Tubby Kat Cat Pet Door with 4 Way Lock

The Perfect Pet 4 way locking door is suitable for both interior and exterior use. As the name might suggest this door is going to be suitable for even the largest of cats.

The flap is made from virtually unbreakable Lexan polycarbonate with an opening of 7 1/2″ inches by 10 1/2″ inches.

Much like the other cat flaps, the Perfect Pet comes with an easy to follow installation process. They include a simple template to follow, all you have to do is have some power tools.

Cat Mate Small Electromagnetic Cat Flap With Collar Magnet

The Cat Mate electromagnetic cat flap was designed to keep stray cats from wondering into your home.

It comes with a collar magnet which you’ll put on your cat. This works in the same way as an identification would, and allows access for your cat only. When the flap recognises your cat approaching with the collar magnet it will automatically unlock.

Featuring the same 4 way locking system you might expect, with the added security. Your cat will have the ultimate freedom and you won’t come home to a rouge stray cat.

The Cat Mate is easily fitted to wooden doors and panels up to 2.4″ inches thick and is easy to install.

PetSafe Wall Entry Pet Door with Telescoping Tunnel, Pet Door for Dogs and Cats

If you have a double brick house, or just a home with thick external walls, then the PetSafe telescoping cat door is for you.

With a double frame made from PVC plastic that telescopes through the void of your walls, connecting the outside world to your home. It’s suitable for walls of 4.75″ inches by 7.25″ inches in thickness.

The cat door has two replaceable flaps with the ability to slide in a closing panel for added security. It can accommodate cats up to 15 pounds with an opening or 5.25″ inches in width and 7.5″ inches in height.

Finally, it comes in three different sizes and a DIY installation guide is provided by PetSafe. It’s suitable for several wall types such as brick and stucco.

The Kitty Pass Interior Cat Door Hidden Litter Box Pet Door for cats up to 21 lbs

The ever so popular Kitty Pass interior cat door is not only cute and practical, it’s also super easy to install.

Perfect if you have a specific room for the cat litter and want to keep it behind closed doors while still allowing 24/7 cat access. Cat owners also put this on their bedroom door to stop kitty from scratching to be let in at 1am in the morning.

Designed to fit standard doors that are 1.25″ inches to 1.75″ inches in thickness which doesn’t require ugly screws or extensive hardware to install. The smooth opening is 7.5″ inches wide and 6.5″ inches in height making it suitable for larger cats up to 20 pounds.

Finally the Kitty pass comes finished in a semi gloss white, but you can easily paint it yourself, to match your homes decor.

SureFlap Microchip Cat Flap in White

A cat flap for the tech enthusiast, the SureFlap cat flap features a MicroChip reader for added safety.

Unlike the CatMate electronic door, the SureFlap works with your pets existing MicroChip. That means no collar is needed for your cat to wear other than the one they might already have.

So how does it work? Easy, hit the program button on the top of the door and pass your cat through the door. The door will scan and read your pets MicroChip and save that information. That’s it, check to see it has worked by passing the cat through without the button pressed.

It’s compatible with 9, 10 and 15 digit MicroChips and can store 32 different identifications.

Measuring in at 8.2″ inches by 8.2″ inches, large cats will have no issue passing through and you can install it on both interior and exterior doors. It even has the ability to mount to windows and walls with the correct mounting accessories.

Cat Door – The Original Cathole Interior Pet Door

Similar to the previously reviewed Kitty Pass, the CatHole’s pet door can also be used to hide kitty litter and cat food behind interior doors.

It comes with a removable grooming brush that cats seem to enjoy, however, some cat owners have reported it falling off after extensive use.

The CatHole is made from birch wood allowing it to be painted to the color of your choice. It measures in at 8.5″ inch by 8.5″ inch, making this suitable for larger cats up to 16 – 20 pounds. Although the larger cats could break off the brush.

100% made in the USA, the CatHole comes with easy to read instructions and a cutting template. The installation process is a breeze, and suitable for people with a basic understanding of common power tools.

Ideal Pet Products Designer Series Plastic Pet Door with Telescoping Frame

With its telescopic frame, the Ideal Pet cat door is suitable for doors that are between 1 1/4″ inch to 2″ inch thick. Fitted with a flexible vinyl flap that won’t warp, even in the most extreme conditions.

The opening or flap size is 5 x 7 inches and has a floating bottom creating a solid seal every time. Suitable for pets up to 12 pound in size and on average will take about 20 minutes to install.

Lufei Cat Door 4-Way Locking Pet Door for Interior Doors Exterior Doors

The Lufei cat door comes with a 4 way locking door and is made using durable ABS plastic. Its design is weather resistant only, so won’t last long in extreme conditions.

Mainly suited for interior doors the Lufei cat door is easy to install and comes with the nails and mats included. The overall design and build quality of this cat door is not quite as good as the other well known brands.

It will suit medium and some larger cat breeds as the openings are 7.5″ inches by 7.8 inches.

A word of warning, a few cat owners have mentioned the locks being a poorly designed and their cats have managed to open the door, regardless of the one way setting.

How To Train Your Cat To Use The Cat Door

If you’re like me, you might of installed a cat door and come to realise that your cat hasn’t quite figured it out yet. So, if you’re wondering how to train your cat to use the cat door, below are a few tips.

If the cat door is already installed:

• Spray catnip to get them interested in the door
• Put a treat on the outside – food is the best training tool
• Help them through on limited occasions – if you do it every time they’ll expect it every time
• Play with them through the cat door

Before installing the cat door do this:

• Unbox the door at let your cat sniff it – putting their scent on it
• Measure from your cats stomach to the floor – this is the correct height to install the door
• Program any MicroChip or Electromagnetic collar before installing
• Plan the location of the door in detail

If Further Training Is Required

If the above didn’t quite work, you can try the following:

Keep the flap open at all times:

• Some flaps have the ability to be propped open permanently, while others you will need to use a prop such as a clothes pin or something. If your cat only has to worry about passing through an opening they will feel safer to explore the outdoors through the cat door. Eventually you can start to shut the door, and they should pass through no questions.

Treat overload:

• Go nuts, use as many treats and praises as it takes. Sit on the outside with all other exits closed leaving no option for them to pass through the door. You can do this with the door flap propped open at first and gradually lower it over time.

Give them plenty of time:

• Never rush or force them through the door, they’ll come to resent it. Cat’s are curious by nature, but in the wild they wouldn’t just rush out of hiding into the open. They like to inch their way out little by little. Give kitty all the time it takes for them to get used to the door and feel comfortable.

My Pick For The Best Cat Door In 2019

Below are my picks for the best cat door available. I’ve split them up into a few categories to make it easier for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is a cat door?

Depending on the size, quality, and type of cat door. They can range anywhere from $6 up to $1200

Can you put a cat door in a hollow door?

Yes you can install a cat door on a hollow core door. It does require a little more preparation and skill.

Are pet doors safe?

Generally speaking yes, many cat doors feature sophisticated locking mechanisms. Some even require a MicroChip for entry and exit.

Last update on 2023-10-04 at 05:38 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API