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RE: Cat tearing screens to get out

Maria3 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:42:40 GMT

f you buy a door for him, probably you will have to teach him how to open it. Normally you let it open all time and they investigate and discover they can go in and out. After some days you close it.

Some cats gets the idea inmediately, other ones needs a little help. With my kitten I passed him two times in each direction and he learned very quickly.

RE: Cat tearing screens to get out

renosteinke — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 10:03:44 GMT

As much as I prefer my cats to be 'indoor' cats, I have different rules for the ferals I tame.

I let them out as they desire.

I figure that any cat that can live wild is 'streetwise' to the dangers out there. I also want them to live with me by choice - not force.

Oddly enough, they never travel far from home .... usually staying within the yard. I think they just like to feel the wind in their whiskers.

RE: Cat tearing screens to get out

SuperCat — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 07:46:55 GMT

They sell screen guards to put on your doors -- the repellant sprays might not work as he is trying to claw his way outside. If a cat is used to being out, it's very hard to keep them in. If you want him to be a completely indoor cat you need alot of climbing trees and things for him to do inside to keep him happy. You need to play with him every day. You need to keep him active and happy.

My cats were doing this to my screen patio door. I bought a tall carpeted scratching post and put it right in front of the door. It worked! Now they scratch on the post at the door when they want to be let out. They leave the screens alone.

RE: Cat tearing screens to get out

PeaLoki&Gabe — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 15:52:20 GMT

Yes, citrus or pepper spray or any of these behavior modification aids are avilable:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/pet_supplies.cfm?c=3261+1894 there are also pet doors available if you want him to be an indoor/outdoor cat. Some of these (if he'll wear a collar) have a chip so only your cat will be able to enter or exit through them. Normally most of us are against indoor outdoor cats, but you're obviously out in a rural area, so traffic, being adopted, or poisoned by neighbors aren't major issues. Parasites, and predation would still be issues. A cat door with a receiver chip on his collar would keep him safer from predators if he's faster than whatever is chasing him.

But only you can decide what's right for you and you purr baby.

Cat tearing screens to get out

CuteStone — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 12:22:21 GMT

My cat Tony was a stray who was living in our barn. When I discovered him and realized how nice he is I had him neutered and kept him in the barn. But he eventually found the way to our house which is a half mile from the barn. He wanted to come in the house and we let him as it was winter. Everything went well until this summer. He began tearing the screen at the bottom of the doors to get out during the night when we are sleeping. I have not been able to catch him when he is doing this. He also tears and punches out the basement window screens. Is there something that could be sprayed on the screens to repel him?