Cat tries to go out

[Twocoastscat]

Jeter is a 13 year old indoor cat - has been indoor only since adopted at 12 weeks. Recently he’s making more attempts to get outside and goes out our front door onto our front porch and plops down under a bench or onto our side patio from the side door. So far he hasn’t wandered further but I definitely want to discourage this behavior. He has, after a few months, adjusted to having a mature female cat in our house as part of our blended household. He just seems more curious about being outside and hangs out around the door sometimes so he sneaks out. So does the female who was formerly a street cat so I wonder if he’s imitating her? Other than being extra vigilant how do we handle this?

 

[FeebysOwner]

The ideal resolution is to build/buy a catio or cat enclosure that these cats can access through a window or door - for as many hours of the day that you want. A lockable cat door in either entry/exit point would enable you to keep them inside when you want.

Other than that, it is a matter of diligence/vigilance. And you can't treat the cats differently in terms of what you want to do, they either both get to go out or not. Maybe you can try some of these ideas, if the catio/cat enclosure is not feasible.
How To Prevent Your Cat From Darting Out The Door - TheCatSite

 

[Mamanyt1953]

There are also several good-sized pop-up screened enclosures. I have one very similar to this:

Now, my girl has no interest in being outside in the least, but I live in a hurricane zone, so I keep it in case of evacuation to a public shelter. It's large enough for her bed, box, and food and water. It would be great as a safe lounging area on a porch or patio.

 

[Alldara]

I personally found harness training my cats who want out worked well because they learned to wait.

You can also try clicker training. Even an older cat can learn new tricks!

 

[Hellenww]

And you can't treat the cats differently in terms of what you want to do, they either both get to go out or not.

Why? Do you think it could cause stife between the cats? I have 3 cats with different outside rules.

Sqeeker 15yrs likes to go out for a few minutes. Eat some grass and come back in. He gets scared if the door isn't open so the kits go in the stroller when he goes out.

Luna 14mts goes out on harness. It's only been 2 wks so she hasn't exploresd the whole yard yet. She's very confident and I'm surpised by how well she listens to "no" outside. Indoors she still leaps before she looks so she goes in the stroller when Sqeek goes out.

Leo 14mts doesn't go out. The first time Luna went out he scrathed at the door but never again. Sometimes he watches. sometimes not. I finally found the right size harness for him. He was fine with wearing it but panicked when I went to take him out so haven't done it again. He'd follow Sqeeker anywhere but panics easily. I put him in the stroller when Sqeek goes out because I worry he'd go outside get scared and run in the wrong direction. We're not fenced.

Could I be creating problems?

 

[FeebysOwner]

Why? Do you think it could cause stife between the cats? I have 3 cats with different outside rules.

In the OP's case it seems there could be a mimicking situation possibly going on. I thought it would be best not to give the cats separate outside schedules if it would cause any undue stress for Jeter. This might not be an issue down the road, depending on how the current situation is resolved and how the cats adapt to the resolution.

If what you do with your cats seems to work and no one appears stressed out by it, it is probably appropriate for your cats to handle them differently!

 

[ArtNJ]

I have a few tricks learned to counter our escape artist. Foot stomping can be used to back them up. On the way in, crack the door, and close it hard, cycleing back and forth 3-4 times. That wil back the cat up, but still peak and if necessary stick one foot in and stomp. Also eye contact matters! Cats are natural hunters, and understand full well when an animal (you!) is or is not paying attention. Eye contact tells the cat your paying attention. If foot stomping isn't cutting it, I've kept a broom, crutch, yardstick type object by the door. You can whack that against the ground a bit, and even gently shoo the cat with it. Then I would leave it outside, and stick that into the cracked door and whack it when coming in.

My escape artist does not remotely believe our screened in sunroom (basically a catio) is remotely equivalent to being free range outside. He likes the sun room, but it does not seem to deter his escape attempts whatsoever. So I'm always a little skeptical when someone says that a catio is a solution to an escape artist. I'd say its a nice thing for a cat, but should not be viewed as the solution to escape attempts. I only have one example, so YMMV.

 

[lollie]

There are also several good-sized pop-up screened enclosures. I have one very similar to this:

I have this exact same tent. During the spring and fall, I will put it on my porch sometimes and encourage my cat to go in it for an hour or so. Can’t do it during the summer. Once it hits 80 degrees, she fusses to want back inside.