A pet door or pet flap (also referred to in more specific terms, such as cat flap, cat door, kitty door, dog flap, dog door, or doggy/doggie door) is a small opening to allow pets to enter and exit a building on their own without needing a human to open the door. Originally simple holes, the modern form is a hinged and often spring-loaded panel or flexible flap, and some are electronically controlled. They offer a degree of protection against wind, rain, and larger-bodied intruders entering the dwelling. Similar hatches can let dogs through fences at stiles. A related concept is the pet gate, which is easy for humans to open but acts as a secure pet barrier.
A pet door is found to be convenient by many owners of companion animals, especially dogs and cats, because it lets the pets come and go as they please, reducing the need for pet-owners to let or take the pet outside manually, and curtailing unwanted behaviour such as loud vocalisation to be let outside, scratching on doors or walls, and (especially in the case of dogs) excreting in the house. They also help to ensure that a pet left outdoors can safely get back into the house unattended, in the case of inclement weather.
Features
A cat flap in action
The simplest type are bottom-weighted flaps hung from the top of the opening, which swing shut on their own, but may be spring-aided to increase wind resistance. These flaps often feature magnets around the edges to help keep the door closed against weather and wind. Some pet doors, made of rigid materials, have side-mounted hinges and swing open like saloon doors, and usually have a spring or other contrivance to force their closure after the pet has gone through. Another door type, also rigid, may hinge at the top and simply rely on gravity to swing it down to where magnetism may engage to hold it properly closed. The rigid materials used are often made from plastic for the framing, and for a transparent door element, high density polystyrene, or better such as acrylics like plexiglass. The tolerances possible with rigid form allow fitting the door and frame with a low friction weather seal designed to block air flow without binding caused by friction around the sealing perimeter. This may be achieved with a synthetic material resembling a sparse high-piled velvet with fibers stiff and elastic enough to resist matting.
Another common feature is an adjustable catch to restrict the opening of the device to either one direction or the other; for example, to allow the pet to come in for the night, but not go out again until the owner releases the catch the next morning. Some pets, mostly cats with their retractile claws and flexible paws, learn to circumvent one-way pet doors, especially the "flap-within-flap" design.
Most also have a locking mechanism of some kind, and can be closed off by sliding a rigid plate into parallel rails on the left and right of the interior side of the pet door, useful during bad weather or when the owners are traveling with their pets.
Pet doors are generally designed to be safe for any type of pet. The panels are often designed with soft vinyl that does not trap or injure the animal. Cheap, easily replaceable pet doors are made from plastic and may not always be robust enough for large, boisterous pets.
Pet doors are most often fitted in a plywood or plastic paneled door, into which it is straightforward to cut a large round hole, but can also be fitted in brickwork or (if a sealed unit is obtained with the hole already provided) in a double glazed door. The latter is a relatively expensive option but may be the only alternative in some cases. Removable pet doors suitable for sliding glass doors are also available.
Innovation has contributed to a new generation of more expensive pet doors making use of specific materials, automation, time control devices, and/or sophisticated sensors to deal with common problems like poor insulation and drafts, higher noise levels, insufficient pet safety and access difficulties.[1][2]
History
The Oxford English Dictionary records the first use of the phrase "cat flap" in 1957 and "cat door" in 1959,[3] but the idea is much older.
In rural areas, cat doors (often simple holes) in the walls, doors or even roofs of grain and flour storage spaces have long been used to welcome feral cats to hunt rodent pests that feed on these stores. Human semi-domestication of wildcats dates back to at least 7,500 BC in Cyprus,[4] and the domestic cat was a part of everyday life in grain-dependent ancient Egypt (ca. 6,000 BC onward). In modern times, this function is mostly lost, but in some rural areas, such as Valencia, Spain, and Vaunage, France, farm cat doors and holes (Spanish: gateras, French: chatières) are still common.
The 14th-century English writer Geoffrey Chaucer described a simple cat hole in the "Miller's Tale" from his Canterbury Tales (late 14th century). In the narrative, a servant whose knocks go unanswered uses the cat door to peek in:
An hole he foond, ful lowe upon a bord Ther as the cat was wont in for to crepe, And at the hole he looked in ful depe, And at the last he hadde of hym a sighte.
