When beginning installation of the gate, the Mounting Brackets must be installed on both sides of the area where the gate will be mounted. When this is done, the Retract-A-Gate for cats is easily snapped into the brackets on either the left or right side of the opening. Added perks are that our gates can be attached to your preferred side of the opening, and they can all be interchanged with our other safety gates.
As a fully retractable gate, the Retract-A-Gate will automatically retract with no required manual winding. Quiet, smooth and steady, the cat gate’s retracting action then neatly contains the mesh and handle in the gate’s reel once it is fully retracted. As the only safety gate which retracts automatically, easily and quietly, it can be opened and closed with one hand in seconds. The cat gate was engineered with the priorities of safety, convenience and design in mind, as well as your complete satisfaction.
Operation of the cat gate is simple – just pull the handle and hook it to the brackets installed on the opposite side of the opening, then lock by pushing and turning the locking mechanism. With this feature, the retractable safety gate can be locked at any chosen width up to the maximum gate width. In addition, when the gate is in the locked position, it is prevented from being pulled down or pushed out. To retract the cat gate, it is simple to unlock and unhook the handle from the brackets. Then you will simply guide it back as the mesh rewinds into the gate reel. As an added feature, the mesh will not rewind until the lock has been manually pushed and turned to open, preventing the mesh from retracting unintentionally.
For instructions on installation and use, see our Install & Specs Page.
What is the main reason you should choose the Retract-A-Gate over other models of safety gates? In a word – quality! Thorough and meticulous evaluation of its functions and features went into designing the Retract-A-Gate. We are committed to achieving and maintaining the highest standards of quality which makes Retract-A-Gate the highest performing and the greatest value out of all the gates currently on the market. Even so, considering the quality it encompasses, Retract-A-Gate is very competitively priced. Other gates do not have the combination of safety and ease of use that the Retract-A-Gate has. In addition, the other retractable gates are hampered by being difficult to operate or not standing up to repeated use. Less expensive retractable gates will always be available, but they sacrifice quality. See below for a list of Retract-A-Gate’s superior features:
The sizes offered for Retract-A-Gate are widths of 132cm or 183cm. If installed within an opening, the width is the complete distance the cat gate will cover. If installed outside of an opening, however, the mounting brackets will not figure into the total width of the gate.
The retractable cat gate’s mesh height is 86cm, measured from the floor to the top of the mesh. The height to the top of the locking mechanism, which is positioned above the mesh reel, is a little less than 97cm. The wall brackets need a flat surface of about 6cm to be attached to, and are required to be mounted approximately 8cm and 77.5cm from the floor. Depending on the particular mounting situation, however, the gate design allows for some flexibility in the bracket placement; they may be mounted within 2.5cm higher or lower than 8cm and 77.5cm if needed. When it is fully retracted, the Retract-A-Gate is less than 10cm wide, making the gate unobtrusive when it is not being used.
The gate can swivel in multiple directions when it is fastened in the brackets, which provides for it to be installed around corners, either on the wall or the door moulding. Please note that the mounting brackets will not factor into the full gate width if you decide to install the gate on the outside of a doorway.
Finally, if you plan to install your Retract-A-Gate in a location where there are skirting boards, you will need to measure the thickness and height in order to determine how many Wall Spacer Sets will be needed. Skirting boards can interfere with the attachment of the gate to the brackets. If this is the case, the spacers function to extend the brackets out over the skirting board so it is possible for the gate to be attached without the skirting boards getting in the way. Please see our Online Store page for more information on Wall Spacer Sets and other installation accessories.
The necessary mounting brackets, washers and screws for installation are included with each Retract-A-Gate. If your installation location has a wall with a skirting board, or if it requires installing in plasterboard or a banister post, additional accessories may be needed. We offer wall spacers, plasterboard anchors and stair banister adaptor kits to help make your installation a success. To determine which accessories may be needed, see our Retract-A-Gate Online Store.
Yes – the Retract-A-Gate for cats was tested and certified for use at the top and bottom of staircases. Additionally, the gate has been tested to hold up to a push out force of up to 100kg.
When installing to a banister post, the brackets can be connected in one of two ways. The wall brackets can be screwed directly onto the stair post, or the Stair Banister Adapter Kit can be used, which is found in our Online Store.
When installing the wall brackets directly to the banister or stair post, you will need to have a flat surface at least 8cm wide that is 8-10cm and 77.5cm from the floor. To avoid drilling holes into the banister post, or if your stair posts or spindles are smaller in size, our Stair Banister Adapter Kit will be needed for these applications.
