Cat Mate Microchip 360W Cat Flap

In terms of functionality, the flap is excellent, especially for this price. However, the big downside is the noise level. As far as I can tell, this seems to be a problem shared by all available cat flaps: the locking mechanism is very loud. In my case, the door is only about a metre away from where I sleep, so it’s really annoying at night. I’m also worried about the neighbours’ nerves, as sounds tend to echo between the blocks here.