Vet Directory: Find a local vet near you

By: Pet Vet El Segundo, CA

A microchip cat flap helps to ensure that your cat can always enter and exit the home. At the same time, it prevents other animals from entering through the same pet door, and reduces the risk of home intrusion through that entrance. Microchip-sensitive cat flaps or doors open automatically and only for your pet or pets. They operate by sensing your animal's identifying microchip. An animal without the correct chip or without a chip at all will find that the door remains shut. This is a quick, inexpensive and painless procedure that can be done at any veterinarian's office. Your vet will install a tiny microchip with a specific identifying code in the space between your cat's shoulder blades, where he will not be able to lick or scratch it out. Microchip cat flaps typically have two settings. The first, a "learning" mode, allows the flap to open whenever any animal comes to the door. The machine will detect the animal's microchip and store it for future use. The second mode is the primary setting of the door. At that point, it will only allow your pets to have access to the home, and will no longer accept new microchip information into its system. The doors do not open automatically upon human contact, which prevents intruders from being able to access your house through a pet door.