I hope someone can give me some advice if any of you have done this.

Before I have always had a cat flap in a door but now I have a new house and
the back door is a large double glazed door which would just cost me to much
to have a flap put in. A builder friend has offered to put one in the wall
for me. Has anyone any experience of doing this? I have a couple
questions:

1. As it's a cavity wall do cats have a problem going through a tunnel?

2. The actual door seems to be on the inside leaving the tunnel exposed to
the elements (or have I got that wrong?). What's stopping it filling with
rain and allowing water to seep into the cavity wall?

Knocking holes in walls is quite a drastic thing to do so I don't really
want to do it unless it really is the right thing............though I'm not
sure what else I will do if it isn't!!

Thanks in advance

Angela

Angela wrote:
I hope someone can give me some advice if any of you have done this.

Before I have always had a cat flap in a door but now I have a new house and
the back door is a large double glazed door which would just cost me to much
to have a flap put in. A builder friend has offered to put one in the wall
for me. Has anyone any experience of doing this? I have a couple
questions:

1. As it's a cavity wall do cats have a problem going through a tunnel?

2. The actual door seems to be on the inside leaving the tunnel exposed to
the elements (or have I got that wrong?). What's stopping it filling with
rain and allowing water to seep into the cavity wall?

Knocking holes in walls is quite a drastic thing to do so I don't really
want to do it unless it really is the right thing............though I'm not
sure what else I will do if it isn't!!

Thanks in advance

Angela



I'll join in this as well. Been meaning to do the same but have been
held back by similar misgivings.

On 2008-04-25 23:22:30 +0100, "Angela" said:

I hope someone can give me some advice if any of you have done this.

Yes.


Before I have always had a cat flap in a door but now I have a new house and
the back door is a large double glazed door which would just cost me to much
to have a flap put in. A builder friend has offered to put one in the wall
for me. Has anyone any experience of doing this? I have a couple
questions:

1. As it's a cavity wall do cats have a problem going through a tunnel?

Not really unless it's a very old cat.




2. The actual door seems to be on the inside leaving the tunnel exposed to
the elements (or have I got that wrong?). What's stopping it filling with
rain and allowing water to seep into the cavity wall?

Because the rain doesn't really drive in horizontally, unless you live
in Newcastle.

There are plastic tunnel liners that can be fitted together in
sections. You can glue these together with plumbers solvent weld if
you like




Knocking holes in walls is quite a drastic thing to do so I don't really
want to do it unless it really is the right thing............though I'm not
sure what else I will do if it isn't!!



It's better than using a DG door.

On Fri, 25 Apr 2008 23:22:30 +0100, "Angela"
wrote:

I hope someone can give me some advice if any of you have done this.

Before I have always had a cat flap in a door but now I have a new house and
the back door is a large double glazed door which would just cost me to much
to have a flap put in. A builder friend has offered to put one in the wall
for me. Has anyone any experience of doing this? I have a couple
questions:

1. As it's a cavity wall do cats have a problem going through a tunnel?

2. The actual door seems to be on the inside leaving the tunnel exposed to
the elements (or have I got that wrong?). What's stopping it filling with
rain and allowing water to seep into the cavity wall?

Knocking holes in walls is quite a drastic thing to do so I don't really
want to do it unless it really is the right thing............though I'm not
sure what else I will do if it isn't!!

Thanks in advance

Angela


Go for it. A hole in a wall costs a few pounds to get rid of but a
hole in a door, particularly a plastic one costs serious money to
remove, as two neighbours are finding out )

In message , Angela
writes
I hope someone can give me some advice if any of you have done this.

Before I have always had a cat flap in a door but now I have a new house and
the back door is a large double glazed door which would just cost me to much
to have a flap put in. A builder friend has offered to put one in the wall
for me. Has anyone any experience of doing this? I have a couple
questions:

1. As it's a cavity wall do cats have a problem going through a tunnel?

This doesn't appear to have been discussed for several years

Yes, they will go through a tunnel, but it might need training. You
might need to keep the cat flap open for a couple of weeks while it gets
used to the concept.

