Cat Doors for Walls

If you’re installing a cat flap through something thick like a wall, it won't work to fasten one side of the cat flap door to each side of the wall and call it day. Walls must be "framed out" when installing a dog door or cat door in order to prevent moisture from getting inside your home, which can cause water damage that leads to dry rot and mold. All of the cat doors for walls we carry come with a closing panel that can be used to block off the flap at night or any other time you want to prevent access to the door.

Some door mount cat door designs allow you to purchase wall tunnel sections or "wall liners" separately for framing (or come with them pre-included). For instance, the Cat Mate 234/235 Door for Walls comes with telescoping tunnel sections that can be trimmed to fit or snapped together into the plastic frame to fit any wall. If you are considering an electronic option, the SureFlap Microchip Cat Door for Walls can also be transformed into a wall mount when you purchase additional wall mount tunnel extenders. Each liner adds an additional 2" to the door framing and multiple can be connected to reach the thickness needed to frame out your wall. You want to stop a little short of the full wall thickness because the cat flap will add some on its own, for example, 0” – 2”, to give you a snug fit.

If you have big cats (or small dogs), check out the SureFlap Microchip Pet Door Wall Mount Bundle, which features the same four-way lock but a 7" x 7" flap size, the largest microchip door flap available. SureFlap also carries the Microchip Pet Door Connect for Walls, a flap cat door featuring an app-controlled locking mechanism! If your cat is not yet microchipped, the door also comes with an RFID collar key that attaches to your cat's collar to open the door.

If you are looking for extreme weather, magnetic cat door, the EnduraFlap Cat Door for Walls is top of the line for energy efficiency. It is manufactured with a sturdy aluminum frame and a flexible, weatherproof flap with strong magnetic closure. Plus, a high-quality cat door means you don't have to spend a fortune on replacement flaps! The EnduraFlap also has a high-aspect-ratio flap (taller than the average flap pets doors so the bottom of the flap is lower to the ground). This makes it one of the best cat doors for large cats as well. Another great large cat door option is the PetSafe Wall Entry Pet Door which works for both dogs and cats (great if you have multiple pets sharing a door!). The Hale Cat Door for Walls is also a great option with a sturdy aluminum pet door frame and the choice of a single or double flap depending on how much weather resistance you are looking for.

Wall installation is a great route to take to avoid the damage of cutting through interior doors or exterior doors, or even through a sliding glass door. This is because a hole in the wall is easier to amend later on than one in a door if you decide to remove the flap pet door. A wall installation through dry-wall and stucco, for example, is not hard to undo if you sell the house and the buyer doesn’t want a cat door in the wall.

Remember, cat door installations in walls must be carefully sealed with high-quality caulking for water tightness to prevent damage to the interior of the wall. We do think it's generally best to hire a licensed contractor to do the job. Better to spend $100 and get the job done right than $10,000 later to get rid of dry rot or $6,000 for the casket you’ll need if you accidentally cut through a power line.

How to Install a Cat Door in a Wall

1. Firstly, use a stud finder to locate the wall studs before mounting your cat door.
2. Measure the length of the top mounting edge from the floor and trace the opening of the pet door template.
3. Cut out the opening in the drywall with the help of a jigsaw or circular saw.
4. Now drill holes at the corners of the exterior wall and make a cut-out at the exterior wall.