Four-Way Locking Explained: In Only, Out Only, Both or Neither

Most manual cat flaps have a small dial or slider that owners turn once, hopefully, and then never touch again — usually because nobody explained what the four positions actually do. A four way locking cat flap is simply a flap with four choices: open both ways, in only, out only, or locked completely. Used well, those choices solve common cat-keeping problems in UAE homes, from the cat that must stay in overnight to the one kept indoors before a vet appointment. This guide to four-way locking settings explained decodes each mode in plain language, so the dial becomes a tool you use deliberately rather than a mystery you leave alone.

How a four way locking cat flap works day to day

The mechanism is mechanical, not electronic. Turning the control moves a catch that either allows the flap to swing, blocks it in one direction, or blocks it in both.

A dial, not a computer

There are no batteries, no programming and no pairing. The control sits on the indoor face of the flap, so you set it from inside and your cat cannot change it from the garden. Each position is positive — you can feel the dial settle into its setting — so a quick check before bed is a matter of a glance. That simplicity is the appeal of a manual flap: the settings do exactly what the dial says, with nothing to charge or update.

Direction matters more than locking

Owners often think of the control as simply locked or unlocked. The useful insight is that the two middle settings are directional. They treat coming in and going out as separate decisions, and most of the clever uses of a four-way flap — curfews, vet days, settling a new cat in — come from splitting those directions rather than closing the flap altogether.

The four settings, decoded

Each setting has a job. Choosing the right one is a matter of matching the setting to the situation in front of you.

Unlocked: both ways, as normal

The flap swings freely in both directions. This is the everyday setting for most households: your cat comes and goes as it pleases, day and night. If your cat is a confident adult with a safe outdoor area, the flap may live in this position almost permanently, and the other settings are there for exceptions.

In only: the curfew setting

In only lets a cat push in from outside but prevents it pushing out from inside. This is the setting behind the classic night curfew. Set it in the evening, and your cat, out on its last patrol, can come home whenever it is ready — but once in, it stays in for the night. There is no chasing a cat around the garden at bedtime. Owners also use in only ahead of a vet visit: the cat comes in under its own steam and is then safely indoors, ready to be found in the morning rather than hiding under a neighbour’s car.

Out only: the one-way exit

Out only lets a cat leave but not re-enter. It is the least used setting, but it has its moments: letting a cat out while a door nearby is being worked on, or managing a visiting animal you want to depart without returning. Use it thoughtfully — a cat on out only cannot get back in for food, water or shelter until you change the setting, so in UAE heat it should only ever be a short, supervised arrangement with shade and water outside.

Fully locked: neither way

Fully locked blocks the flap in both directions. Use it when the flap must simply be a wall: during building work, when a cat is recovering and must stay in, when you are away and a house-sitter is keeping cats indoors, or in severe dusty weather when you want the opening sealed as firmly as the flap allows.

Choosing a manual flap, and where it fits

Four-way locking is the standard control on a good manual flap, and it suits households whose cats do not need selective entry against strays, or who want a simple, dependable door in a second location.

Closer Pets makes manual four-way locking flaps only. That is its whole range in this context: straightforward, dial-controlled flaps with no electronics. Separately, SureFlap and PetSafe make manual flaps as well as microchip models. Keep the two ideas apart when comparing: a four-way dial controls direction and timing, while a microchip controls identity — which animal may pass at all. Some households use both approaches in different doors.

In glass, a manual flap sits in a made-to-measure replacement panel. The fitting remains 100% rental-friendly: the original glass is stored and swapped back in 30 minutes when you leave, with no landlord NOC needed. Sizing matters alongside the settings — cats over 4kg need a Large flap, whatever the lock type, because a cat forcing through a small opening can strain the very catches the locking depends on. On reflective glass, a reflective-glass shade match cannot be guaranteed 100%, and we talk through the finish before your panel is made.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between in only and fully locked?

In only still lets your cat come home from outside; it just cannot go back out. Fully locked stops movement in both directions, so a cat outside stays outside. For a night curfew, in only is almost always the right choice, because it never strands your cat outdoors.

Can a stray cat use my flap when it is set to in only?

Yes, potentially. A four-way lock controls direction, not identity — any cat outside can push in on the in only setting. If strays are your main problem, that is a case for a microchip flap, which reads your cat’s existing 15-digit ISO FDX-B vet chip and stays locked to every other animal.

Can my cat change the setting itself?

No. The control is on the indoor face of the flap, and the settings are positive clicks rather than a loose slider. A cat pushing at the flap cannot turn the dial. If a flap seems to change behaviour, check the dial has fully settled into its position rather than sitting between two settings.

Is out only safe to use in summer?

Only briefly and with care. A cat that has gone out cannot come back in for water or air conditioning until you reset the flap, so in UAE heat it should be a short, supervised use with shade and water available outside — never an all-day setting.

Do four-way flaps work for larger cats?

Yes, provided the flap is the right size. Cats over 4kg need a Large flap. The locking settings are the same across sizes; what changes is the opening, and a correctly sized opening keeps the flap and its catches working smoothly.

Set the dial with confidence

WhatsApp us on +971 52 443 2655 with a photo of your door or glass panel and your cat’s approximate weight, and we will recommend the right size and talk you through the settings. If a four way locking cat flap is the simple answer your household needs, we will fit it cleanly in glass and show you each position before we leave. You can also email admin@petdoorfix.com. We install across all seven UAE emirates. Need it fixed in the UAE? PetDoorFix replaces chewed, broken and worn flaps across the UAE — see our flap repair and replacement.

Next guide: Replacing an Old Cat Flap in Glass: Upgrades and Awkward Holes