Mine has no problems going through such a tunnel, although, being a cat,
it will play the game of trying to get you to open the door just for the
sake of it


--
geoff

In message , The Natural
Philosopher writes
Angela wrote:
I hope someone can give me some advice if any of you have done this.
Before I have always had a cat flap in a door but now I have a new
house and
the back door is a large double glazed door which would just cost me to much
to have a flap put in. A builder friend has offered to put one in the wall
for me. Has anyone any experience of doing this? I have a couple
questions:
1. As it's a cavity wall do cats have a problem going through a
tunnel?
2. The actual door seems to be on the inside leaving the tunnel
exposed to
the elements (or have I got that wrong?). What's stopping it filling with
rain and allowing water to seep into the cavity wall?
Knocking holes in walls is quite a drastic thing to do so I don't
really
want to do it unless it really is the right thing............though I'm not
sure what else I will do if it isn't!!
Thanks in advance
Angela

I'll join in this as well. Been meaning to do the same but have been
held back by similar misgivings.

Nah - it'll never work


--
geoff

geoff wrote:
Mine has no problems going through such a tunnel, although, being a cat,
it will play the game of trying to get you to open the door just for the
sake of it


Friend of mine installed a 'dog' flap in his house by making a hole
through a wall, the only issue he did initially have was that for most
of the ground floor of his house, the inside floor level was
considerably higher than the outside level.

However, one room - the downstairs loo - had the least outside drop so
the tunnel was installed there!

It was a small loo, room for one person only - or make that one person
and a dog, if ye were unlucky to be on the throne and the animal had
just come scurrying in by your side!

Privacy Nil!

:-)

--
Adrian C

geoff wrote:
In message , Angela
writes
I hope someone can give me some advice if any of you have done this.

Before I have always had a cat flap in a door but now I have a new
house and
the back door is a large double glazed door which would just cost me
to much
to have a flap put in. A builder friend has offered to put one in the
wall
for me. Has anyone any experience of doing this? I have a couple
questions:

1. As it's a cavity wall do cats have a problem going through a tunnel?

This doesn't appear to have been discussed for several years

Yes, they will go through a tunnel, but it might need training. You
might need to keep the cat flap open for a couple of weeks while it gets
used to the concept.

Mine has no problems going through such a tunnel, although, being a cat,
it will play the game of trying to get you to open the door just for the
sake of it

I have just 'converted' an old boiler flue into a cat tunnel by lowering
the hole a couple of bricks and lining the 'tunnel with ply. The Tunnel
is about 1 brick wide by 3 high
The Cat Flap is on the inside. The Cat manages to come through fine,
but boy does he complain that it is not as convenient as the old one in
the conservatory was!!
SCM

Angela wrote:
I hope someone can give me some advice if any of you have done this.

Before I have always had a cat flap in a door but now I have a new
house and the back door is a large double glazed door which would
just cost me to much to have a flap put in. A builder friend has
offered to put one in the wall for me. Has anyone any experience of
doing this? I have a couple questions:

1. As it's a cavity wall do cats have a problem going through a
tunnel?
2. The actual door seems to be on the inside leaving the tunnel
exposed to the elements (or have I got that wrong?). What's stopping
it filling with rain and allowing water to seep into the cavity wall?

Knocking holes in walls is quite a drastic thing to do so I don't
really want to do it unless it really is the right
thing............though I'm not sure what else I will do if it isn't!!

Get rid of the cat - problem solved.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

In message 7q2dnRsjNeI98o_VnZ2dnUVZ8sLinZ2d@plusnet, Owain
writes
geoff wrote:
Mine has no problems going through such a tunnel, although, being a
cat, it will play the game of trying to get you to open the door just
for the sake of it

Might just be easier to use a low-level doorbell and train the cat to
ring for entry.

You are joking, aren't you ?

Mine makes a big fuss to be let out of the front door, just to appear at
the back 5 minutes later - on it's way to the front door just to play
the same game again

You don't train cats ...


--
geoff

On 2008-04-26 01:04:34 +0100, geoff said:

In message 7q2dnRsjNeI98o_VnZ2dnUVZ8sLinZ2d@plusnet, Owain
writes
geoff wrote:
Mine has no problems going through such a tunnel, although, being a
cat, it will play the game of trying to get you to open the door just
for the sake of it

Might just be easier to use a low-level doorbell and train the cat to
ring for entry.

You are joking, aren't you ?

Mine makes a big fuss to be let out of the front door, just to appear
at the back 5 minutes later - on it's way to the front door just to
play the same game again

You don't train cats ...

