Doorway battle

abbybaby

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Abby has realized that coat, purse and shoes means that I am going out the door, and she has decided this means she should dart out into this new territory. This is not a particularly dangerous situation as fire doors block one side of the hallway, but technically there is the possibility that the elevator door could open and she could dart in there, or a person could open the door to the stairwell and she could get out that way. There is also a little "danger" in that my neighbour has a very large motorized wheelchair and his ability to operate it is - well, limited (lots of scratches and gouges in the walls attest to that ). He could easily run her down without even seeing her if the timing was bad.

The most difficult thing really is that she does that when I am on my way to work or when I'm meeting someone etc. and it is beyond annoying to have to put my key and bag down and go after her, pick her up, put her back into the apartment far enough to be able to close the door, then gather my bag and key, lock the door and continue on my way. As she is resisting "capture" a little more each time, this is turning from a 30 second extra bit of time to ever lengthening delays in my leaving. I don't really want to have to leave 10 minutes earlier than usual so I can get to work on time because of this.

I am thinking of letting her out into the hallway when I have time, in the hopes that she will eventually lose interest in it (although she seems to think the ugly shag carpeting is excellent for scratching). But I'm not sure this is the final solution. Any other suggestions will be welcome.

P.S. I do leave treats on her tree before I head to the door - she abandons the treats and makes a beeline for the door though.
 

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So if you are NOT going to work or meeting someone, she does not dash out? She stays put? 

I have read that putting the vacuum cleaner or an item your cat is a bit scared of by the door will deter them from running out. 
 
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abbybaby

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This is a relatively new development, but has been every time I leave the apartment since it started. And so far I haven't found anything this little one is afraid of. She pulled over a plant a day or two after arrival so I pulled out the vacuum cleaner and she wasn't the least bit bothered by it. At the vet visit she sallied forth out of the carrier to examine every nook and cranny of the room, submitted somewhat unwillingly to the examination, but only because she doesn't like to be restrained, ate the treats the vet offered and basically acted like she owned the place. If this one was permitted to be an outside cat I fear she wold find trouble quickly - she is bold and so far, fearless.
 
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abbybaby

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...so far, fearless.
And for the first time, she attacked me just now, as I was typing, jumping up in the chair and sinking her claws (clipped though they are) into my back. At least I think it was her claws, there are three punctures that I can see, so I don't think she bit me. This is not a development I want to see. I've been turning my back on her and saying in an injured tone "you hurt me" and it almost seems like she feels bad about it. This is not good.
 

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I had the same issue with my cat.  I had him about 8-9 months when he developed a sudden desire to go outside.  I am his 3rd owner, and I know his 2nd owner use to let him outside.  I live in a condo, near a busy road, and a forrest preserve with coyotes, raccoon, possum, and who knows what other kind of animals that would find him a tasty snack.  So letting him out isn't an option.  

Once he decided he want to go out, it didn't take him long to realize shoe's mean I'm headed out outside.  Merlin was never very confident with making it passed me as I left.  He mostly just tried to follow me out and it was never work to insure he didn't get loose.  He would also stand near the door and meow constantly to let him out at night.  He was also a very aggressive cat when I first got him.  

What I've discovered is his aggression and desire to go outside is connected to how pent up his frustration is because he gets bored.  I got one of those feather's on a sting toy's, and make a point to play with him a couple times a day.  Since I've been doing this he seems to have relaxed a lot.  He's no where near as aggressive, and he hardly bugs me to let him out any more.  Although he still has a fascination with what's going outside.  While this desire to go outside seems to have subsided, I certainly wouldn't trust him with an open door.  
 
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abbybaby

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I have one of those toys for her, along with a few other types of wand toys, a laser pointer, toy mice, toy birds, toy hedgehog type things, crinkle balls, two tunnels, a small and a good sized cat tree, a battery operated ball with a feather sticking out from it that rolls around randomly, one of those battery operated gizmos with a wand underneath the skirt that spins around randomly, scratching posts with toys inside etc. I use the battery operated toys for when I am trying to make dinner, answer emails, do dishes etc. She gets two or three interactive play sessions most evenings and I try to change it up a bit using different toys, though I think if she had her way it would always be the bird toy. I have a puzzle ball with food in it, but she’s not very food motivated and shows little interest. I confess I am not a morning person at the best of times, but since she’s been in my life and waking me up at 5:30 every morning, I am even more tired, so admittedly I don’t play with her first thing in the morning as I am dragging myself around getting ready for work. So I’m really trying, but perhaps I have to admit defeat, that my circumstances are not a good match for her. If this behavior is boredom then I’m out of options. It wasn’t this way in the beginning, but maybe that’s why. Perhaps my home and our activities weren’t routine at first, but now that they are she is bored. I understand that most cats like routine, but she may be the exception...I just don’t know. I don’t want to give up on her, but I don’t want her to be unhappy either.
 

