Oh no! Trying to escape!

[for_serious]

Keano, my seven month old sphynx kitten, decided today for the first time that he would try and go outside. This freaked me right out. He's been waiting by the door. How can I stop him from doing this? I'm worried that my brother will accidentally open the door, not paying attention, and Keano may bolt. My mother thinks that I should take him outside in the harness and play with him outside to "get it out of his system." I'm worried that the opposite will happen: Keano will get a taste for the outdoors and try to get out there every time. What should I do?

 

[marlene]

Go outside and turn the garden hose on.

Keeping the hose in hand, prop the door so that it's invitingly open.

When future escapee sticks his head outside the door, spray the p*ss out of him with the hose. Forget the wimpy water bottles; a kitty sneaking out is serious business and requires rapid training.

Repeat the above steps once or twice more and you should be able to open and close your door without fear of the little bugger making a mad dash for it.

My advice for taking a kitty outside: NEVER let the kitty walk out under their own steam. When you take them outside put them in a carrier or carry them in your arms; don't let them associate going outside with walking outside under their own power, cause if you do that you're just asking for them to sneak out and it doesn't take a psychic to foresee trouble in the kitty's future.

 

[admin]

Hi for_serious is Keano nuetured? This will cause cats to want to go outside. Here is a great product that can be set by the door, it's harmless to the cat, left by the door for a few weeks should do the trick!
Multivet SSSCAT cat repellent cat control training system warning, you may get a chuckle after watching the video clips!

 

[susi794]

Hi for_serious is Keano nuetured? This will cause cats to want to go outside. Here is a great product that can be set by the door, it's harmless to the cat, left by the door for a few weeks should do the trick!
Multivet SSSCAT cat repellent cat control training system warning, you may get a chuckle after watching the video clips!

Went to this site and it absolutely doesn't say where you can buy it. On the
where to buy it drop down menu, it isn't even listed. I guess I can try googling it.
Neat concept.

 

[susi794]

Found it---ouch! $30.00 for the kit and $10.00 for refill cannisters--but I guess if it really worked it would be worth it.

 

[kiennasmom]

Keano, my seven month old sphynx kitten, decided today for the first time that he would try and go outside. This freaked me right out. He's been waiting by the door. How can I stop him from doing this? I'm worried that my brother will accidentally open the door, not paying attention, and Keano may bolt. My mother thinks that I should take him outside in the harness and play with him outside to "get it out of his system." I'm worried that the opposite will happen: Keano will get a taste for the outdoors and try to get out there every time. What should I do?

I'm on your side on this one. I would say almost 100% chance that if you took him out on a harness, he'd want MORE!! Escaping kitties is one of my biggest fears, too. I have been trying to get them to associate the stroller with being outside. If they want to go out, they have to hop into the stroller (which I keep open in the dining room cuz I'm a crazy cat-mom). Once they're in, I zip it up & they get to go outside. It seems to be working pretty well. They haven't tried at all to get outside on their own this summer yet. Or just put a HUGE sign on the door to remind your brother to watch out for Keano?

 

[Bella07]

If they want to go out, they have to hop into the stroller (which I keep open in the dining room cuz I'm a crazy cat-mom). Once they're in, I zip it up & they get to go outside. It seems to be working pretty well. They haven't tried at all to get outside on their own this summer yet. QUOTE]

So instead of associating waiting at the door to go outside, they associate the stroller. Brilliant idea actually! When I get a Sphynx, I will have to do that with them. Well, good luck with Keano! Great adive has been offered so far

 

[ckutkuhn7]

The SSSCat videos were awesome. Adds even more entertainment to our Sphynx kitties day. lol Goodluck keeping your kitty from bolting outside. Lucky for me Snuffie only sits on the counter by the door and greets us or says goodbye as we leave. I'm waiting for the day for her to up her antics tho!

 

[ElGatoLoco]

Butternuts does that same behavior sometimes. At first I always blocked him from running outside. Then, one day I just let him go. As soon as he hits the grass he starts moving really slowly. I guess he's not used to the grass. Anyway, he's pretty easy to catch.

 

[LLevenson]

When we first got Arias, he would wait right at the front the door when we would return home. If we weren't fast enough or didn't block with a leg (which is next to impossible when you have an armload of groceries) he would get out. Since "the great outdoors" was new environment, he wouldn't go very far, but still, it was enough to scare me, especially when we are out of town and i worry that our petsitter won't be ask quick!

