If you’ve grown annoyed of having to let your cat out when it wants to, then you should think about getting a cat door. The simplest cat doors, or cat flaps are just plastic flaps - easily blown open by the wind unless weighed down, or installed with a magnet. Some flaps are made of harder stuff, but just light enough so your cat can push it open; soon, your cat will get used to coming in and going out on its own. This benefits the owner, who is freed from tending to the cat when it wants to go out, and the cat who may end up scratching furniture or getting into a potty accident when it doesn’t get what it wants.

You want a cat door that’s appropriate for your cat - and your cat alone - unless you’re after a flap to be used by pets of varying size (if you own cats and dogs, that is).
Both animals can use the flap, it’s not a problem. They just have to push the flap open.
Some flaps can be set to open only to one side, such as towards your house’s interior, or exterior. It’s one thing to put up a smaller point of entry into your house, and a completely other thing to assume animals of roughly the same size won’t try to get in via the same new point of entry. For that, you’re going to need a snappier, most sophisticated cat door.

You want an electronic cat door to ramp up your security - it’s designed to limit access to your house, limit it only to your cat. Similar to electronic dog doors, these require your cat to put on its neck a special collar. The collar, when near the cat door, triggers the door into opening or unlocking, allowing your cat to get in or out, but not other animals. Remember, you don’t want uninvited animals pooping inside your home, stealing food, ruining furniture, or engaging your cat in territorial wars. What triggers the electronic door can be an infrared, radio, or magnetic device.

Some cats, especially those accustomed to ordering you around, won’t adjust to the cat door immediately; you have to train them. Take your cat close to the flap and show it how the flap opens, and that it opens to the world outside. If your cat door is electronic, place the special collar on your cat’s neck and bring it close to the door. You cat has to associate its proximity to the door with the door’s opening. You may have to use some enticement, like treats, to let your cat be comfortable seeing and using the cat door.

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