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I'm not an experienced cat owner, so I can only speak from the perspective of the cat I currently have.  I'm a late sleeper, and Merlin will make a point to wake me up for his morning feeding if it's starting to get to late for him.  When I first got him I would fill his bowl with dry food once during the day.  What I discovered, rather quickly, was he'd eat all his food before morning, and it would be long empty by the time morning came around.  He would get VERY aggressive while I laid in bed and slept until I got up and fed him.  During the 1st couple of weeks I had him, he would climb on top of me and sit there on my chest, or shoulder while I slept staring at me.  If I didn't get out of bed quick enough, then bite me pretty hard to get me up.  After doing a little reading I felt the best approach was to give him a small can of wet food in the morning, and fill his bowl with dry food to get him through the night.  Since I started doing this, he's stopped attacking me as aggressively in the morning.  He'll still try to wake me up in the morning, but these days it's more "affectionate".  

I rarely play with him in the morning because I'm trying to wake up, get my coffee, eat breakfast, etc.  Once I'm up and awake, I will usually grab his favorite toy and make a point to play with him.  Usually sometime around the early afternoon for the first time, and then I'll grab his toy a couple times throughout the day.  

Also, when I first got him, he was somewhat affection towards me (Excluding the period of time when he had to wait to be fed in the morning).  He went through as small phase where he was extremely aggressive though.  I live in a condo and the building association had to do inspections.  I was present while they were here but as near as I can tell, the guy that went through my place reminded him of his first owner (Who was a drunken jerk from what I was told).  For about a month after the inspection he was extremely aggressive and wouldn't let me pick him up or pet him with out him attacking me.  The people on this forum recommended pheromone and flower therapy for him.  Basically what I got him was a collar that had pheromones that were suppose to remind him of his mother.  Once I put it on him, I saw an almost immediate change in his level of aggression.  I was able to pick him up and pet him and he seemed content-ish.  I left it on him for a bout a month, and when it came off his behavior stayed a lot more mellow than he was.

Other than that I'm out of suggestions.   
 

yayi

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And for the first time, she attacked me just now, as I was typing, jumping up in the chair and sinking her claws (clipped though they are) into my back. At least I think it was her claws, there are three punctures that I can see, so I don't think she bit me. This is not a development I want to see. I've been turning my back on her and saying in an injured tone "you hurt me" and it almost seems like she feels bad about it. This is not good.
It is not an attack. It has happened to me. It's actually her desire to play. Cats do that to each other.  And it will not be repeated once you show her how displeased you are. By the way, how old is Abby?

All the cats I had have been allowed to go outside and yet, there have been some who like your girl were "naughtier" than the rest, especially between the ages of 2 to 5. 

Lots of toys might not be enough for Abby. It sounds like she is more of an explorer. I would look into catifying your home. http://jacksongalaxy.com/category/catification/
 
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abbybaby

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Quote:
 
I'm not an experienced cat owner, so I can only speak from the perspective of the cat I currently have.  I'm a late sleeper, and Merlin will make a point to wake me up for his morning feeding if it's starting to get to late for him.  When I first got him I would fill his bowl with dry food once during the day.  What I discovered, rather quickly, was he'd eat all his food before morning, and it would be long empty by the time morning came around.  He would get VERY aggressive while I laid in bed and slept until I got up and fed him.  During the 1st couple of weeks I had him, he would climb on top of me and sit there on my chest, or shoulder while I slept staring at me.  If I didn't get out of bed quick enough, then bite me pretty hard to get me up.  After doing a little reading I felt the best approach was to give him a small can of wet food in the morning, and fill his bowl with dry food to get him through the night.  Since I started doing this, he's stopped attacking me as aggressively in the morning.  He'll still try to wake me up in the morning, but these days it's more "affectionate".  

I rarely play with him in the morning because I'm trying to wake up, get my coffee, eat breakfast, etc.  Once I'm up and awake, I will usually grab his favorite toy and make a point to play with him.  Usually sometime around the early afternoon for the first time, and then I'll grab his toy a couple times throughout the day.  

Also, when I first got him, he was somewhat affection towards me (Excluding the period of time when he had to wait to be fed in the morning).  He went through as small phase where he was extremely aggressive though.  I live in a condo and the building association had to do inspections.  I was present while they were here but as near as I can tell, the guy that went through my place reminded him of his first owner (Who was a drunken jerk from what I was told).  For about a month after the inspection he was extremely aggressive and wouldn't let me pick him up or pet him with out him attacking me.  The people on this forum recommended pheromone and flower therapy for him.  Basically what I got him was a collar that had pheromones that were suppose to remind him of his mother.  Once I put it on him, I saw an almost immediate change in his level of aggression.  I was able to pick him up and pet him and he seemed content-ish.  I left it on him for a bout a month, and when it came off his behavior stayed a lot more mellow than he was.

