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 flaps 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.

Teaching your feline friend how to use cat doors can be a bit challenging. Some cats are rather reluctant to use cat doors for various reasons. Here are some tips that will allow you to make the idea more acceptable to your cat.

Show It How It’s Used

After the cat doors have been installed, take your cat to them. 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. Your cat may not jump at the opportunity to use the door immediately so you should be patient. You can then gently push the cat through the door while holding the door open with one hand. Another thing you can try is placing something the cat likes on the other side of the door.

It may take a while before your cat gets used to the idea of using the cat doors instead of the kitchen door to get out. In fact, it may take a while before your cat stops pestering you to open the kitchen door and let him out. No matter how badly you want it, don’t stand up and open the kitchen door for it. Instead, take the cat to the cat door again, open it for the cat and, if it doesn’t go out on its own, push it gently. You will need patience and keep repeating this until the cat understands that the kitchen door is not a way to go out anymore.

Safety

Before allowing the cat to go out, make sure that it’s wearing a collar. A collar with your contact information will allow people to return the cat to you if they find it.

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.

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