Dogs have owners. Cats have staff.

In message , geoff
writes
In message , Angela
writes
I hope someone can give me some advice if any of you have done this.

Before I have always had a cat flap in a door but now I have a new house and
the back door is a large double glazed door which would just cost me to much
to have a flap put in. A builder friend has offered to put one in the wall
for me. Has anyone any experience of doing this? I have a couple
questions:

1. As it's a cavity wall do cats have a problem going through a tunnel?

This doesn't appear to have been discussed for several years

Yes, they will go through a tunnel, but it might need training. You
might need to keep the cat flap open for a couple of weeks while it
gets used to the concept.


In the end we had to stuff one of our into the tunnel to make it go
through the tunnel and flap.. Once she'd done it once she was fine.

We had similar thing, though ours went through two walls eventually, as
the hole to the outside was in a corner hidden by cupboards, washing
machine etc.

I lined the hole with ply - the plastic tunnel extensions seemed
expensive compared to a bit of scrap ply, with the flap on the outside
(no good though if you want a locking flap)
--
Chris French

"scm" wrote in message
...
I have just 'converted' an old boiler flue into a cat tunnel by lowering
the hole a couple of bricks and lining the 'tunnel with ply. The Tunnel is
about 1 brick wide by 3 high
The Cat Flap is on the inside. The Cat manages to come through fine, but
boy does he complain that it is not as convenient as the old one in the
conservatory was!!
SCM

My friend has suggested using the extension tubes as well as a plywood
tunnel as well to be absolutely sure it wont leak.

Thanks for all advice, I think I will go ahead.

Angela wrote:
2. The actual door seems to be on the inside leaving the tunnel exposed to
the elements (or have I got that wrong?). What's stopping it filling with
rain and allowing water to seep into the cavity wall?

If the tunnel has even a very slight slope it would only fill with water
when you are being flooded.

(Only partly tongue in cheek do I ask this!) I assume that if the
catflap has any transparent area it requires Fensa registration or
building control approval? And do the catflaps themselves need to have
any approval (BBA?, BS/EN?)?

--
Rod

Hypothyroidism is a seriously debilitating condition with an insidious
onset.
Although common it frequently goes undiagnosed.
www.thyromind.info www.thyroiduk.org www.altsupportthyroid.org

Angela wrote:
I hope someone can give me some advice if any of you have done this.

Before I have always had a cat flap in a door but now I have a new house and
the back door is a large double glazed door which would just cost me to much
to have a flap put in. A builder friend has offered to put one in the wall
for me. Has anyone any experience of doing this? I have a couple
questions:

1. As it's a cavity wall do cats have a problem going through a tunnel?

No, we have one which works fine.

One of our cats had to wear one of those plastic conical collars
recently following an combat wound which she kept picking at; as the
collar diameter was larger than that of the tunnel we set up a litter
tray inside for her the house. But oh no, somehow she still managed to
negotiate the tunnel - just took rather longer than usual. It was sight
to behold!

Our tunnel has a substantial wooden frame built into the house side, to
which the catflap is screwed - thus if we ever need a new cat flap,
maybe of different dimensions, it will be pretty easy to fit, ie won't
require 'building' work.

2. The actual door seems to be on the inside leaving the tunnel exposed to
the elements (or have I got that wrong?). What's stopping it filling with
rain and allowing water to seep into the cavity wall?

Well for a start the tunnel slopes outwards slightly, so any rainwater
would run outwards. Ours is in a solid wall, and is lined with mortar.


David

On 26 Apr, 07:20, Andy Hall wrote:
On 2008-04-26 01:04:34 +0100, geoff said:



In message 7q2dnRsjNeI98o_VnZ2dnUVZ8sLinZ2d@plusnet, Owain
writes
geoff wrote:
Mine has no problems going through such a tunnel, although, being a
cat, it will play the game of trying to get you to open the door just
for the sake of it

Might just be easier to use a low-level doorbell and train the cat to
ring for entry.

You are joking, aren't you ?

Mine makes a big fuss to be let out of the front door, just to appear
at the back 5 minutes later - on it's way to the front door just to
play the same game again

You don't train cats ...

Dogs have owners. Cats have staff.

Absolutely - as well I know - not only for food and water, but "I want
to play now", "I want to be petted now", etc. His only attribute is
that he is Bagpuss personified, otherwise he would have been out the
door long since.

