Microchip pet door

Hi everyone

I wanted to know has anyone tried the microchip pet door for cats by sure flap.  I have been taken care of four ferals since they have been eight months. they are now about a year and half. I have been feeding them off and on in the garage. There was a vent that had broken out and I had a small sliding door install that I could adjust the opening. There were no problems with them eating and staying inside the garage. I would always make sure that I took up the food at night. Lately there has been an increase of stray cats not to mention the raccoon and possum. That have been getting inside the garage. The cats being  afraid would run out of the garage and now they will not even go back inside. I been feeding them outside under the porch and under next door neighbor abandon vehicle. I have to watch over them while they eat so they won't be chased away. I have no clue where they are sleeping.  I feel the pet door might be the answer at this time. They are spayed and I also wondering if there might be a problem trapping them again to have them microchip.  I will welcome any comments or suggestions.

Thank you. I just came across this site and its wonderful to have a support system. Bless all of you for the work that you do for the animals

Brenda

I don't know anyone that has used it for its intended purpose as you outline, but a TCS member used it with great success when she set up an indoor feeding station. The trick is teaching them to use the door. With an indoor cat, you can put treats in the door at first to entice them to go through it. Not quite sure how that would work with feral cats. But it does open when programmed to the chip!

Yes, they work!  We had a problem with a neighborhood cat coming in, taking out cats' food, and fighting with our cats.  The sure flap has been great.  We've had ours for about 9 months now, battery is still going strong.  As Laurie says, training them to use it might be the problem.  I've never worked with ferals so I have no help to offer with that.  I just know that the sure flap really solved the problem for us of neighborhood cats coming in.

We have got one and it is absolutely brilliant. We had a problem with a rather aggressive feral coming in through the cat flap. Also with a conventional flap our clever Fred found out how to lift instead of push when it was on 'in only' setting. We only use two settings 'in only' and 'free'. We never put it on fully locked in case one of ours sneaks out another way and then can't get in. I would highly recommend it, and the batteries have lasted for more than 18 months.