Help, cats are running out the door

[luci_sushi]

Sushi (10 months old) and Sully(1 year old) keeps on running out the door whenever somebody opens it. Sushi runs under the parked car(s) in the driveway and once went under a car that parked on the road. Sully runs and squeezes under the fence to the neighbors backyard. Luckily they don't lock their gate so I can get him.

I can't put a baby gate up because my mom has rheumatoid arthritis and won't be able to get over the gate. I also have a baby gate on my door where the cat litter boxes are so they jump over that easily.

Sully doesn't like spray bottles but Sushi could care less. My mom want me to let them play outside on a leash but I think that that would make them want to go out even more.

 

[strange_wings]

What is your front door/porch like? Are there two doors (screen and solid one)?

One thing you can do is stomp, make sppiss noises when they try to get near the door, clap - say no/get away, and shoo them away. You might consider a sign to hang on the outside of the door warning people not to let the cats out (if you look around you could probably find something cute).

If you have a porch you could always enclose it and add a screen door. That would be one more door for them to get through.

And if you know there will be a lot of company over that may not be mindful enough to shut the door quickly behind them - put the kitties up in a bedroom during the visit.

You must be consistent and always get on to them when they try to get near the door when it's open. After some time they'll learn and should give up. You also need to learn the "leg block", whenever you open a door position yourself so the cat can't easily get passed - works on dogs, too.

 

[ebrillblaiddes]

Can you put them in a back room when you need to open the door, or do they do that even when you're coming from outside?

You might try putting down aluminum foil or a lot of double-sided tape in front of your door. Those are usually done for scratching, because cats don't like the feel of them, but that might work for your situation too.

Do you have a front porch that you could screen in? If all they want is fresh air, that might work, and either way it would keep them from getting to the street before you could grab them.

 

[pat traufield]

Hi Luci,

Since you know their behavior is predictable you can be ready. Since a squirt bottle works on one of them - have one ready by the door. Before you open the door look around and give Sully a good squirt. You mention that Sushi could care less - is the bottle set to stream instead of spray. Some cats will also respond to canned air - they type that is used to clean computers. You can also try a noise shaker can - put pennies in an empty can and rattle it. There must be something that Sushi does not like.

You can also try tossing some treats or favorite toys away from the door.

Instead of waiting for those moments when the door is open - every day have a training session. Have someone help you - they ring the doorbell and you have your spray bottle or whatever Sushi hates ready. Practice several repeitions each day.

 

[yayi]

Originally Posted by Pat Traufield

your spray bottle

It's been discussed in this site that using a spray bottle is risky. The liquid might accidentally enter the ears and damaging them.
If your cats are scared of the vacuum cleaner, just place it by the door. That will keep them far away.

 

[luci_sushi]

Originally Posted by strange_wings

What is your front door/porch like? Are there two doors (screen and solid one)?

If you have a porch you could always enclose it and add a screen door. That would be one more door for them to get through.

We don't have porches but there are two doors(door and storm door). We don't have a lot of visitors, it's just the family going in out.

Originally Posted by ebrillblaiddes

Can you put them in a back room when you need to open the door, or do they do that even when you're coming from outside?

I lock them up in my bedroom but I'm not aways there to do that when some leaves. Yeah, they do try to sneak out when I'm coming in from outside. I block Sushi with my hand, he backs up and goes thought the opening on the bottom of the door.

 

[ebrillblaiddes]

Originally Posted by yayi

It's been discussed in this site that using a spray bottle is risky. The liquid might accidentally enter the ears and damaging them.

I haven't used a squirt bottle myself in a long time--haven't had a need for it with my current group of cats--but I remember that from most angles, it's not too hard to hit the back half of the cat, which keeps it out of their ears. If the angle they're at doesn't leave a clean shot at their back half, quickly setting it to mist before squirting, or just shaking it, gets about the same effect--as long as it's not overused. They associate the sounds of water and the bottle with being squirted and interpret it as the same scolding.