Top 5 New Pet Flap Trends
Gone are the days when a simple plastic flap was the only choice for letting pets in and out of the home. Even before the recent rise in pet ownership, innovation was being driven by smart technology and changes to consumer tastes. But now there’s a real product market, tapping into our willingness to spend more on both our pets and homes. This has led to some key pet flap trends emerging, solving problems we barely knew we had.
Pet flap trends: Not just for cats
No longer are we talking about cat flaps but pet flaps, or pet doors to be precise. And this is probably the biggest shift in the market. And with many more of us owning a pooch, it’s not surprising that dog doors are the biggest new trend. Pet flap brands such as Endura Flap make durable doors big enough for any size dog to use.
New pet flaps: Smart technology
Magnets used to be the only way to control which animals use your pet flap. But technology has come a long way and it’s now being utilised to our advantage. Microchip readers like those from PetSafe can detect and limit who’s coming and going. But even more advanced are the doors that can be controlled by our smartphones. Doors such as those from High Tech Pet’s, work through your home’s wi-fi.
Energy-efficient pet doors
Tech isn’t the only general trend that’s being applied to pet flaps. Our keenness to be more sustainable and eco-friendlier is too. Energy efficiency is high on the agenda for new doors and flaps, concentrating on insulating properties and a move away from purely plastic devices.
Doors that put design first
When we decide to fit a pet flap to a door it often compromises the aesthetic appeal of our entranceway. But that’s changing fast.
Bespoke doors that once were thought of as too fancy for your furry friend are now all the rage. Mock Georgian archways and faux-Victorian architraves are lighting up Instagram feeds.
But for those of us who are just looking for something off-the-shelf, there’s a growing number of businesses such as Tomsgates who are happy to fulfil our desires for something a bit nicer to look at. Less uPVC and more natural wood and minimalist curves. Style without compromising on practicality.
Pet flaps and doors that fit into glass
With the rise of glazing being used to connect our homes to the garden, standard cat and dog flaps can be hard to install. But companies such as Hale Pet Door have cracked the problem, so now you can pop flaps in glazed doors and windows or have them built into the walls.
Internal pet flaps
The final big trend in pet flaps is a move from simply installing them into the front and back doors. Internal pet flaps are growing in popularity. And this means that the flaps don’t need to stick to simply square or rectangular shapes. Cat corridors made of paintable plastic are being used to allow cats to make themselves at home. No longer does your cat need to pester you to access their food or litter. And they come in fun shapes.
*This is a collaborative post
