Cat Flap That Identifies Your Cat
by Michael
(London, UK)
I am not sure that a cat flap that identifies your cat has been around for a while, but it is the first time I have seen one that does this by reading the microchip embedded in your cat. This is an ideal way of preventing stray and time-share cats entering homes and eating your cat’s food and maybe frightening your cat. I have 2 who come in but I allow it and don’t mind. Although, I am a bit concerned about my cat.
Anyway, the device was invented by Dr Nick Hill of Cambridge Resonant Technologies and is powered by 4 small batteries (not sure where the batteries are, probably in the cat flap) that reads the microchip. As I understand it the novel nature of this device is that it is powered by batteries and not the mains.
Another new factor with this device is that it can compensate for the effects of detuning due to, for example, the presence of metal or water in the vicinity.
The complete system is called the SureFlap. It is sold by Animalcare based in Yorkshire, UK. They are the UK distributor of the Identichip microchip. It sells for £79.99 and runs off four standard AA batteries. An optical sensor detects the cat. The device can be programmed to recognize up to 32 chipped cats and, of course, thereby keep out the other cat out. This is a great cat flap that identifies your cat.