So, you have decided you need a cat door.

Maybe you are tired of getting out of bed at 3:00 AM to let the cat out of the bedroom. Maybe you need to keep the dog out of the litter box. Whatever the reason, you hopped online to buy a cat door — and were immediately overwhelmed by the options. There are exterior doors, interior doors, microchip doors, flap doors, and corner doors. How do you know which one is right for your home?

Welcome to the ultimate Cat Door Buyer's Guide.

Exterior vs. Interior Cat Doors
The first distinction is the most important: where is the door going?

Exterior Cat Doors are installed on doors leading to the outside. Because they are exposed to the elements, exterior doors are heavy-duty. They usually feature thick, weather-stripped flaps, magnetic closures to stop drafts, and sometimes even microchip readers so only your cat can enter. The catch? Installing an exterior door requires cutting a massive, permanent hole through a solid wood, fiberglass, or metal door. It is a major DIY project that permanently alters your home's exterior.

Interior Cat Doors are installed on doors inside your house (bedrooms, bathrooms,
laundry rooms). Because weather and raccoons are not an issue, interior doors do not need
heavy weather-stripping or microchip readers. Their primary job is allowing the cat to pass
from room to room while keeping the door closed for privacy or to block a dog.

Things to consider
For decades, if you wanted an interior cat door, your only option was to buy a smaller
version of an exterior flap door. You had to take a jigsaw, cut a large hole right in the middle of your bathroom or bedroom door, and screw in a plastic frame with a swinging
plastic flap. 

There are three major problems with this approach.

First, it is ugly — you now have a plastic frame permanently screwed into the middle of your nice interior doors.

Second, it is permanent — if you ever sell your house, or if your cat passes away, you are stuck with a less than beautiful plastic frame in your door. 

Third, the flap makes noise — Some cats are really hesitant to push through a hanging flap and cats who will go through a plastic flap in the middle of the night create a loud smack-thud sound that will wake up light sleepers.

The Modern Solution: The Corner Door
Recognizing the flaws of traditional flap doors, we invented the Kitty Korner door. Instead
of cutting a hole in the middle of your door, the Kitty Korner requires just one simple
diagonal cut across the bottom corner of the door. You attach our patented SlideLock™
hinge to the piece you just cut off, and reattach it to the door.

The advantages are clear: it preserves your door's appearance, it locks completely closed
when not needed (so no permanent gaping holes), and it is completely silent. The cat
simply walks quietly through the open corner. The Verdict, If you need your cat to go outside into the yard, you must buy a heavy-duty, weather-proof exterior flap door. But if your goal is managing pets inside the house — keeping dogs away from litter boxes, or keeping your bedroom door closed at night — do not ruin your interior doors with a permanent plastic flap. Choose a corner-style interior door like the Kitty Korner. It gives your cat the freedom they need, while giving you the flexibility to restore your door to its normal appearance whenever you want.