The RFID Cat Flap

For cat owners who let their cats outside having a cat flap, the cat version of the doggy door, is both a plus and minus. While it is handy to enable your cat to come and go as it pleases, you may not want them roaming the neighborhood at night for a variety of reasons (fighting, wild animals, etc.).

Luckily the future of catflap technology is here today! From the SureFlap website:

SureFlapTM cat flaps recognize the ID chip already implanted in your cat, allowing access to your pet and making unwanted visitors a thing of the past. Your home becomes a secure environment for your pet, leading to a happier, more relaxed animal.

No need for a collar or tag which can get lost or even worse caught on branches, etc.

The Sureflap is assigned to the RFID (Radio-frequency identification) chip that is implanted in many cats as a form of identification if they get lost.

PetPorte is another company that has a similar product. Below is one of their demonstration videos.

Both of these are only sold in the UK I believe, and are rather expensive gadgets, with the SureFlap costing £79.99 ($146.36) while the Pet Porte will cost £125 ($228.71). Since these are both European companies, I am not sure if they would work with the the chips that are implanted in pets in the USA. But it is only a matter of time before American companies start to produce similar products.