Other than that I'm out of suggestions.   
Thanks. I may have mixed up two issues because I was writing about the doorway/hallway thing when she sunk her claws into me. It was the first time she's done that and so far she hasn't done it again, so hopefully I am not dealing with an aggression problem so much as a boredom/she needs to adjust thing. I give her a 1/4 cup of dry food in the a.m. before I leave, wet food when I get home (about 1/3 of a 5 oz can, she won't eat more than that ) and then another 1/4 cup of dry to munch on at night. Ideally I will be able to increase the amount of wet food, but considering how hard it was to get my previous cat to eat any, I will take what I can get. I am torn between it is curiosity, and if I let her explore the hallway when I have time to supervise, perhaps she will get it out of her system, and if I cave and let her have her way she's always going to want to go out there (which she kind of does now anyway). I have sprayed citrus scent around the doorway, but to no avail. The other concern I have is that this, together with the vocalization (I now realize all the crying in the hallway of my unit was about being let out into the hallway of the building) indicates that she is bored, in spite of the time I spend playing with her, and that maybe she needs to be in a home with a retired person who is there more often. But my being home more on weekends doesn't seem to make a difference either, so I don't know. It is a puzzlement as to what to do. I just can't be chasing her down the hallway, picking her up and putting her back into the apartment every time I go out  for the next 18 or so years....
 
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abbybaby

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It is not an attack. It has happened to me. It's actually her desire to play. Cats do that to each other.  And it will not be repeated once you show her how displeased you are. By the way, how old is Abby?

All the cats I had have been allowed to go outside and yet, there have been some who like your girl were "naughtier" than the rest, especially between the ages of 2 to 5. 

Lots of toys might not be enough for Abby. It sounds like she is more of an explorer. I would look into catifying your home. http://jacksongalaxy.com/category/catification/
I was told she was two which I thought was a bit young since I told the rescue people my situation (work full time, one bedroom apartment) but I thought it was do-able since she was so sweet and placid when I met her. I suspected right away that she was younger than two and my vet estimates her as being more like one. As for catification, I know this may sound selfish, but I don't want to turn my one bedroom apartment into a giant cat room. She has two trees, lots of scatching posts (five - seven if you count the trees) and there are toys, a couple of tunnets etc. all over the place. There needs to be some room for me as well. I am doing the best I can, but I don't think I can do this for 4 years. I want what is best for her and if a bigger place with more room to roam and explore is the answer, I will have to consider giving her up. My vet didn't think she was unhappy and there are many times when I don't think she is either - but sometimes I'm just not sure. Sigh.
 

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AbbyBaby, sorry to hear you are still struggling with your young cat.

It is not necessarily "boredom", I think, that is making her want to run into the hall. Rather, I tend to look at it as having a kitten or young cat that loves the joy and sense of freedom to expand boundaries (and run down hallways). Like, "I'm free! I'm free! Woohoo! Let's run!"

My kitten Milly recently learned the Happy Joy of darting out into the apartment building's hallways. She's totally excited and happy the whole time, fearless like your cat, tail straight up, eyes bright, bouncy and happy... so hard to resist the urge to just let her run a bit in a supervised way, and get her moments of "freedom" in the hall. But what my husband and I have learned is that letting her out a few times makes it an acceptable thing to do EVERY time in her mind, and --like you-- most of the time it can be inconvenient and/or a pain for us (and scary, if we lose control of her somehow and she gets out of the building), so we cannot let that happen. We, too, are struggling to find a good way to counteract most of this. Lucky for us, our apt has two doors to the hallway, and so sometimes we can block off an access to one door and sneak out of that one when she's expecting to dash out through another door. You probably don't have an option like that.

My other cats I've had in my life were much more "trainable" than Milly, and they would pay attention to my voice commands and not dash out the door. So I'm hoping others here have some good advice for you!
 

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We live in the middle of the desert. Between speeding trucks on dirt roads. Wildlife and dogs left to roam at will ,We actually had the neighbors dog try and go through our window to attack one of our cats getting outside would probably be a very quick end to our house fluffies.

Cats can be trained as long as the list of rules is extremely short. Ours have one hard fast rule. The door area is an off limits zone when we are going in and out. Hiss in a can, IE compressed air for cleaning electronics enforced with a loud NO.  A cat tree or surface that is within your eye sight as you open the door or leave where the cat can observe. Our cats are directed to that surface for greeting. No petting or greeting occurs until they are on their spot. While almost all training of any animal should involve positive reinforcement sometimes we have to get tough. ( never hit the cat with the compressed air stream. That's just your reinforced hiss)

Since your cat has made it into the corridor perhaps one of the sprays to remove pet odors would help discourage her. It seems cats travel as much by scent as sight. Someone here might know if that would help .
 
