Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat General => General Cat Chat => Topic started by: Baggy on March 28, 2009, 23:06:04 PM
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The time is going to come very soon when OH and I feel ready to have another cat. Rather than feel better, I'm missing Dinah more than ever and think it's her way of letting me know it's time.
We've just had a CPL home check and they've said we need to have a cat flap (Dinah didn't have one as she used to get her leg stuck in it, and I wanted to know she was safe at home during the day).
Trouble is, at the back we have two cottage style doors, one of which would have a one foot drop from a cat flap as we have a high step, plus we're about to have a porch built meaning we'd need three cat flaps for the poor thing to get in! We could maybe have a tunnel through the wall, but it would still have about a foot drop (we'd have to build a step).
The other option is to have one fitted in our patio doors. These are double glazed - has anyone ever had a replacement double glazed sealed unit with a cat flap installed? Can you even get them?
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lots of answers here, by the look of it http://www.puddlepetcare.co.uk/acatalog/FAQ_Cat_Flaps.html
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No idea but pleased that you are opening your home and heart up to another cat, Dinah would be proud and I know it will help heal the pain of losing her :hug:
I think if that was the only 'issue' with the homecheck then CP are being a bit short sighted, plently of people don't have a cat flap but have happy, healthy, well loved cats who adjust to the routine of going out when the owners are home.
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Yes, I had a catflap fitted through a double-glazed door. It's quite expensive to do, about £140 I think it cost me (worth it tho). They have to take the door off and take it away, and refit it with double glazing with a hole in it for the catflap. They also fit the flap for you. In my new place, it's quite a jump to the catflap from outside, so I have built some little steps with bricks!
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Thanks Catjane - that's really good to know and is actually cheaper than I'd feared it might be!
Thanks trigger as well.
No idea but pleased that you are opening your home and heart up to another cat, Dinah would be proud and I know it will help heal the pain of losing her :hug:
I think if that was the only 'issue' with the homecheck then CP are being a bit short sighted, plently of people don't have a cat flap but have happy, healthy, well loved cats who adjust to the routine of going out when the owners are home.
:thanks: Hopefully Dinah would be proud, though she did hate other cats. Even on her last morning she still mustered the energy to growl and spit at the neighbour's siamese boy through the window. :evillaugh:
The summary of the conversation was no cat flap = not happy for us to have a cat from them. They have said if we're out at work all day a cat must have access to the outside...and though I agree a lot of cats seem able to adapt quite happily, especially older ones, didn't want to force the issue.
As we are relatively close (200m away) to a 30mph road that runs through the village we'd have to home a cat of ten years or over, and one which hasn't previously been a stray, which is fine by us. Unfortunately they don't have any that meet both criteria at the moment!
The road issue is a bit odd as our neighbours have two ten year old cats that came from CP a few years ago - maybe the policies have changed, or maybe they just didn't think we were suitable to have a young cat. :shify:
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Great news Baggy that you are ready for another cat..... :hug:
On the downside of this though I cant believe how you are being treated by your local CPL!!! I think the fact they are basically saying that you need to spend £140 (re: amount below) on a cat flap being fitted is ridiculous! >:(
Can anyone from CP explain? :shify: Just wondering what the problem is??? ;)
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This branch of CP say cats need to have access to the outside if you're out of the house all day. In fairness, I don't think they realised how difficult it was going to be for us to fit a flap (nor did we!!).
Thy did mention the option of having an indoor only cat (FIV) but it would be a challenge to stop them from sneaking out as the layout of the house is a bit odd.
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For some cats being shut in all day would be boring and being shut out imo isnt an option so i can see for a young or adventurous cat you would need one but on the other hand there are cats who are happy to be mainly indoor and go out in light evenings/weekends.
To say a straight no if you dont have a flap is abit shortsighted imo as there are cats who need all kinds of homes,a lot of older cats would be more than happy snoozing in the house.
As to the nearby road, i would say its better to have the cat in when your out to prevent them wandering that way?!
Im sure someone will find you soon enough, Dinah will send your way :hug:
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Hi Baggy
I had a cat flap fitted in the smallest pane of double glazing in my conservatory. A 'Window Doctor' had to measure the dimensions to the template of the flap & then make the hole with a new pane of glass/double glazed at the works.
So, it was new panes of glass that made it a costly £150 inc flap.
Was so wonderful though to let them have the freedom to come & go as they wanted.
I hope you can soon have it done.
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Hi Baggy
I had a cat flap fitted in the smallest pane of double glazing in my conservatory. A 'Window Doctor' had to measure the dimensions to the template of the flap & then make the hole with a new pane of glass/double glazed at the works.
So, it was new panes of glass that made it a costly £150 inc flap.
Was so wonderful though to let them have the freedom to come & go as they wanted.
I hope you can soon have it done.
bhjayalaxmi's advertising removed by moderator.
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I have locked this thread temporarily to stop nuisance posts.
OK, sorted :) Carry on, folks!
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:shify:
Well, now it's back on page 1, thought I'd update! As the patio doors are sliding ones it looks as if they won't open properly if we put a flap in the glass. Alison sent me a message to say that her through the wall tunnel works really well so think we're going to give that a try, and we'll build a little brick staircase outside.
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I dont think it would be a good idea to put it in the glass doors :scared:
My mum had a "hole in the wall" :evillaugh: the same idea as yours and it worked very well. I too need to install a flap, so let me know how it goes :)