Best Maine Coon Cat Flaps

Adding a cat flap to your home is a great way to provide freedom and independence to your cat, but finding a suitable cat flap can be a difficult process due to their large size.

Maine Coon Cat Flaps

The best Maine Coon cat flaps are large enough to accommodate this breed’s unusual size. They typically measure between 6 and 13 inches wide and between 6.5 and 17.5 inches tall, but the exact dimensions will depend on your cat’s size. It is best to install a microchip cat door, to prevent any unwanted visitors from entering.

The Maine Coon is one of the most famous cat breeds in the world, widely renowned for being the largest domesticated cat breed in existence.

Weighing between 12 and 22 pounds, their large size makes them highly desirable among many cat owners, but their huge dimensions can pose unique challenges.

Since most cats weigh between 7 and 10 pounds, most litter boxes, cat trees, scratching posts, and other cat supplies only come in one size. Unfortunately, this is also true for cat flaps.

If you want to provide your Maine Coon with access to the outside world, you will need an extra-large cat flap.

Pros And Cons Of Cat Flaps

Below are some factors to consider:

Enrichment

Allowing your cat to roam freely outside comes with lots of dangers, such as:

• Cars
• Wild Animals
• Injury
• Diseases

For a full list of the threats, read this article.

If you have a secure garden that your Maine Coon is unable to escape from, allowing your cat to explore the outdoors is a great way to provide them with enrichment.

These intelligent cats can become bored and destructive without enough stimulation, so the many sights, sounds, and scents of the outdoors are a feast for your cat’s senses!

Convenience

If you allow your Maine Coon outdoors, or if you regularly find yourself opening and closing interior doors at your cat’s demands, then a cat flap might be one of the most convenient purchases you can ever make.

Even the mild-mannered Maine Coon can be demanding, especially when it comes to going outside or entering different rooms!

Cat flaps provide a safe, convenient way for your cat to navigate through your home or the outdoor world without requiring human intervention.

What Size Cat Flap Do You Need?

Since these large cats vary greatly in size, the cat door size needed will also vary from cat to cat. However, it’s advisable to select a cat flap that fits a fully grown Maine Coon weighing 22 lbs, 10-16 inches in height, and up to 40 inches in length.

The ideal size of a cat flap can range from 6 x 6.5 inches to 13 x 17.5 inches.

The cat flap should be two inches wider than your cat’s maximum width, and two inches taller than its height.

Measuring Your Cat Flap

Cats are famous for their flexibility – you might be surprised by how easily your Maine Coon can fit through a small space.

Take a piece of cardboard and cut a small square in it, starting at about 6 x 6 inches. Encourage your Maine Coon to enter the hole by placing your cat on one side of the cardboard, and a treat on the other.

This step usually works best in a hallway or doorway, so your cat cannot escape via the side!

If your cat is unable to walk through the hole, gradually cut larger and larger pieces of cardboard until the Maine Coon can walk through. When your cat can easily and comfortably walk through, measure the square.

If you are lucky, you might be able to find a catflap of the correct size, although some owners have to purchase dog doors, instead.

Cat Flap Vs Cat Door

Cat flaps and cat doors are often used interchangeably, but these phrases can also indicate two very different things. Specifically, cat flaps always contain a flap that closes behind your cat whenever it enters or exits through it.

More specialized cat flaps can be locked on either side or might only respond to your cat’s microchip.

Cat doors, on the other hand, can sometimes refer to simple holes cut through interior walls and doors. These doors do not require cat flaps, because they are simply for your cat to get around inside the house.

This is a convenient way to allow your cat to enter and exit any room at will, without needing to constantly open and close doors.

How To Choose A Cat Door

Purchasing a cat flap can be a lot harder than you would originally think, and if you own a Maine Coon, that only makes it all the more complicated.

Therefore, if you are feeling overwhelmed, here is a handy cat door buying guide so you can find the perfect fitting cat door for you and your cat.

1. Size

If you look at a cat door size chart but cannot find your cat’s dimensions, you are probably wondering, can a Maine Coon fit through a cat flap?

After measuring your Maine Coon and testing how large the door should be, research cat flaps that meet your cat’s measurements.

If you cannot find any cat flaps that are large enough, you will likely have to purchase a dog flap, instead.

2. Door Location

The location of your cat’s door will determine the thickness of the cat door.

If you want to place the cat door in a thick wall, you will need a much thicker cat door, and you might even need to purchase a tunnel extender to make it long enough.

3. Type Of Door

Determine the kind of door you want. If you are looking for an interior cat door, you may not need a flap at all.

For exterior cat doors, however, you might want a cat flap that responds to either your cat’s microchip or a magnet on your cat’s collar.

Next, you need to determine if you want a cat flap that can be locked or not.

Best Large Microchip Cat Flaps

Here are some reasons why most owners find microchip cat flaps to be best for their cats:

Eliminates Unwelcome Guests

Regular cat flaps, unfortunately, open your home to any neighboring or stray cat.

The most popular reason for microchip cat flaps, therefore, is that they prevent any unwanted visitors from entering your house.

In extreme cases, skunks, raccoons, and other wild animals can figure out how to use cat flaps, as well!

Microchip cat flaps will only allow the microchipped pets you registered to go in and out as they, please.

You Can Register As Many Pets As You Like

If you have multiple pets, you do not need to worry.

This is because most microchip cat flaps allow you to register up to thirty different microchips, so your entire animal menagerie can use the door.

Customize Your Cat’s Access

Microchip cat flaps are a lot more sophisticated than regular cat flaps:

• You can customize when these flaps lock and unlock
• You can even change the setting based on different microchips

For example, if you want to allow one of your cats outside, but not the other, you can easily modify the cat flap to selectively allow only one cat to pass through.

This is also perfect for establishing a routine, so your cat cannot leave during the night or during other unexpected times.

If you are searching for a cat flap for a large cat, take a look at the Sureflap cat flap brand.

How To Fit A Cat Flap

Here are the steps you should take to fit your cat flap:

Purchase The Cat Flap

The kind of door you purchase will depend on the material you will be installing it into.

Make sure you buy a cat flap that can be installed into whatever material are working with.

Determine Location

Choose the spot you want to install your cat door.

Most cat flaps are about 4 to 6 inches from the ground, although you may need to move it an inch or so higher for your extra-large Maine Coon.

Then, you can use the template provided by your cat flap to mark out where to drill and cut.

Making Space

Most cat flaps require you to drill in each corner and then cut through the material with a saw.

Of course, you should always double-check your measurements before making any cuts, since there is no way to undo them.

Final Installation

Install the cat flap according to the instructions, making sure it is completely secure to avoid damage or even injury.

Now, all you have to do is let your cat get used to the door and begin using it.