Either a mechanical “in only” mode, which works whatever the batteries are doing, or a timed curfew — one flap we review has night mode built in without an app or a hub.
Three ways, in increasing order of cost.
The mechanical mode
Every flap here has four positions, and “in only” is the one that gets a cat home and keeps it there. It requires you to be awake to set it.
Built-in night mode
One flap in our reviews follows daylight and locks itself, with no app and nothing to pair. Less control, nothing to fail.
The app curfew
Set times, changed remotely. It needs a hub and an account, and it is the most flexible.
The thing to think about
A curfew that locks the cat in also locks it in if you are delayed. Consider what the schedule does on a day that does not go to plan.
This does not replace your device’s manual. Blade temperatures, locking mechanisms and cleaning procedures differ from model to model, and the manufacturer’s instructions take precedence over anything written here. Unplug a device before dismantling it, check a hot blade or an air nozzle against your own hand before it goes anywhere near an animal, and keep a mechanism that closes or rotates under supervision until you know how it behaves.
Last reviewed 2026-08-17