Exeter Cathedral is thought to have the oldest documented cat access hole, with records indicating a payment of eight pence made to the cathedral carpenters to cut a hole in the door to enable the cat of William Cotton, Bishop of Exeter 1598 - 1621 to catch rats and mice.[5]
In an apparent early modern example of urban legend, the invention of the pet door was attributed to Isaac Newton (1642–1727) in a story (authored anonymously and published in a column of anecdotes in 1893) to the effect that Newton foolishly made a large hole for his adult cat and a small one for her kittens, not realizing the kittens could use the large hole as well.[6] Two Newton biographers cite passages saying that Newton kept "neither cat nor dog in his chamber".[7][8] Yet over 60 years earlier, a member of Newton's alma mater Trinity College, one J. M. F. Wright, reported this same story (from an unknown source) in his 1827 memoir, adding: "Whether this account be true or false, indisputably true is it that there are in the door to this day two plugged holes of the proper dimensions for the respective egresses of cat and kitten."[9]
Modern cat flaps are popular in some countries, even in urban environments, particularly the United Kingdom where it is estimated that about 74% of cats have access to the outdoors.[10]
Dog doors are common in suburban North America, where they mostly lead to fenced-in yards. Pet doors are also common between suburban homes and their attached garages, so that pet-related mess (cat box, dog food, etc.) can be kept in the garage with pets having free access.
Electronic pet doors
A microchip-enabled, selective-access cat and small dog door running through a wall
Several types of pet doors that allow selective access are available. The advantages of this type of pet door over simpler models are improved weather resistance, and home security against strays and other unwanted animals. Some use a permanent magnet mounted on the pet's collar to activate a matching electromagnetic mechanism that unlatches the door panel when the magnet comes within range; several pets can be fitted with collars that match the same door. Pet doors with infrared locks open only when a collar-mounted device transmits the correct code to the latch's receiver, allowing owners to have multiple flaps that different pets can use, e.g. a small cat flap to the back yard and a large dog door accessing a dog run. Either type can be used to selectively allow one pet outside access, while denying it to another (e.g., an ill animal that needs to stay indoors).
Some of the newest models use radio-frequency identification to electronically read a pet's microchip implant. This removes the need for a cat to wear a collar, which could become lost. Other high-end doors use a key with RFID. The key is attached to the pet's collar, and the electric door only opens for the assigned keys.
Dog stiles
A man lets a dog through the lift-up hatch at a stile in Medway, England.
In England, Ireland, and other areas with large numbers of livestock fences and walls in areas through which people walk on footpaths, stiles often have wooden, lift-up dog hatchways next to them, because dogs are not good at climbing stile steps and are often too heavy to lift over a fence.
Pet gates
A related idea to the pet door is the pet gate, an easily human-operated portal that keeps pets in (or out) and thwarts their attempts to open it by using a thumb-operated switch or a smooth door handle, and which is tall enough that it cannot be jumped over by the type of pet for which it was designed. Styles vary, but they are typically made of wooden or metal bars or a wire lattice, and have adjustable widths so that they can be used to span arbitrary entrances, hallways or windows. Common uses are to keep pets inside while ventilating a room by opening an unscreened door, or keeping pets out of a baby's room or a dining area.
Pet barriers
Pet barriers are typically made of fabric and are especially used to secure staircases.[11] They are available in banister-to-banister and wall-to-banister options and are customizable and portable.
Related Research Articles
A door is a hinged or otherwise movable barrier that allows ingress (entry) into and egress (exit) from an enclosure. The created opening in the wall is a doorway or portal. A door's essential and primary purpose is to provide security by controlling access to the doorway (portal). Conventionally, it is a panel that fits into the doorway of a building, room, or vehicle. Doors are generally made of a material suited to the door's task. They are commonly attached by hinges, but can move by other means, such as slides or counterbalancing.
A ladder is a vertical or inclined set of rungs or steps commonly used for climbing or descending. There are two types: rigid ladders that are self-supporting or that may be leaned against a vertical surface such as a wall, and rollable ladders, such as those made of rope or aluminium, that may be hung from the top. The vertical members of a rigid ladder are called stringers or rails (US) or stiles (UK). Rigid ladders are usually portable, but some types are permanently fixed to a structure, building, or equipment. They are commonly made of metal, wood, or fiberglass, but they have been known to be made of tough plastic.
An assistance dog is a dog that receives specialized training to aid an individual with a disability in navigating everyday life. Many assistance dogs receive training from a handler or from an assistance dog organization.
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Purebreds are like cultivars of an animal species achieved through the process of selective breeding. When the lineage of a purebred animal is recorded, that animal is said to be pedigreed. Purebreds breed true-to-type which means the progeny of like-to-like purebred parents will carry the same phenotype, or observable characteristics of the parents. A group of like purebreds is called a pure-breeding line or strain.
Housebreaking or house-training is the process of training a domesticated animal that lives with its human owners in a house or other residence to excrete outdoors, or in a designated indoor area, rather than to follow its instinctive behaviour randomly inside the house.
Crate training is the process of training a pet to tolerate confinement in a dog crate or cage. Crate advocates often claim that dogs are "den-dwelling" animals and that a crate can become a "den" substitute and a familiar and safe location for the pet. Most puppies can eventually tolerate crate training if it is introduced properly. The initial stress from being confined can give way to "increased feelings of security, safety, and comfort" after repeated exposure to the crate. Long-term or excessive crate confinement "may lead to emotional and behavioral deterioration over time." On the other hand, if properly done, crate training can play a major role in housebreaking a dog as fast as possible. Confining a dog in a crate or cage restricts its movement and freedom, If crate training is not taken seriously, the dog may start soiling around the house.
A pet harness is equipment consisting of straps of webbing that loop nearly around—that fasten together using side release buckles—the torso of an animal.
A dog collar is a piece of material put around the neck of a dog. A collar may be used for restraint, identification, fashion, protection, or training. Identification tags and medical information are often placed on dog collars. Collars are often used in conjunction with a leash for restraining a dog. Collars can be traumatic to the trachea if the dog pulls against the restraint of the leash, causing severe pressure to the neck. Use of a harness instead of a collar may be beneficial for dogs prone to tracheitis or those with a collapsed trachea. Conversely, dog breeds with slender necks or smaller heads may easily slip out of collars that are too loose. This can be avoided by using a martingale dog collar which tightens to distribute pressure around the neck when training the dog not to pull. Any style of dog collar must be properly fitted to ensure safety and collars should not be worn when the dog is unattended.
A muzzle is a device that is placed over the snout of an animal to keep them from biting or otherwise opening their mouth.
Animal roleplay is a form of roleplay where at least one participant plays the part of a non-human animal. As with most forms of roleplay, its uses include play and psychodrama.
An animal collar is a device that attaches to the neck of an animal to allow it to be harnessed or restrained.
Littlest Pet Shop is a toy franchise and cartoon series owned by Hasbro and currently under license with Basic Fun!. The original toy series was produced by Kenner in the early 1990s. An animated television series was made in 1995 by Sunbow Productions and Jean Chalopin Creativite et Developpement, based on the franchise.
An Elizabethan collar, E collar, pet ruff or pet cone is a protective medical device worn by an animal, usually a cat or dog. Shaped like a truncated cone, its purpose is to prevent the animal from biting or licking at its body or scratching at its head or neck while wounds or injuries heal. The collars are named from the ruffs worn in the Elizabethan era.
Cats communicate for a variety of reasons, including to show happiness, express anger, solicit attention, and observe potential prey. Additionally, they collaborate, play, and share resources. When cats communicate with humans, they do so to get what they need or want, such as food, water, attention, or play. As such, cat communication methods have been significantly altered by domestication. Studies have shown that domestic cats tend to meow much more than feral cats. They rarely meow to communicate with fellow cats or other animals. Cats can socialize with each other and are known to form "social ladders," where a dominant cat is leading a few lesser cats. This is common in multi-cat households.
A pet fence or fenceless boundary is an electronic system designed to keep a pet or other domestic animal within a set of predefined boundaries without the use of a physical barrier. A mild electric shock is delivered by an electronic collar if its warning sound is ignored. The system was first invented and patented by Richard Peck in 1973.
Fetch is a pet insurance provider, helping pet owners cover veterinary bills in the United States and Canada.
Pet carriers are small portable boxes, crates, or cages used to transport small animals such as cats, lap dogs, miniature pigs, ferrets, chickens, guinea pigs, and so on, from one location to another.
Dog fashion is a popular style or practice, especially in canine clothing and accessories. Dog fashion is a distinctive trend of the style in which people dress their canine companions. This trend dates back to the Egyptian predynastic period and has since expanded due to increased consumer capitalism. Other animals such as cats may also wear fashion.
Dog-like cat is a term in popular culture that refers to specific breeds of domestic cats that have unusual behavioral tendencies that are reminiscent of young domestic dogs. These are within the scope of feline behavior, and may be enhanced through selective breeding. These behaviors, not specific to any breed, include following people around from room to room, the desire to receive frequent moments of physical affection such as being held and petted, a lack of aggression toward some fellow animals, and a placid nature. Certain owners may successfully attempt to train their cats to perform on command, such as via clicker training, akin to canines and other domesticated animals.
↑ Anonymous ("The Country Parson") (1863). E. H. Sears & Rufus Ellis (ed.). "Random Readings: Philosophy and Common Sense". The Monthly Religious Magazine. Boston, MA: Leonard C. Bowles Press. p.298.
↑ Brodetsky, S. (2007) [first pub. 1927]. Sir Isaac Newton. Upton Press. p. 100. ISBN1406769991.
↑ More, Louis Trenchard (1937). Isaac Newton: a Biography. C. Scribner's Sons.
↑ Wright, J. F. M. (1827). Alma Mater. Volume 1. p. 17.
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