All About Screen Pet Doors

Screen types and sizing hints

Some pets like to come and go as they please. If you own such a pet, you know how tedious it can be to constantly open and close your screen or patio door at your cat or dog's every whim. Screen pet doors are an ideal solution, providing freedom for your pet and convenience for you.

Types of screen pet doors

There are 4 basic types of screen pet doors available for your favorite animal. Probably the most common is a screen mount that is added by cutting through an existing mesh screen door. If your screen door is made of wood or metal, you can also set up a screen pet door using a door mount.

Pet owners on the market for a new door can purchase the third type of screen pet door, which is a screen door with a pet door pre-installed. Lastly, a hanging screen, also known as an instant screen door, can function as a simple and inexpensive screen pet door.

There are 2 additional types of screen pet doors that are less common. Wall mounted pet doors skip screens and doors altogether but are a little trickier to install. Electronic pet doors are expensive but highly useful for homes with multiple pets. Electronic pet doors read a sensor on each pet's collar and only permit access to approved pets.

A word about screen mounts

There are two types of screen mounted pet doors to consider. Which is best for you depends on the size of your pet. If you own a cat or small dog, a screen mount pet door that relies only on the screen for support should work fine. If you own a larger pet, consider instead a screen mount pet door that also fastens to the frame.

Sizing

When deciding what size you want your screen pet door to be, you'll need to consider both the size of the door flap and its height and rise. Here are a few general size groupings:

Pets under 15 lbs need a flap about 5 by 7 inches

Pets under 35 lbs need a flap about 8 by 11 inches

Pets under 80 lbs need a flap about 10 by 15 inches

Pets over 80 lbs should own their own home. Or just use a flap about 15 by 20 inches

As for the height of your screen pet door, set it at least as high as your tallest pet's shoulders. The rise of your screen pet door is the portion your pet has to step over. Try to set the rise at a comfortable level for your pet rather than just a height they're capable of clearing.

Adjusting

It may take a few weeks for your pet to get accustomed to a new screen pet door. You can help ease things along by holding the flap open or removing it altogether during the first few days. If you intend to lock your screen pet door at times, introduce your pet to the screen pet door in locked mode to avoid accidents or injury. Once your cat or dog knows to nudge the screen pet door to check if it's locked, they should be safe.

More information on screen doors