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abbybaby

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We live in the middle of the desert. Between speeding trucks on dirt roads. Wildlife and dogs left to roam at will ,We actually had the neighbors dog try and go through our window to attack one of our cats getting outside would probably be a very quick end to our house fluffies.

Cats can be trained as long as the list of rules is extremely short. Ours have one hard fast rule. The door area is an off limits zone when we are going in and out. Hiss in a can, IE compressed air for cleaning electronics enforced with a loud NO.  A cat tree or surface that is within your eye sight as you open the door or leave where the cat can observe. Our cats are directed to that surface for greeting. No petting or greeting occurs until they are on their spot. While almost all training of any animal should involve positive reinforcement sometimes we have to get tough. ( never hit the cat with the compressed air stream. That's just your reinforced hiss)

Since your cat has made it into the corridor perhaps one of the sprays to remove pet odors would help discourage her. It seems cats travel as much by scent as sight. Someone here might know if that would help .
Well, my hallway might not be quite as dangerous as that, but a resident on the other side of the fire doors does sometimes have her daughter's dog there. And while remote, there is always the chance she could get into the elevator if someone comes up, or out the stairway if someone came that way. Another neighbour on the other side of the fire doors has a cat too, so if that one gets out at all, she might be smelling that too. I have been spraying citrus spray around the door, which hasn't been a deterrent, but maybe a spray to remove pet odors will help too. I am going to see about getting one of those floor mats with the plastic spiky things to see if that keeps her away from the door as well. I have been using a spray bottle of water to discourage other behaviour and she hates it, so it works. I know some people don't approve of that, but it doesn't hurt her and it certainly doesn't make her afraid of me - she is fearless. She curls up with me on the sofa once in awhile, especially since it has been rainy (less appealing to be on the tree looking out the window) so I don't think it is harming our relationship either. Still I want to use the bottle sparingly so it doesn't lose its effectiveness, so I will try these other methods first. Ideally it will lose it's appeal as quickly as it became appealing.

To PushPurrCatPaws - Thanks, it is still a struggle, kind of a one step forward, two steps back thing - but at least there are steps forward. When I come home and find something I thought would be safe is broken, when she is crying in a high pitched tone and I simply don't know what she wants, when she sinks her claws into my back, or jumps all over my bed biting and clawing the comforter, I think - this isn't working. When I try to sweep the floor and she thinks the broom is a toy, when I play with her before bedtime, for up to an hour at times, then feed her and she gets a second wind and gets even more crazy, I think - no, I can't do this. But then she jumps up onto the sofa beside me, snuggles up against me and goes to sleep, or I do the slow blink thing and she blinks back, then I find myself thinking - it's a phase, there is a sweet girl buried in all the crazy, and I want to stick it out. It is unfortunate, because I was (and still am) grieving for the cat I had previously, so I find it a bit hard to handle "getting through it" and I grow weary of saying "No!" and "Down!" all day but as long as I believe it will subside and get better, I will carry on. And she does get down about 60% of the time, so...that's something. ;)
 

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To PushPurrCatPaws - Thanks, it is still a struggle, kind of a one step forward, two steps back thing - but at least there are steps forward. When I come home and find something I thought would be safe is broken, when she is crying in a high pitched tone and I simply don't know what she wants, when she sinks her claws into my back, or jumps all over my bed biting and clawing the comforter, I think - this isn't working. When I try to sweep the floor and she thinks the broom is a toy, when I play with her before bedtime, for up to an hour at times, then feed her and she gets a second wind and gets even more crazy, I think - no, I can't do this. But then she jumps up onto the sofa beside me, snuggles up against me and goes to sleep, or I do the slow blink thing and she blinks back, then I find myself thinking - it's a phase, there is a sweet girl buried in all the crazy, and I want to stick it out. It is unfortunate, because I was (and still am) grieving for the cat I had previously, so I find it a bit hard to handle "getting through it" and I grow weary of saying "No!" and "Down!" all day but as long as I believe it will subside and get better, I will carry on. And she does get down about 60% of the time, so...that's something. ;)
Well, you are certainly giving it your all, that's for sure!
 
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abbybaby

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Well, I got some of that plastic carpet protector and was worred ecause when I put my hand on them, the plastic spikes felt quite sharp. But I reasoned that because she is light (about eight pounds) they might not be too bad - just uncomfortable. She certainly seemed repelled by them....until I actually went out the door. Then she put up with the discomfort and got out the door. So again I had to catch her, put her in the apartment and now I have to hold her back, kind of push on her head to hold her in place while I swing the door closed. One of these mornings, if I'm tired and uncoordinated, I'm afraid I might close the door on her (and it is a fairly heavy door). So I guess I will have to resort to using the water bottle, or find some compressed air somewhere. Sgh.
 
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