Each cat gate includes the necessary brackets, which will be screwed into the Banister Adapter and then attached to the stair post with the straps included in the kit. Posts up to 18cm square can be used with the straps in the Banister Adaptor Kit, and the kit is also designed to be used with metal or wooden spindles. The adaptor has a 2.5cm groove to fit around smaller spindles that are 2.5cm square or less.
For top-of-stairs installations, it is recommended to mount the retractable safety gate at least 15cm away from the edge of the top step. If installed too closely to the edge of the stairway, a gap in the bottom of the mesh can form if the fabric is pushed or pulled past the edge of the step. If your installation location makes it difficult to maintain the recommended 15cm clearance, the gate can be installed away from the step at any angle. For more information, please see FAQ #6. If the angled installation is not an option for you, it is still possible to block off nearby areas to limit stairway access.
For mounting the Retract-A-Gate at the bottom of the stairs, it is recommended to mount it on the floor below the bottom step. Installing the safety gate up on the step can create a safety hazard. We realize, however, that it is not always feasible to install the gate on the lowest level with some stairway configurations. If specific safety precautions are followed, installing up a step can be achieved in some of these cases. Please contact us for assistance to determine if your location is suitable for this type of installation before attempting to install Retract-A-Gate in this manner.
If both sides of the cat gate will be attached to stair posts, two Banister Adaptor Kits will be needed (one per post). We offer the Stair Banister Adaptor Kits in two heights: 91cm and 122cm. In most cases, the 91cm adaptor will be adequate. Because some stair posts are narrower or rounded in some areas, the adaptor design will accommodate various shapes and widths to ensure that the brackets will be installed on a level surface. You will need the 122cm adaptor if the measurement from the floor to the upper area of the post where the adaptor needs to reach is greater than 91cm. The adaptor can be cut if it is too long and extends beyond the height of the spindle or stair post. We recommend, however, that it be cut no shorter than 81cm. For complete information and full installation instructions for the Stair Banister Adaptor Kit, see our Install & Specs Page.
Absolutely! Our mounting hardware’s innovative design will let the cat gate pivot in all directions when the gate is hooked into the brackets – a feature that is not available in many other cat gates. An effective application of the angled installation is at the top of a stairway where there is not ample room for the recommended 15cm clearance between the top step and the mesh barrier. In this case, the Retract-A-Gate would be installed at an angle away from the stairway to make enough room between the gate for cats and the edge of the top step. If you choose to install the gate at an angle in this way, the bracket openings should be mounted so they face away from the Retract-A-Gate.
No – there are many other alternatives! Listed below are many of the more common alternate installation surfaces, along with considerations for each particular surface.
Cabinet or bookcase: Installation using the Universal Mounting Bracket Kit is meant only for stable, wall-mounted bookcases. If the inside wall of your cabinet or bookcase is thin, a backer board may be needed so that the screws have solid wood to sink into, at a minimum of 2.5cm. If you are installing to a cabinet that has a countertop overhang, wall spacers or small wood blocks can be used under the top and bottom brackets. In this way, the spacers will push the wall brackets out far enough from under the countertop to provide enough clearance to mount the cat safety gate.
Concrete, mortar, brick or stone: The screws provided with the brackets are wood screws and are not designed for use with concrete, mortar, brick or stone. Masonry anchors will be needed for these applications, and your local hardware store can assist you in sizing the correct masonry anchors if you show them the provided screws. When using masonry screws, you will need to use 3.5mm flat head screws along with the finishing washers that are included. As another option, a board can be attached to the concrete/mortar/brick/stone surface, and the brackets can then be fastened to the board.
Fibreglass: It is recommended whenever possible to mount the brackets to the stud or support when installing to fibreglass. A backer board or suitable anchors will be needed if there is no stud to screw into.
House cladding or vinyl siding: The wall brackets for the Retract-A-Gate can be installed to house cladding or vinyl siding only if there are boards or solid wood sheeting underneath the cladding; typically this is the case. By itself, the thin cladding is not enough to safely support the mounting brackets if the screws cannot sink into wood.
Definitely – Retract-A-Gate is designed for both indoor and outdoor use, and it has been thoroughly tested in a variety of weather and climates, including a full northern winter with excellent results.
Though we are confident in the retractable gate’s performance out-of-doors, it is recommended to keep the gate inside during freezing temperatures. If the safety gate becomes frozen when it is open or closed, it will not function normally until it thaws. The gate is made to be entirely UV resistant, but may show some fading or signs of degrading if exposed to sun for extended periods of time. Keep in mind that when compared to items used exclusively inside, items left outdoors will have a shorter lifespan. Overall, however, you can be confident in the Retract-A-Gate’s ability to hold up to outdoor use.
For outdoor installations of the cat gate, pre-drilling the holes and using 3.5mm flat head stainless steel screws are recommended. When in contact with composite surfaces or treated wood posts, stainless steel will last longer than other material. Please remember to make sure that the screws are sunk into underlying plywood sheeting when installing the safety gate to house cladding.
