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Cat flap guide

Keeping cats in at night with a curfew cat flap

Use a timer flap or an app flap; DualScan for per-cat rules.

By Felineering Editorial · Updated October 2026

The short answer

To keep cats in at night, use a flap with a timer (Cat Mate Elite models), app curfews (SureFlap Connect with the Hub), or per-cat exit control (SureFlap DualScan) to keep only some cats in.

Options

Curfew features
Flap	How
Cat Mate Elite Microchip	Programmable 4-way timer
Cat Mate Elite I.D. Disc	Timer plus LCD status
SureFlap Microchip Cat Door Connect	App curfews via the included Hub
SureFlap DualScan	Per-cat exit permissions

Choosing

Everyone in at night: a timer flap.
Remote control and history: an app flap.
One cat stays in, another goes out: DualScan.

Practical notes

Set curfews a little before dusk so cats come in on time, and check battery levels; most microchip flaps run on AA or C batteries for up to a year.

Products mentioned

Microchip cat flap · Cat Mate

Cat Mate Elite Microchip Cat Door with Timer

Timer, selective entry.

Microchip cat flap · SureFlap

SureFlap Microchip Cat Door Connect with Hub

App, DualScan, Hub.

Microchip cat flap · SureFlap

SureFlap DualScan Microchip Cat Flap

Per-cat exit control.

Questions readers ask

Can a cat flap lock automatically at night?

Yes, timer flaps like Cat Mate Elite do.

Can I keep one cat in and let another out?

SureFlap DualScan sets exit permissions per cat.