Rob

Lobster wrote:
Angela wrote:
I hope someone can give me some advice if any of you have done this.

Before I have always had a cat flap in a door but now I have a new
house and
the back door is a large double glazed door which would just cost me
to much
to have a flap put in. A builder friend has offered to put one in the
wall
for me. Has anyone any experience of doing this? I have a couple
questions:

1. As it's a cavity wall do cats have a problem going through a tunnel?

No, we have one which works fine.

One of our cats had to wear one of those plastic conical collars
recently following an combat wound which she kept picking at; as the
collar diameter was larger than that of the tunnel we set up a litter
tray inside for her the house. But oh no, somehow she still managed to
negotiate the tunnel - just took rather longer than usual. It was sight
to behold!

Backwards? What goes up the chimney down, but won't go down the chimney up?

On Sat, 26 Apr 2008 08:33:17 +0100, Angela wrote:

"scm" wrote in message
...
I have just 'converted' an old boiler flue into a cat tunnel by lowering
the hole a couple of bricks and lining the 'tunnel with ply. The Tunnel is
about 1 brick wide by 3 high
The Cat Flap is on the inside. The Cat manages to come through fine, but
boy does he complain that it is not as convenient as the old one in the
conservatory was!!
SCM

My friend has suggested using the extension tubes as well as a plywood
tunnel as well to be absolutely sure it wont leak.

Thanks for all advice, I think I will go ahead.

Depending on what sort of cat flap you want to instal, it would be possible
to have a flap on the outer end of the tunnel.

If you want one of the 'four way locking' types, you're more or less bound
to have the flap on the inner end of the tunnel, but if you go for a
Staywell 700 series, this flap will sit quite happily on the outer end with
a security drop-down panel on the inner end.

http://www.petdoorsonline.co.uk/


--
the dot wanderer at tesco dot net

Gib Bogle wrote:
Lobster wrote:
Angela wrote:
I hope someone can give me some advice if any of you have done this.

Before I have always had a cat flap in a door but now I have a new
house and
the back door is a large double glazed door which would just cost me
to much
to have a flap put in. A builder friend has offered to put one in
the wall
for me. Has anyone any experience of doing this? I have a couple
questions:

1. As it's a cavity wall do cats have a problem going through a tunnel?

No, we have one which works fine.

One of our cats had to wear one of those plastic conical collars
recently following an combat wound which she kept picking at; as the
collar diameter was larger than that of the tunnel we set up a litter
tray inside for her the house. But oh no, somehow she still managed
to negotiate the tunnel - just took rather longer than usual. It was
sight to behold!

Backwards? What goes up the chimney down, but won't go down the chimney
up?

You'd think so, but she's not that bright - no, she just battled through
forwards...

David

Lobster wrote:
Gib Bogle wrote:
Lobster wrote:
Angela wrote:
I hope someone can give me some advice if any of you have done this.

Before I have always had a cat flap in a door but now I have a new
house and
the back door is a large double glazed door which would just cost me
to much
to have a flap put in. A builder friend has offered to put one in
the wall
for me. Has anyone any experience of doing this? I have a couple
questions:

1. As it's a cavity wall do cats have a problem going through a
tunnel?

No, we have one which works fine.

One of our cats had to wear one of those plastic conical collars
recently following an combat wound which she kept picking at; as the
collar diameter was larger than that of the tunnel we set up a litter
tray inside for her the house. But oh no, somehow she still managed
to negotiate the tunnel - just took rather longer than usual. It was
sight to behold!

Backwards? What goes up the chimney down, but won't go down the
chimney up?

You'd think so, but she's not that bright - no, she just battled through
forwards...

David

The OP doesn't say whether it's a single panel door. If it has two, it's
easy enough to replace the bottom one with pvc and put the flap in that

On Fri, 25 Apr 2008 23:22:30 +0100, "Angela"
wrote:

1. As it's a cavity wall do cats have a problem going through a tunnel?

Yes - they won't go through a cat flap sized tunnel. They will go
through one which is a bit bigger so they can stand as they come
through - so about 3-4 bricks high.

2. The actual door seems to be on the inside leaving the tunnel exposed to
the elements (or have I got that wrong?). What's stopping it filling with
rain and allowing water to seep into the cavity wall?

