How to Keep Your Cat from Escaping Outside

Cats may be the most nonchalant pets you could ever find, but don’t mistake their aloofness with disinterest. Cats are naturally curious creatures, and that explains about 75% of their behaviors when they’re at home. If you think your cat is not watching you, think again. There’s a reason why cats like looking outside through windows or sitting high on a pedestal.

They are curious watchers, and their inquisitiveness drives them to sometimes do things they’re not supposed to—like escaping outside for instance. The famous idiom—curiosity killed the cat—was not made up out of nothing. It comes from the age-old knowledge that many pet cats have gotten in trouble for probably since cats started becoming pets to humans.

Fortunately, there are several ways to keep your cat from escaping outside. If one does not work for your pet, try the next. Pet safety is always priority, and you should never let your cat outsmart you anyway. Here are the best ways to keep your cat from escaping outside.

1. Give your cat some entertainment

Cats get bored. They are highly intelligent creatures that thrive on learning, playing, and experiencing. Although it may seem that cats tend to lie around for most of the day, it doesn’t mean that they don’t like to play. Providing your cat with plenty of toys and a designated area to play in is crucial to your cat’s overall physical and mental health. They also stifle any feline urges to find something outside the home. According to this article from Catempire.org, providing your cat with a rich and stimulating environment will prevent it from trying to find excitement elsewhere. There are plenty of useful gadgets, toys, and climbing towers to make this happen, so make sure you don’t hold back.

2. Teach your cat some tricks

If you’re a cat owner, you probably already know that cats can actually learn tricks as much as dogs can. Again, they are highly intelligent and skilled animals. For our purposes here, there’s one trick that can really help you keep your cat from escaping—responding to its name. It may seem too obvious; of course, cats respond to their names. But as a cat owner, you should also know that cats don’t always respond when called. They are as stubborn as they are curious. With proper training techniques and a handful of treats, you can really train your cat to come to you every time you call it. This comes in handy when a cat escape is looming. If your cat is properly trained to respond to its name, all you’d need to do is call to it.

3. Keep your cat away from the door

Your cat may or may not know your daily schedule. It may or may not anticipate your return. Regardless, most pets that have been left at home all day will come running to the door once it hears its human coming back. Unfortunately, this is also prime time for an escape to happen. Whenever a door is open, it becomes an opportunity for your cat to run outside. Simply preventing interaction by the front door could help you stop escapes from happening. Distract your cat any time it tries to interact with you by the front door.

You can do this by giving your cat a treat puzzle just before you go, so it won’t see you leaving. You can also designate a spot for saying hello and goodbye to your cat, and it has to be away from the front door. This way, you can still give your cat the attention and affection it needs before you leave and after you get back without giving it the chance to escape. This is a habit that both you and your cat can learn easily.

4. Let your cat play outdoors

Curiosity can easily be appeased by giving your cat a dose of what it looks for—adventure. As much as cats like to stay indoors, they need outdoor time as well; and they actually look for it too. If a cat gets enough outdoor time to satisfy its craving of exploration and excitement, it is less likely to run off when it’s not supposed to. Having a designated outdoor time and sticking to a regular schedule will let your cat know that outdoor play is coming at some point—it doesn’t need to run off to satisfy its need.

5. Make it more difficult to get out

Cats are smart and they’ll do whatever it takes to get what they want. Whether it’s sitting on top of the fridge or catching the critter it’s spotted, cats will stubbornly keep going at it until they have been satisfied. This is true also when it comes to escaping. Cats will keep on trying until they actually escape. If there’s a way out, they will surely find it. The solution to this is to make sure it’s impossible for your cat to get out. If you’re going to leave the windows open, make sure that your screen is sturdy enough to handle enough prodding. If you have lever handles for doorknobs, make sure that your cat doesn’t actually know how to turn it—they’ve been known to learn a human thing or two.

6. Create a catio

It’s the latest trend in cat care. Catios are the perfect solution for keeping cats entertained. They give your cat a safe running space that’s actually outside of your home. You can install a catio anywhere in the garden or lawn you think is best and safest for your cat. You’ll never have to worry about your cat getting lost or getting hurt as long as it’s in the catio. It’s a controlled environment, and your cat won’t even take notice.

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