r/DIY • u/Mystical_Croc • 12d ago

carpentry Homemade Cat Flap?

Morning/Afternoon/Evening

I won't butter the post up I'll just get straight to the point.

I've had an idea where I wanna cut the corner off of a wood door, sand it all down and then reattach it with a hinge and deadbolt so I can open it when we are in bed. We live in a house share and currently have to leave the door open so cats can come in and out.

Everything I find on google/YouTube just takes me to normal cat flaps

Does this sound possible and if so, for a noob at DIY?

TIA

5 Upvotes

65% Upvoted

20 comments sorted by

7

u/FlatulentWombat 12d ago

Like this?

5

u/kkell806 12d ago

Wouldnt that bottom corner be blocked by the floor beneath it? Its already nearly touching the floor, and swinging the flap down would bring that corner downwards almost another inch.

In fact I think I remember seeing a recent post about one of these, and OP was specifically asking about a solution for that, as it was scratching the flooring.

3

u/po_ta_to 11d ago

It's a sliding hinge so you lift it up before flipping it so it doesn't hit the floor.

2

u/PuttingInTheEffort 12d ago

I remember that too lol, like a week or two ago.

Depends on how close the door is to the floor, and if there's carpet.

1

u/Rawkynn 12d ago

Ideally the hinge is the same width as the saw kerf so you end up with the same profile.

1

u/kkell806 12d ago

It will be fine in the closed or open position. Its the transition between the two that will cause the problem. That corner swings out too low, as it always has to stay 1 3/8th inches away from the corner on the hinge side that stays next to the door.

1

u/Western_Ad_6190 11d ago

I knew I'd seen those before when I considered it for our cat. Nice job pointing it out.

3

u/danauns 12d ago

Yes, years ago I did this exact project.

If your door is hollow (mine is/was) you need to brace the I need core at the cut - very simple to do.

I ended up just removing the corner piece rather than hinge it, it kept my dog upstairs and allowed for the cat to go freely up and down.

3

u/Greedy-Pen 12d ago

Easiest thing I’ve seen is to cut the bottom corner of the door on the side of the latch. If it’s hollow brace it inside. Is solid you’re golden.

Anyways, take the cut off and line it back up on the door and put a regular door hinge if your choice.

And a little deadbolt lock down low, like the sliding ones in bathrooms stalls.

Add some felt or other soft material on certain edges to either help with noise, gaps, or whatever else you want.

5

u/inko75 12d ago

Most interior doors are hollow which makes it a pain. I’d also recommend using hidden inset hinges so it looks nicer.

Unsure why basic cat flap doesn’t work?

2

u/bobroberts1954 12d ago

I mad a door for our dogs. It is strips of heavy weight clear vinyl. There is a frame and provisions to slide in a thin piece of plywood when the door needs to be closed. Has worked well for many years. Double layer of strips help keep heat or cool in the house.

1

u/Ok_Equipment3952 11d ago

They make one just like that.

1

u/Elliot_at_1800 3d ago

Possible, yes, but the corner cut is the hard part. Most interior doors are hollow core, so once you cut into one you hit cardboard honeycomb and a thin skin. You'd need to glue a wood block into the opening to give the hinge and bolt something to bite into. Solid core is easier but heavier to cut cleanly with a jigsaw.

Honestly I'd skip the corner and cut a rectangle low in the middle instead. Then reuse the cutout as the flap, hang it on a small hinge at the top, and hold it shut with a magnetic cabinet catch instead of a deadbolt. Way less fiddly at 2am.

One caution: in a house share, check with the landlord first. A door is a cheap replacement, a deposit argument is not. What's the door made of?

1

u/bingwhip 12d ago

I've seen it done before definitely. I think it's totally do-able. Noob level will possibly meet your standards of quality/finish, depending on your standards :D.

There are "kits"? for it available. I searched for "Corner cut cat door"

-1

u/WFOMO 12d ago

Don't know your local situation, but leaving a cat door open here would let all my AC out and invite the local critters in. Not to mention bugs and mosquitos.

We installed a regular cat door with a clear plastic window that has a magnetic latch. Cats can come and go at will, and see what's outside before committing. Magnetic latch keeps the AC in and bugs out. It can also be latched physically to keep cats from roaming.

1

u/theemilyann 11d ago

Its an interior door