The cavity wall is designed to be wet - but why not put the cat door
on the outside?

Knocking holes in walls is quite a drastic thing to do so I don't really
want to do it unless it really is the right thing............though I'm not
sure what else I will do if it isn't!!

It's actually easier than modifying the door and simpler to remove if
you ever need to.

"Angela" wrote in message
om...
I hope someone can give me some advice if any of you have done this.

Before I have always had a cat flap in a door but now I have a new house
and
the back door is a large double glazed door which would just cost me to
much
to have a flap put in. A builder friend has offered to put one in the
wall
for me. Has anyone any experience of doing this? I have a couple
questions:

1. As it's a cavity wall do cats have a problem going through a tunnel?

2. The actual door seems to be on the inside leaving the tunnel exposed
to
the elements (or have I got that wrong?). What's stopping it filling with
rain and allowing water to seep into the cavity wall?
Our cat tunnel had a flap on the outside to keep the weather out (kept shut
by little magnets to stop draughts,
and a lockable flap on the inside. No problems with rain, since the outer
door kep all weather out (except in real storms when there were a few drips,
but nothing to worry about.) Does mean the cost of two cat-flaps...
The tunnel was lined with hardboard, needed cleaning (muddy paws) every few
months.
The cats needed a bit of persuasion to go though at first - holding the
other door open made it less scary for them.
After a couple of weeks they were happily using it.
hth
Neil

A collegue, when having an extension built, included a
catflap tunnel through the wall. The opening was complete
with a 12" concrete sill and lintel. The BCO thought it
was very funny.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

In message , Neil
writes
"Angela" wrote in message
news:fOSdnTjt8YlGxI_VnZ2dnUVZ8h2dnZ2d@brightview. com...
I hope someone can give me some advice if any of you have done this.

Before I have always had a cat flap in a door but now I have a new house
and
the back door is a large double glazed door which would just cost me to
much
to have a flap put in. A builder friend has offered to put one in the
wall
for me. Has anyone any experience of doing this? I have a couple
questions:

1. As it's a cavity wall do cats have a problem going through a tunnel?

2. The actual door seems to be on the inside leaving the tunnel exposed
to
the elements (or have I got that wrong?). What's stopping it filling with
rain and allowing water to seep into the cavity wall?
Our cat tunnel had a flap on the outside to keep the weather out (kept shut
by little magnets to stop draughts,
and a lockable flap on the inside. No problems with rain, since the outer
door kep all weather out (except in real storms when there were a few drips,
but nothing to worry about.) Does mean the cost of two cat-flaps...
The tunnel was lined with hardboard, needed cleaning (muddy paws) every few
months.

I put a bit of carpet on the floor of mine

good for cleaning the paws and easy to clean by banging against the wall
every so often


--
geoff

On Apr 25, 11:22 pm, "Angela" wrote:
I hope someone can give me some advice if any of you have done this.

Before I have always had a cat flap in a door but now I have a new house and
the back door is a large double glazed door which would just cost me to much
to have a flap put in. A builder friend has offered to put one in the wall
for me. Has anyone any experience of doing this? I have a couple
questions:

1. As it's a cavity wall do cats have a problem going through a tunnel?

2. The actual door seems to be on the inside leaving the tunnel exposed to
the elements (or have I got that wrong?). What's stopping it filling with
rain and allowing water to seep into the cavity wall?

Knocking holes in walls is quite a drastic thing to do so I don't really
want to do it unless it really is the right thing............though I'm not
sure what else I will do if it isn't!!

Thanks in advance

Angela

Take the easy option and change the double glazed panel in the door
for one with glass and a UPVC panel. Then ask the window company
to cut the panel for a cat flap. Job done. Should cost more than about
50-100 for
a panel for a door+ fitting.

wrote in message
...
On Apr 25, 11:22 pm, "Angela" wrote:
I hope someone can give me some advice if any of you have done this.
Take the easy option and change the double glazed panel in the door
for one with glass and a UPVC panel. Then ask the window company
to cut the panel for a cat flap. Job done. Should cost more than about
50-100 for
a panel for a door+ fitting.

Thank, that's what I would have donw but the door is wood frames and the
sealed unit is the full door. I would consider having the full pane
replaced but I can't figure out how to get it out, it looks like the door
was made with the glass in - it's really weird!