How to Make Cats Use Cat Doors

One of the main differences between cats and dogs is that cats like to go out of the house on their own and do some exploring. If you have a cat (or more), it's a good idea to have some cat doors installed in places that are convenient for the cat, so that it can go out for a walk without your intervention. After installing cat doors in your home, train your cat to use these doors to go outside and then come back inside the house.

Depending on yoru cat, teaching it how to use cat doors can be easy or difficult. Some cats are rather reluctant to use cat doors for various reasons. Here are some tips to help you make your cat feel more comfortable with cat doors.

Show Your Cat How To Use The Door

Right after having the cat doors installed, show your cat where they are. Just put your cat down right in front of the door and use your hand to open the flap so that the cat can see the yard outside. You have to be patient if the cat just doesn't go through the door. You can then gently push the cat through the door while holding the door open with one hand. You may also use treats to lure your cat into using the cat doors.

It may take some time before your cat gets used to the idea of using the cat doors installed instead of the kitchen door. Your cat may continue coming to you every time it wants to go out because it knows you can open the kitchen door. Don't let the cat's cuteness get to you, refuse to open the door for him, even if it looks and meows at you. Instead, what you should do is pick up the cat, carry it to the cat door, put it down, open the door for it, and push it through. Keep repeating this until the cat starts to use the cat doors on its own.

Safety

You should always make your cat wear a collar before it goes out. A lot of owners who lost their cats were never able to retrieve their pets simply because their pets were not wearing collars.

Also, to insure that the cat doesn't get stuck, make sure that the doors are not obstructed or have obstacles. Never place heavy objects close to cat doors, and if you have children, teach them to keep away from them.