It started with Jess
Purrfect Prints is a husband-and-wife team, and the idea began after we adopted our cat, Jess, from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home in 2025.
Jess had previously been an indoor cat. After moving in with us in a quiet area, she had her first opportunity to explore outdoors—and quickly loved the freedom. Installing a cat flap was a game changer. She could come and go throughout the day without us repeatedly opening the door, particularly during the colder winter months.
We still wanted Jess safely indoors overnight. Once she had discovered the outside world, however, she found a locked cat flap difficult to understand.
The problem we couldn’t ignore
When the transparent flap remained visible but would no longer open, Jess became frustrated. She scratched and hit the door, trying to make it work. We were also concerned that the simple locking control could potentially be turned by a determined cat.
At the same time, we noticed how much cold air could be felt around the gaps in the cat flap. When heating a home is increasingly expensive, allowing warmth to escape through an unused opening throughout the night made little sense.
We searched the manufacturers’ websites for a cover but found nothing suitable. The only custom option we could find was a one-piece box-style cover. Although it initially seemed promising, repeatedly pushing the whole cover on and pulling it off was awkward. It caught on the cat flap’s battery and screw covers, sometimes pulling them loose, and the bulky cover was inconvenient to store.
A better two-part design
3D printing was already a hobby, so we began developing a better solution: a snug push-fit outer frame that stays attached to the cat flap, combined with a separate slim panel that slides vertically into a built-in channel.
The frame only needs to be fitted once. In the evening, we lock Jess’s cat flap and slide the panel into place in seconds. In the morning, it lifts straight back out. Because it requires an upward human grip, the panel is difficult for a cat to interfere with, while its thin, flat shape makes it easy to store when it is not being used.
Covering the entire flap helps reduce draughts, adds another physical barrier against escape attempts and removes the tempting view through the transparent door. For Jess, it makes the message much clearer: the cat flap is closed for the night.
What cat owners tell us
The most rewarding part is hearing that the covers genuinely help other cats and their owners. Recent eBay feedback includes:
“This flap cover is excellent! Exceptionally easy to fit (1 minute).”eBay customer feedback
“The cat now knows when he can’t go out!! So stops trying.”eBay customer feedback
“What a great idea… needed something to stop my cats stressing at the cat flap once they are locked in for the night!”eBay customer feedback
“Absolutely brilliant. Works perfectly and exactly what I wanted. Looks neat too!”eBay customer feedback
Designed with purpose
What began as a solution for Jess has become a small UK business that we care deeply about. Every cover is designed around the exact cat flap model, 3D printed in durable PETG and protected by a UK Registered Design. We are continuing to expand the range so more cat owners can benefit.
Knowing that a simple design can create calmer evenings, reduce repeated escape attempts and make life easier for both cats and their owners is exactly why we make them.
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