We do not currently make custom-size gates and the two sizes available are 132cm and 183cm wide. For openings wider than 183cm, there are a number of options listed below that will allow connection of two or more gates together.
Option 1: Connecting several Retract-A-Gates together can be done by using the Gate Connector Straps that can be found in our Online Store. To connect more than one gate together, the handle rod of the first gate is strapped to the reel-side tie rod of the next gate, and so forth. As many gates as needed to cover the opening can be used with this method, and the gate can still be easily operated with one hand. An illustration of this type of solution is shown below. When using this method, all the gates must be locked to avoid any unnecessary slack in the mesh fabric.
Please be advised that this installation method is to be used only in situations that are not critical, or where just a visual barrier is needed. Using this solution at the top and bottom of stairways where safety is a necessity is not recommended. Connecting multiple gates has NOT been certified for safe use with children.
Option 2: Two gates can be connected together using the S-hook Set. In this option, a gate would be installed on both sides of the opening or doorway and connected in the middle with the S-hook Set. If using the gates that are 183cm wide, a distance of up to 366cm could be covered. The S-hooks would be placed in the top and bottom cutouts in the gate handles (see below for photos). The gates would need to be operated with two hands when using this option.
As with Option 1, this application is meant just for situations that are not critical, where only a visual barrier is necessary or for low traffic areas. Please be aware that this S-hook solution is NOT certified for use with children, and using this option in crucial areas such as stairways is not recommended. When choosing this option, you can purchase sets of S-hooks in the Online Store.
Option 3: Custom-building a partition in the opening that would allow installation of standard-sized gates would be another option. In this case, it would eliminate the need to connect multiple gates together.
Many different breeds of cats have been contained successfully with the Retract-A-Gate. Some cats, however, will find a way to leap or get around most any barrier. With this situation, training methods used along with the gate will be needed to successfully contain your pets. There is a certain amount of flexibility to the gate because it is retractable, but if incorrectly installed, there may be too much give in the mesh material. Most difficulties can be avoided by following these simple guidelines:
The Retract-A-Gate has a mesh height of 86cm and is one of the tallest gates on the market. Since the mesh fabric has a tight weave, it would be challenging for a cat to climb over it. Most cats will not hurdle over objects; they prefer a flat surface to land on before jumping back down. Because the retractable pet gate isn’t flat on top with a landing area, most cats are not likely to jump over the pet gate. If your cat isn’t typical and can jump over a 1-metre-high safety gate or fence, you may need a cat gate that is taller than the standard Retract-A-Gate. An option for this situation is to use our Clip Set and install one gate on top of another. To help discourage your cat from jumping over the gate, you can also use other pet training methods.
Our mesh that we use for Retract-A-Gate is both non-toxic and tough – made from reinforced polymer composite that contains no latex, BPA chemicals, phthalate, formaldehyde or lead. Chemicals like these in products are concerning, and we are pleased to be at the forefront in eliminating them from our cat products.
The durable mesh allows visibility through it and is mildew and UV resistant. As a testament to its strength, this identical mesh fabric is also used for tarps to hold down cargo loads in trucks.
We would be happy to send you small fabric samples of the White, Black and Café coloured Retract-A-Gate mesh. To make your request, contact customer service by email at info@SmartRetract.co.uk, and please include your name and mailing address.
If needed, we recommend using just a mild soap and water to clean the cat gate. Rubbing alcohol may be used for more stubborn stains.
Because we have worked hard to provide the best products and outstanding customer service, we have priced our retractable safety gates to match the value they provide. Retract-A-Gate offers the most value of any safety gate in its class. Occasionally, however, we offer promotions or general discounts and those are made available in Step 1 of the Check Out section in our Online Store. No coupons or discount codes are ever offered anywhere else – including any of the popular internet coupon sites. If you do happen to find one on any site other than ours, navigate away – it is not legitimate.
The easiest method of using the Bow Wow Barrier with cats is attaching it to an exterior door to prevent the cat from getting into or getting out of the house. Using the hardware that is provided, mount the brackets for the barrier onto the inside edge of the door and then onto the wall. When the Bow Wow Barrier is installed, simply attach the handle to the door brackets, and the mesh will automatically retract or extend as the door closes or opens. To walk through the doorway, remove the handle from the door brackets and either attach it back to the door for safety, or guide the mesh back to the reel as it rewinds automatically. The Bow Wow Barrier is fast and easy to use and helps keep your cats, kittens or other pets from darting through the doorway.
The main differences between these two products are:
Similarities between the Bow Wow Barrier and the Retract-A-Gate:
