Models of cat doors for entrance and toilet doors

Living in a private house, the question arises of how to make it possible for a cat to go outside so that it is unobstructed. Often a pet that loves to walk on its own refuses to go to the toilet, goes to the litter box at home and constantly asks to go outside. You can let him out by opening the door for him. But what if the owner was not at home or he was simply busy and did not hear about the furry friend’s request? In this case, it is possible to make a special cat door. This is a small hole at the bottom of the main door. You can purchase it at a specialty store or make it yourself.

Making a door for a cat with your own hands

It’s rare that a cat owner isn’t familiar with this phenomenon: it’s 5 am, and the cat outside the door is showing impatience and sometimes making very loud noises. You have to get up, open the door for your furry pet, and then wait until the latter returns home and open and close the entrance door again.

Cat door

However, this problem can be solved, especially when it comes to a private home.

cat door

There are many such devices. You can always purchase the best option at a pet store, and in extreme cases, making it yourself is not so difficult - unless we are talking about a metal entrance structure, of course.

Choosing finished products, as well as imagining your own handicraft, must take into account several factors:

• purpose of the passage - the door is installed only so that the cat can toilet, but also so that the animal can freely move from room to room, go out onto the loggia, and so on;

• material - the product can be made of aluminum, plastic, wood. The choice depends mainly on the sash material;
• sizes - from 10*10 to 15*15 cm, in some cases this is not enough;
• variety - there are several different types of models. Of course, it’s difficult to give an animal a choice, but the owner needs to take design features into account when choosing.

Choosing models

Interior doors

The market offers models of canvases made in various styles: classic, high-tech, modern. They differ from each other in the type of assembly:

• Shield ones. Consists of a durable wooden frame. The outer planes of the sections are decorated with laminate, veneer, and other finishing materials. If provided by the project, cut out a hole for decoration or glazing.
• Paneled. The basis of the frame is massive bars. Finishing - from straight or shaped boards, combined with decorative materials.
• Tsargovye. The wooden frame is filled with horizontal bars. Very durable and massive construction. The bars look harmonious with glass and decorative finishes.
• Molded. Lightweight, simple design with a frame made of metal or slats. For reliability, it has an additional vertical stand. The free space is filled with unbreakable glass or transparent plastic. Decorative elements made of metal or wood are used for weighting

All designs for zoning space are equally convenient, but differ in the way they open.

Swing

Swing doors

Swing

The type of construction that occurs more often than others, it is familiar to everyone from childhood. When installing doors of this type, take into account the location of the future passage, as well as the size of the room. When opened, the doors should not occupy most of the room. They are opened by swinging forward or backward; models are single-leaf or double-leaf.

For a narrow opening, install a single-leaf swing door. Such sections are usually built in the bathroom, kitchen, balcony and other small rooms with high humidity, so the material selected for them is moisture- and steam-resistant. Since the doors of such rooms are constantly in use, the design and fittings must be durable to withstand the loads.

For large rooms with wide passages, a double-leaf swing door is suitable. The main canvas can be solid or with glass inserts.

During installation, it is determined which side the structure will open to - the location of the canopies depends on this.

Sliding

Sliding doors

Sliding

To save room space, install interior sliding doors with your own hands. By type of opening they are:

• Bivalve. Two doors, opening, move apart in different directions. The design of the roller mechanism determines whether the doors will open simultaneously or each separately, regardless of the position of the other.
• Recoil. Suitable for small openings. They are a single-leaf section that moves along guides in a one-way manner.
• Cassette. When opened, the sections hide into the wall rather than moving along it. To install such a structure, it is necessary to widen the opening and make an additional niche in the wall. The finished structure, opening the opening, takes up minimal space

A type of sliding structure includes sliding doors. They are installed along guides of varying lengths. They can consist of several doors, which, when moving, act as a transformer - they can become a solid wall or create a single space between rooms.

If you need to repair the cassette door, you will need to dismantle the wall.

Folding

Folding doors

Folding Features of the mechanism allow interconnected sections to fold like a fan. Accordion doors are compact and convenient, but when folded, the sections block part of the doorway. Installing them is not difficult at all; it can even be done from two blinds.

Exclusive

Exclusive doors

Exclusive For lovers of the exotic, there are a lot of thematic options for making door panels. Ordinary sliding doors made in Japanese style are increasingly gaining popularity. A wooden lattice made of thin slats is installed on the frame, and the thinnest transparent rice paper is attached to them. The paper perfectly transmits natural light, and the structure itself gives an oriental flavor to the room.

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Cat flap in door

Products are produced in 3 main types.

• Manhole - made in the form of a window or tunnel and is intended mainly for installation on interior models. This device does not have its own flaps; in fact, it is a version of the hole. At best, it is equipped with a curtain that acts as a brush. When a cat goes to the toilet, it also cleans its fur. The downside of the product is that the curtain does not protect against smell and noise. The animal will not shit under the door, but the smell remains audible. In the photo there is a hole for a cat.
• The window is equipped with a sash mounted on hinges. The door opens freely, the animal can push it in any direction when entering or leaving the room. The smell is thus blocked. If desired, a lock or latch is installed on the door when they want to close the room from the cat.

The downside of the product is that the lock is unreliable. So this option is not suitable for the front door. In addition, the sash makes a rather loud sound when it opens or closes.

• The door itself is, or rather, a tunnel with a hinged flap. Typically made of wood or plastic. The presence of a tunnel makes it difficult to use such a model for unauthorized access to the house. However, the product is noticeably more expensive. But if cats shit under the front door, then this option can be considered the best. The photo shows the finished product.

Modern modifications can provide other benefits. For example, folding tunnel doors with a magnetic latch. The magnet is weak enough, the animal can easily open the doors, but at the same time they immediately slam shut and close tightly. Thus, the home remains protected from insects, and heat will not escape through a loosely closed hole.

Advantages and disadvantages of the solution

Constructing a manhole with your own hands or purchasing a finished product is actually a very practical solution.

• There is no need to purchase cat litter, and this significantly reduces costs.
• The animal does not shit under the door or in any other place, since it can always come out.
• Eliminates the need to clean cat litter.
• The risk of infection to people is reduced, since the cat does not spread the filler on its paws. And the latter absorbs smell, dirt, and pathogenic microflora.

Do-it-yourself door for a cat to the toilet

The technology for making such a craft is very simple. As a rule, the doors themselves are made of wood. Since such material is almost always available to the home craftsman. However, you can use plastic sheets, cable, and fabric.

1. Remove the door from its hinges and place it on a flat surface.
2. Cut a hole in the canvas of the required size - from 10*10 to 15*15 cm.

In this form, the sash can be installed back: the hole is enough so that the cat does not shit under the door, but passes through freely. However, the appearance of this design is not aesthetic and does not protect against odor.

1. Make 4 wooden planks according to size and close the ends of the resulting hole.
2. Hinges or hinges are attached to the opening, depending on whether the doors will rotate or tilt.
3. The door is cut out of light wood or a sheet of plastic and hung on hinges. The cat opens the door only lightly, without effort, so the rotation should be very light.
4. The interior or entrance door is installed in its original place.

This video demonstrates how to make a cat door yourself.

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?

DIY cat door

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.

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.

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.

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Types of passages for pets

All designs have their own distinctive features; as for the cat door, it may differ in size and type of material. To make a passage for an animal, in addition to plastic and wood, aluminum can also be used.

The simplest option, which is most popular, is a manhole in the form of flaps. The frame for it is made of aluminum, and the doors are made of plastic. Such a door, made by yourself, will not affect the degree of thermal insulation in the house. Therefore, it can even be installed on an external door system.

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.

In pet stores, you can be offered 3 options for doors for animals: a window, a manhole and a door. Before you make any of these options yourself, familiarize yourself with the features of these devices. The manhole allows the cat access from one room in the house to another or provides access to the street. As a rule, the manhole does not have doors and is installed in interior door structures. The disadvantage of this move for the cat is the penetration of foreign odors and noises from one room to another.

Cat door. Do it yourself!

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.

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.

A cat toilet door made of wood may be too heavy for the animal, which is why your pet will not be able to open it. Therefore, perhaps the best option would be to install a plastic door. A latch, for example, a regular latch, can act as a lock.

If you have any questions about making a door for a cat, then write comments on the article.

Work order

The primary task is to determine the area on the door for installing the cat pass. The easiest way is to cut out a small entrance for the animal in a wooden door leaf. It is more difficult to do this in metal or glass. Therefore, a cat door is planned at the stage of arranging the entrance passage, then it can be installed in the door with your own hands without any problems.

Standard models do not provide additional passages for pets, so it is recommended to make metal-plastic or steel door structures to order. And you can install the cat door itself.

To calculate the parameters of the door, you must first measure the pet, taking into account the possible growth if it is still young. A cat, cat or dog should be comfortable going through the hole in the door. The optimal hole diameter for cats is 15-20 cm.

After determining the design parameters, appropriate markings are made on the front door leaf. After this, it must be removed from the hinges, placed on a flat horizontal surface, for example, a table, and carefully cut a hole for the hole along the marking lines.

Templates are sold specifically for such purposes, which are fixed to the door with adhesive tape. With its help, the hole is as smooth as possible. And the procedure itself does not take much time, the main thing is to position the template exactly in the center of the canvas.

Next, using a template or self-made markings, holes of the required diameter are drilled into the door so that a jigsaw file can fit into them. It is recommended to carry out all work related to cutting in special clothing and safety glasses.

The next step is to draw straight lines along the contour of the finished holes to connect them, insert a jigsaw and cut out the material. If you plan to make the door yourself, then this cut-out piece of canvas will work best.

A DIY cat door is carefully sanded with sandpaper, then the dust is completely removed. Then the finished door is applied to the hole, and the matches of the parameters are checked. The door mounting points are marked on the door leaf and holes are drilled for the mounting bolts.

Door fixation options may vary depending on its shape. After completing the assembly of the structure, it must be completely cleaned of dust and checked for functionality. The hole for the cat is ready, all that remains is to teach your pet how to use it. If desired, the structure can be decorated with some other more attractive material.

Main types

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.

The disadvantage of this design is that, if necessary, it is impossible to isolate the pet. Also, the hole will not be able to prevent foreign odors and sounds from entering the room.

Window

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.

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.

What to consider when choosing

When choosing a door for a cat, you should first decide: it will be a passage to the toilet or for other interior movements. Perhaps through the hole the pet will go out onto the loggia or onto the street. You will also have to choose the material from which the door will be made. Next, you should decide on the size and think about which type will suit you and your pet best.

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.

How to make it yourself

Tools and materials

Having studied the listed types of cat doors, you can see that such a design can be made with your own hands. So, if you have already chosen the appropriate option, then decide on the material. You will need:

The frame must be wooden; the door is also made from this material. Plastic is an inexpensive material; manholes are made from it. Rubber is useful for increasing sound insulation; it is laid around the perimeter of the door. You can decorate the passage with fabric.