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Best Cat Doors in 2026
By PetReviewLab Editors
Updated April 2026
CAT
A cat door gives indoor-outdoor cats freedom of movement without requiring you to be a doorman. The main challenge is preventing wildlife, neighborhood cats, or the dog from using it. Modern microchip doors solve this completely.
We tested cat doors for ease of installation, weather sealing, and whether cats learned to use them quickly.
Best Microchip
SureFlap Microchip Cat Door
★★★★★
The SureFlap reads your cat's implanted microchip to unlock the door, only opening for registered cats. No collar required. This solves the core problem with most cat doors: other cats, raccoons, and possums using them. You register up to 32 cats per door. The curfew mode locks the door at night. Battery powered with no wiring required. Most cats learn to use it within a few sessions of light training. The gold standard in cat doors.
Pros
- Reads existing microchip — no collar needed
- Locks out all non-registered animals
- Curfew mode for nighttime lockout
- Registers up to 32 cats
Cons
- More expensive than standard doors
- Requires 4 AA batteries
- Microchip must be registered with SureFlap app
Best Standard
PetSafe Interior Cat Door
★★★★
For interior use (between rooms, into a utility room with the litter box, or to a dog-free zone in the house), a simple gravity-flap door works fine. PetSafe's interior door has a clear flap so cats can see through before entering, which reduces hesitation. The magnetic closure keeps it from flapping in air conditioning drafts. Four-way manual locking lets you control access. Easy to install in any hollow-core interior door with a jigsaw.
Pros
- Affordable for interior use
- Clear flap reduces hesitation
- Four-way locking
- Easy installation
Cons
- No selective access control — any animal can use it
- Not weatherproof for exterior use
Best Magnetic
Ideal Pet Products Ruff Weather Cat Door
★★★★
The Ruff Weather door is the best non-microchip exterior option for owners who want better weather sealing than a standard flap but do not need selective entry control. The dual-flap design creates an air gap that significantly reduces draft, and the magnetic seal holds the flap closed more securely than single-flap designs. It is not selective — any animal can use it — but the heavy-duty flap resists casual wildlife entry better than lighter doors.
Pros
- Dual flap reduces draft significantly
- Better weather sealing than standard flaps
- Heavy-duty magnetic closure
- More resistant to casual wildlife entry
Cons
- No selective access control
- Determined animals can push through
- Not as draft-proof as microchip doors with proper seals
Where to install a cat door
Interior doors, exterior doors, walls, and glass panels are all possible installation locations. Door installation is easiest with a hollow-core interior door or solid exterior door — use the provided template and a jigsaw. Wall installation requires cutting through drywall and adding a tunnel. Glass installation requires a glazier to cut a hole in tempered glass, which is expensive. Sliding door insert panels are a no-cut alternative for sliding glass doors.
Getting a cat to use a door flap
Many cats hesitate at flaps because they cannot see through them. Tape the flap up for the first few days so the cat uses the opening freely, then lower the flap gradually over a week. Calling the cat through from the other side with a treat is effective. Most cats learn within 1 to 3 days once the flap is at full height.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a raccoon open a SureFlap door?
Raccoons cannot open the SureFlap because it is microchip-locked — the electronic latch only releases when a registered microchip is detected. A raccoon pushing on the outside of a locked SureFlap cannot open it. This is the core advantage of the microchip design over magnetic collar-key designs, which raccoons have learned to open in some areas.
Do cat doors let in cold air?
All single-flap doors allow some draft. Dual-flap designs reduce this significantly. Microchip doors like SureFlap have an electronic lock that holds the flap more tightly than magnetic closures. Adding a brush seal or foam weatherstripping around the frame opening reduces infiltration further.
Bottom Line
The SureFlap microchip door is the correct choice for any cat that goes outside — it is the only door that genuinely prevents unwanted entry. The PetSafe interior door covers every interior use case at minimal cost. The Ruff Weather door is the best standard exterior option when selective access is not needed.
More guides you might like:
→ Best Cat Litter Box → Best Cat Flea Treatment
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