Cat flap that required planning permission before installation
This is a very classy and rare cat flap. It has been carved into an old wall which is part of a Grade 1 listed building at Oriel College at Oxford University. I found a post of 2008 online – the Blencowe Families’ Association Newsletter – which briefly explains some of its history. We don’t know when the cat flap was installed but it does not look that old. At a guess about 20 years ago. Grade 1 buildings are listed because they are of exceptional interest. You require planning permission from the local authority to alter the building.
Oriel College cat flap in Grade 1 listed building, the provost’s lodgings. Its installation required planning permission. Photo: Twitter.
The cat flap is in the wall of the college Provost’s lodgings. One of the provosts must have had a cat and they wanted easy access for their cat from the kitchen to the outside. This meant cutting a hole in what looks like a substantial and finely constructed wall of considerable age. Perhaps hundreds of years old.
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They successfully applied to install the cat flap which was architecturally designed with a ledge above it to protect it from rain and on that ledge is a decorative, stone mouse.
It is the fanciest cat flap in the kingdom. And the most permanent. I am surprised that their planning application was successful. I guess the provost had some clout at the local authority planning department.
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There is a list of provosts of Oriel College on Wikipedia. It goes back to 1326! The provost is the college principle. They are responsible for its academic leadership and they represent the college at functions and so on.
There are more cat flap articles below the adverts! Cat flaps are fascinating things. They are called ‘cat doors’ in the US. They are a security risk if the back door keys are inside the home and not too far from the cat flap.
Pawly Door with prey detection is a smart cat flap which will arrive shortly
Infographic on cat (doors) are a mixed blessing
Does a cat break into your home and eat your cat’s food? What do you do?
