5 Month Kitten Runs When Door Opens And Gets Locked Out

[CatLoverOnWheels]

So Nalah has been doing this thing for a while now that she just walks out or runs out when we open the front door. Anyone who's not familiar with her would just close it behind her thinking she was inside. Last night, my step dad came in from a night shift so it was dark and she ran out and had my mother not heard her, she'd have been out all night.

I just want some tips to train her not to do that so often because I'm really trying not to have her lost or anything; she's so timid and defenceless. One time, she saw one of my neighbours' cats and she was so frightened even as he was just jumping from garden to garden. If she is scared of him and strangers, what could happen when foxes or strangers are out?

She's getting spayed on Wednesday so less than 48 hours from now but I know she's not really in heat.

 

[susanm9006]

You might want to put a baby gate at the front door so she can’t run out. You would just step over to exit.

 

[ArtNJ]

Susan is very smart and knowledgeable but I can't say I really understand the baby gate method. Cats are great jumpers and it sounds like a huge pita as well. As far as I know, the best way to train a cat not to try and escape is to be super careful and never let her sneak out. After a few weeks of trying, she will give up. This might not be possible if you have young kids coming in and out a lot, but adults can learn "The Foot Stomping Dance":

Stomp the floor
Crack the door
Look high and low
If the coast is clear, go go go

Cats are intrinsically afraid of any exaggerated gate, so they will back off, and in time learn that the door is not for sneaking out of.

 

[susanm9006]

The reason baby gates can work is that cats or kittens can dart between your legs and be out the door in a fraction of a second. With a gate it takes a hair longer for them to jump up and you have a chance to grab them as they hit the top.

 

[ArtNJ]

I certainly had the occasional accident with the foot stomping method -- its hard for every family member to have the required vigilance all the time. And I'm not sure foot stomping would even be worth trying with a family with kids. But in general if your really stomping, its scary to them and they wont dart.

 

[CatLoverOnWheels]

You might want to put a baby gate at the front door so she can’t run out. You would just step over to exit.

I would do that but as I live in council house, I can't do much to the front of the house without permission. I think I'll have to spend a couple of hours home and stomp when opening the door.

 

[maggie101]

I would get her microchipped. There is something you put outside that sprays water on the animal every time it walks by. Have every one have treats ready to hand out every time someone opens the door. Put shelves up so she will jump up high every time someone comes in. She will feel safer

 

[maggie101]

Also put a tall cat tree by the window. Mine is 72 inches!View attachment 251070

 

[RajaNMizu]

I would keep an eye on her to make sure she isn't pregnant. She's young but you can't always tell when a cat is in heat and she's spent the night outside.

 

[jen]

How do you know she isn't in heat? They can have silent heats and they don't need to be in heat to get pregnant.

I had a cat who tried to dart out the door once and I would put her in the bathroom right as I was ready to go leave. I wouldn't completely close the door though just til it touches so she had to take a second to figure out how to push the door open. Eventually I had to close the door farther then til it touches but not latched shut so she really had to push. After she mastered that she became a cat who went outside lol. It worked for a bit anyway.

 

[DreamerRose]

Mingo does this, too, and there is nothing I can do to stop it. As I write, he is locked in the garage. I leave him out there when he dashes out, hoping he will stop doing it. For the front door, I lock the screen, so no one coming in can inadvertently let him out. They have to knock or ring the bell.

 

[CatLoverOnWheels]

How do you know she isn't in heat? They can have silent heats and they don't need to be in heat to get pregnant.

I had a cat who tried to dart out the door once and I would put her in the bathroom right as I was ready to go leave. I wouldn't completely close the door though just til it touches so she had to take a second to figure out how to push the door open. Eventually I had to close the door farther then til it touches but not latched shut so she really had to push. After she mastered that she became a cat who went outside lol. It worked for a bit anyway.

I guess I don't definitely 100% know she's not in silent heat - I'll know soon anyway but she tends to go out to investigate things if there are bins out or boxes out like last night. It's more of a curiosity thing than a heat thing as it seems.

I'll consider that too, that'll slow her down if anyone's leaving.

 

[CatLoverOnWheels]

Mingo does this, too, and there is nothing I can do to stop it. As I write, he is locked in the garage. I leave him out there when he dashes out, hoping he will stop doing it. For the front door, I lock the screen, so no one coming in can inadvertently let him out. They have to knock or ring the bell.

Let me know if that works. Whenever Nalah gets locked or finds that she has no exit, she meows and I get super guilty

 

[vyger]

I would put a collar on her with a couple of loud bells. It won't stop her from trying to get out but at least you will know she is coming.
I agree with the others about the being in heat thing. She may be driven to go out and look for a daddy. She doesn't understand it, just knows that her hormones are talking to her to get out.