Best microchip cat flaps UK: entry, exit and installation costs

Choose the access control you need

Published UK price snapshot

Manufacturer page prices accessed 10 September 2026, not live offers. Stock, delivery and total installation cost must be checked separately.

Permissions and installation scope

A product price is not an installed quote. Glass replacement and wall work can dominate the total.

Pre-installation identifier sheet

Selective entry is not selective exit

PetSafe’s listed Microchip Cat Flap is selective-entry only, with a manual four-way lock. It is not equivalent to a model that identifies each cat on the way out. A global lock controls the opening, not a separate permission for every pet.

DualScan specifically provides individual exit permissions. Write down each cat’s permitted directions before choosing the model. Product-family names such as microchip or smart do not settle this question.

The hole and the cat opening are different measurements

Check both the smallest usable opening for the cat and the cut-out required in the door. An existing hole may need an adaptor even when the new frame appears large enough to cover it. Wall depth can add tunnel sections.

For glass, insulated panels or a rented property, establish permission and a suitable installer before cutting anything. Ask for a written price including the flap, adaptors, tunnel, labour and any replacement glazing. A flap-only retail comparison can miss most of the project cost.

App control adds a hub and support dependency

SureFlap Cat Flap Connect requires its hub for app functions. The manufacturer lists the flap alone and a hub bundle separately. If you already own a compatible hub, that changes the basket you should compare.

Its UK page states a two-year period of hub security updates from purchase. Consider that support statement alongside remote-control convenience. We have not audited the app, its security or future service availability. A local-control model avoids that particular dependency but offers different functions.

Compatibility and operating checks

Use the manufacturer’s microchip-number compatibility checker before ordering. Programme and test the flap according to its instructions, ideally before committing to installation. Check which batteries are required and what happens when they run low.

The shortlist is based on documented permissions, installation requirements and suppliers. We have not tested forced entry, draught leakage or detection success. No flap is presented as a guarantee against tailgating. The larger SureFlap Pet Door Connect is a different product and should not inherit the Cat Flap Connect’s exit features.

Treat the flap and the installation as separate purchases

DualScan and Cat Flap Connect use a 142 x 120 mm opening, a 70 mm tunnel and a 165 x 171 mm cut-out, but the installation kit changes for wall, glass or metal. DualScan handles selective exit locally. Connect adds remote controls only with the Hub and its batteries are rated for a shorter maximum life than DualScan.

PetSafe PPA19-16145 is a selective-entry route for up to 40 compatible 15-digit FDX-B chips; it is not evidence of per-cat exit control. Before buying, record the exact chip type, surface and thickness, landlord or freeholder permission, required adapter or tunnel extensions, making-good work and whether the selected fitter will warranty the cut-out.

• Excluded: No fitted-price estimate without the wall, door, glass, chip and electrical details a fitter needs.
• Excluded: No assumption that selective entry also means per-cat selective exit.
• Excluded: No compatibility claim for encrypted AVID or Trovan chips on DualScan.

Complete the chip, aperture and accessory check before cutting

For PetSafe PPA19-16145, enter the cat’s 15-digit microchip ID in PetSafe’s checker rather than assuming every chip is readable. Record the exact flap model, installation surface and thickness, the manufacturer template’s cut-out, the usable flap opening and the existing aperture. PAC54-16246 is the named adaptor for this flap in windows, walls and metal doors; PetSafe specifies a 212–285 mm glass opening and a 300 mm outside diameter for that adaptor.

Wall installation also requires the separately sold PPA19-16687 tunnel extension. SureFlap DualScan has a 142 x 120 mm narrowest opening, 70 mm built-in tunnel and 165 x 171 mm door/wall cut-out. Each Cat Flap Tunnel Extender adds 50 mm. Its mounting adaptor accepts circular glass apertures from 212 to 260 mm and has a 285 mm total diameter. Run the Sure Petcare chip checker and retain the exact model and serial number; do not substitute accessories from the larger Pet Door family.