Raccoon Proof Cat Doors – Keep Your Feline Safe!

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I personally find raccoons to be very cute and intelligent animals. But I surely would NOT want one roaming my home and spreading germs all over the place with their little hand-paws.

Being very smart and tricky it can be hard to keep raccoons off one’s property. And especially if you have a cat so there is food around to attract them. This can become a big problem if your cat is allowed to go outside so there is an opening for it to go in and out. Pretty much anything a cat can pass so will a persistent raccoon be able to.

You can try various things like raccoon repellents, traps (but please don’t kill them) or install a raccoon proof cat door.

But a truly good raccoon proof cat door is not so easy to find. The best ones I have found so far work by electronically opening of a door or flap by scanning a microchip embedded inside the cat’s body.

Here is a great tip to keep on mind when installing a cat door that is a raccoon proof:

I have read somewhere that raccoons can’t jump more than 6 inches high. After a few unsuccessful trials, they will probably leave: nobody likes falling downwards and raccoons are no exception to this rule.

This just by itself can prove to be enough to stop a raccoon from getting inside of your house but I personally would prefer a cat door microchip activated. Just to be on the safe side.

The only drawback with the raccoon proof platform is that it might be hard for older cats so keep that in mind.

Why Should You Install A Raccoon Proof Cat Door?

There are several very good reasons:

• First of all raccoons can be very dangerous animals so the safety of you and your family is compromised if you have a raccoon wandering around your property
• Raccoons can be carriers of many diseases among which rabies
• Raccoons have been known to kill cats

You definitely don’t want to come home and find a raccoon on your counter eating a banana or feeding its babies!

Best Choice To Keep Raccoons Out Of Cat Door (SureFlap DualScan Microchip Cat Door)

This cat door uses a dual scan technology, which means it can be programmed to recognize your cat on both sides. So the scan works both on the inside part of the door as well as the outside.

The dual scanning also means that the biggest problem with cat doors and raccoons is solved: since this cat door is selective on both sides a raccoon can’t pull the cat flap in any direction. What it takes for the door to open on any side is a chip that gets scanned and recognized, whether it be your cat’s microchip or a tag it wears on its neck.

By checking the customer’s reviews on the product page what I noticed is that many of those that had raccoon problem have successfully solved it with this door.

• Do note that raccoons are incredibly smart animals and if they are very hungry they may still figure out this door.

So with this cat door your home should be highly protected from raccoons and other critters wandering around.

Here is the list of the best cat doors that are raccoon proof:

SureFlap Microchip Enabled Cat Door (Suitable For Large Cats Too)

If you have a big cat then the above cat door may be too small for it so I suggest you take a look at this bigger pet door.

Besides having a large opening this cat/pet door has a special  “raccoon mode” that can be programmed. This mode will activate an additional lock which will prevent opening the door by pulling it from outside. There have been recorded cases when raccoons have been able to open a cat flap by pulling it from the outside (towards themselves) simulating a cat going outside. This lock is placed to prevent such cases. 

So be aware that you have an additional setting for eliminating raccoon problems with this dualscan pet door. By activating you should be able to prevent racoons from getting inside your home.

If you are looking for a cat door for barn the suggested cat doors are also the perfect choice as they will keep critters out. With a barn cat door, you will need this functionality as the building is close to nature and wildlife.

Additional Things To Do To Get Rid Of Raccoons

Besides getting one of the above cat doors I would also add a few useful measures for keeping raccoons out as listed below:

• Avoid leaving food in open places and near entry points. The main reason why a raccoon would end up inside your house is food (rarely they search for shelter from the cold). Since they are nocturnal animals it is best that you feed your cat during the day and clean up the remains for the night. By removing the most important factor of attracting raccoons you significantly lower the chances of having one enter your home.
• Make sure all entry points in your home are closed at night. Raccoons go hunting for food at night. Therefore it is best to install an electronic cat door for your cat: since your house will be locked at night, by wearing the chip your cat will be able to open the electronic cat door. Since raccoons don’t have the required microchip they will be prevented from entering the same. If you get the sureflap door with raccoon mode raccoons will have a hard time opening the flap with their paws since there is an additional lock for this purpose.
• Use other non-toxic raccoon repellents. Please remember these creatures are fighting for survival and in my opinion, it would be cruel to kill an animal just because it is merely trying to survive.

I would suggest that you install a raccoon proof cat door and place additional security like this solar powered flashing red light:

This non-toxic solar power animal repellent emits flashing red light constantly at night, simulating fire and predator eyes. Basically, it creates a sense of an unsafe area, just as if there were other predators around, which scares off wild animals. By using this little device nocturnal animals have been successfully prevented from entering yards, chicken coops or garden.

The best thing is that it charges itself during the day with solar power and it has automatic light sensitivity. Meaning it will turn on automatically at dusk and turn off at dawn.

So once you install it it’s maintenance-free and set-and-forget type of raccoon repellent.

Here are the most important features:

• it is made of toughest industrial components and weatherproof, so you can freely install it outdoors
• should be installed at the eye level of the unwanted animal

The Most Advanced Version: Remote Control Cat Door / App Controlled Cat Door