Review on Aluminum Sash Window Pet Door by IDEAL PET PRODUCTS - Adjustable 33" to 38" Width, Chubby Kat Size (7.5" x 10.5" Flap), White - Model: 33SWDCK, Since 1990 by Ben Karlen

2020 UPDATE: we still have this insert and it is an integral part of our window. We now have a fully screened patio (with a pet/trampoline screen) for cats to get in and out of, and we've also added two cats. We recommend. We also added a door insert to our sliding patio door, but we left it in so the cats have multiple options for getting in and out of the patio in case one of them fails, or just to keep the peace between them . .Wow what a project it was to install this cat door casement! But it's worth it and cats love it. We used our windows to add a window into our bedroom that leads to a small 'cation' we built outside. We didn't want to put big holes in our doors or walls so this Ideal Pets - Chubby Kat Sash is perfect. Our cats aren't fat, but they are tall, so we wanted them to be able to get in and out of their cat comfortably. They learned to use the cat door very quickly (same day) and didn't want to leave their cat door until we finally brought them in at 1am. We live in Florida and it's so hot right now that we can't tend our cats in our backyard as often as we normally do - we have to wait for it to cool down. So this cat sign gives them the freedom to get in and out as they please, while still protecting them from traffic and other potential outside hazards. Be sure to go back to the PROJECT to install it. It took a lot of tweaking to finally get what we wanted, especially to make it as weatherproof as possible. Our window is approximately 35 inches wide. This window sash has springs on each side so you can push the sides down to seat the sash into the window frame and then when you release it it will retract and fit your window snugly. The little silver knobs are basically just used to tighten this mechanism so that once the wing is in place you can secure it and not move it. It sounds very simple, and for the most part it was, but I'm here to just explain a few things we needed to do to make ours work. We ended up using about 7 feet of our own duct tape to secure this thing. It comes with a black seal that would look terrible around the window and sash. We had to line up the bottom of our window, the bottom of the window frame (tracking), both sides of the sash between any holes that were open between the window and the top of the sash. Also, we had to sand the wing itself from left to right across the front under the cat door and silver handles, and much more behind the wing to fill in any gaps created near the bottom rail window. a bit of work to get the sides where you want them and to properly tighten the flex side mechanisms and get the wing to the desired height. If you look closely at the item, you will see that the plastic cat door is surrounded by a white plastic frame in the middle. This needs to be over your window otherwise you will create a huge gap letting air in etc. In short just be prepared with your own sealer (I suggest white) and I mean lots of feet of different widths as well as different thicknesses (yes , we had to choose different widths and thicknesses for our weatherseal). Definitely worth it for the amazing results! We are very happy with the result and so are our cats. A few more things to note: Despite all the weatherproofing work, the product itself has some characteristics that prevent it from being fully weatherproof. As other reviewers have pointed out, this is a cat door. The swing door is surrounded by gray bristles that act like a small weatherstrip but definitely let air in and out. I believe the door is magnetic so it should automatically close behind your cats, but since you have to make that magnet weak enough for the cat to get in and out of the door, it doesn't always close completely. We've only noticed this a few times. Most of time. it closes all the way. There is also a bit of space above the hinged cat flap that is not protected from the weather. These are just small considerations to keep in mind. Overall, the small amount of air that can flow in and out is probably much less than opening and closing the doors to your home. I hope this information helps. We love this product and so do our cats! If you found this review helpful, please feel free to select "helpful" and/or leave a comment.