Thursday, July 17, 2014

Help Your Cat Enjoy Its Freedom - Train it to Use Cat Doors

Cats are naturally independent and adventurous creatures so they should be allowed to go outdoors from time to time. If you have a feline at home, you should install pet doors in strategic places in the house to allow your pet to go outdoors every now and then. After installing doors in your home, train your cat to use these doors to go outside and then come back inside the house.
 

Cat Door
Teaching your feline friend how to use these doors can be a bit challenging. Some cats are rather reluctant to use the doors for various reasons. To help your precious get comfortable with the idea of using cat doors, here are some tips for you.

Show Your Cat How To Use The Door

After installing cat doors in your home, show your pet where these doors are located. To do this, place the animal in front of the door and open the flap to show your cat that the door leads to the lawn outside. Your pet may not jump at the opportunity to use the door immediately so you should be patient. If your kitty refuses to go through the door, gently push your cat through it. You may also use treats to lure your moggy into using the cat doors.

It may take a while before your pet gets used to the idea of using the pet 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. To train your feline to use the pet doors in the house, do not open the kitchen door to let him out. Instead of opening the kitchen door, pick up your animal and bring it to the door, open the flap and gently push your friend outside. Repeat this process until your precious gets the idea that it can go out of the house without your help.

Safety Precautions

Before you let you let your cat out of the house, make sure that it is wearing its collar. A lot of owners who lost their cats were never able to retrieve their pets simply because their pets were not wearing collars.

To make sure that your cat is able to get inside the house with ease, see to it that the cat doors are free from obstructions. Do not put any heavy objects near cat doors and if you have kids in the house, tell your kids to keep their toys away from the doors.

Because there are several cat doors to select from, it can be difficult to know which one is right for your pet. A simple rule is to first make sure you get the right size of pet door - either small, medium, or large. Then reduce your search of all the cat doors by choosing the one that would best suit your home.
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