So what we started doing was when we walked in the door, we would ignore Arias, then walk inside about 4 feet and call him to us. he quickly learned that we would give him the attention and "proper" greeting he demanded when he was on the right "spot". Now, every time, we come home, there he is, sprawled out on the carpet 4 feet from the door. Like his own version of "do not pass go" with out dosing out massive amounts of love. Actually, the 1st time a good friend stayed with him while we were out of town, his text to us after a couple of days was "What's with the lying prostrate on the rug when you come home?"

 

[MissMySphynxBoys]

When we first got Arias, he would wait right at the front the door when we would return home. If we weren't fast enough or didn't block with a leg (which is next to impossible when you have an armload of groceries) he would get out. Since "the great outdoors" was new environment, he wouldn't go very far, but still, it was enough to scare me, especially when we are out of town and i worry that our petsitter won't be ask quick!

So what we started doing was when we walked in the door, we would ignore Arias, then walk inside about 4 feet and call him to us. he quickly learned that we would give him the attention and "proper" greeting he demanded when he was on the right "spot". Now, every time, we come home, there he is, sprawled out on the carpet 4 feet from the door. Like his own version of "do not pass go" with out dosing out massive amounts of love. Actually, the 1st time a good friend stayed with him while we were out of town, his text to us after a couple of days was "What's with the lying prostrate on the rug when you come home?"

I love your advice and the text from your pet sitter.

 

[ckutkuhn7]

yes,,the text is a riot! lol

 

[Nofuratu]

I love your advice and the text from your pet sitter.

That is brilliant!

 

[maxtmill]

Hi All! I have recently had a similar problem - my cats have decided they will go out the dog door! I have been so worried that they will escape! The back yard is fenced in with woven wire, but they could easily jump over it (only 5 feet tall), or climb up it or even through the webbing. At night after the dogs go out for the last time, we close the dog door off. When we have to both leave the house, we close the cats up in their kitty room upstairs, with their cat tree, toys, food, water, litter boxes, etc. I have been looking up cat containment things you can put up at the top of your fence to prevent them from climbing over, but do these things work? Also, one of my cats (unfortunately) is declawed in the front. I was wondering if it makes a difference in if they can climb up or not. I looked into dog doors with key collars, but most only accept collars for 3 animals, & we have more dogs than that. Another dog door has a magnetic type flap that supposedly lets a dog nudge out headfirst, but when a cat paws at the door corner, I believe an alarm goes off. Does anyone have any suggestions? If the cat containment fencing worked, I would still be nervous just letting them come in & out! Any advice?

 

[for_serious]

Go outside and turn the garden hose on.

Keeping the hose in hand, prop the door so that it's invitingly open.

When future escapee sticks his head outside the door, spray the p*ss out of him with the hose. Forget the wimpy water bottles; a kitty sneaking out is serious business and requires rapid training.

Repeat the above steps once or twice more and you should be able to open and close your door without fear of the little bugger making a mad dash for it.

My advice for taking a kitty outside: NEVER let the kitty walk out under their own steam. When you take them outside put them in a carrier or carry them in your arms; don't let them associate going outside with walking outside under their own power, cause if you do that you're just asking for them to sneak out and it doesn't take a psychic to foresee trouble in the kitty's future.

I've been doing this and it has worked like a charm!!! Thank you so much. Thanks to everyone else for their suggestions. That spray wouldn't have worked because we have a dog that sleeps by the same door. But thank you anyways!! I can worry a little less now.

 

[maxtmill]

Hi All! I would still like to hear from anyone who has used or heard reports about the cat containment fence topper things advertised on line. Thanks!

 

[taminate]

I have had this happen to me way too many times. Our garage has a cat door so the cats can be warmer out there as well as having their litter and food out of my house... when my husband works in the garage the cats love to sit at the edge and soak up some sun...well, one day my female got out! I couldn't find her..and of course was bawling and freaking out-I went outside and she was at the neighbors house. I WAS TERRIFIED! I may try the water trick because sphynx are just too precious to let outside like a barn cat! it is hot here, so i worry about burning, plus everyone has dogs, and of course mine are not scared of dogs. one night when we had company over, my male somehow got out-he sat by the window crying until my inlaws realized he was outside-he really doesnt like being outside

 

[JeriLeighR]

I found the SSSScat thing and refills here at Walmart, looks like it might work great!