Indoor cat constantly escaping out front door....

My kitty Georgia lived with me in my old apartment (4th story, door on inside hallway) for 2 years and occasionally chased the pizza man down a couple doors but was content to remain inside. I now live on a first floor apartment which opens to the outside with a boyfriend (really more of a hostile roommate at this point) and though she stayed in the first couple months, she now wriggles out the front door with mainly him (sometimes I before I can catch her) almost daily. I am worried for her safety and need a way to contain her without locking her up in a crate or restraining her in anyway while I'm out of the house. Any suggestions? Screen door in front of my front door? Baby gate?

I've been there with the cat, the door, and the man. The only solution I know of is to constantly b**** and nag for the man to be careful going through the door. Screen doors are pretty good. Baby gates are too easy to jump over.

Heavens, I am so sorry I have no advice - been there, done that and all I can say is "hope the nagging works for you - it doesn't for me".

Perhaps I should put a collar on the boyfriend and hook him up to an electro-shock fence at the front door to remind him to watch for the cat?

J/K

Originally Posted by ataraxia

Perhaps I should put a collar on the boyfriend and hook him up to an electro-shock fence at the front door to remind him to watch for the cat?

J/K

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You weren't kidding about "hostile roommate"! Men are funny creatures, my personal experience has been that they don't always listen to their significant other.

I've been known to tell my husband something and he poo-poo's it. The guy next door can tell him the same thing 1/2 hour later and he takes it as gospel. Go figure!

My Pooka likes to run out of the door too. I live on a third floor and he only gous down about half a floor. If goes down all way, I pick him up, hold him tightly and wait for the first car to go by. He doesn't go out in a while again!!

Reya likes to come out, but only to the door to say goodbye to me

Originally Posted by Kathylou

I've been there with the cat, the door, and the man. The only solution I know of is to constantly b**** and nag for the man to be careful going through the door. Screen doors are pretty good. Baby gates are too easy to jump over.

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baby gates are easy to jump over but are a great delaying tactic! it stops a mad dash to the door.

you can get dog gates which are higher and have finer bars.

My cats have their own room to avoid that exact kind of situation. Before we leave the house they go in their room. Their safe in their room all day and I don't have to worry about mischeif and we can go in an out with ease. There's no way I could do it any other way. I carry lots of stuff back and forth to work and don't have an extra arm to block a cat on the way out the door. Plus, there are many strays in apartment complex that are often right outside the door. They are very territorial and it would be an instant fight if one of my cats popped out of the door. We are also on a main road. A cat room was the best option for us. They have everything they need in there, and are perfectly content to hang out in there all day.

I have the same problem. My cat is allowed out the back, into the garden, but isn't really that interested at the moment (too cold and wet), but the moment the front door opens, he is out like a shot and refuses to come back in..until a car comes past.

I have now started to lock him in the front room before we go out, until he is a bit older and can handle the other cats, kids and cars. By that time he will be big enough to jump over the garden fence anyway to get to wherever he wants.

Looks like you will have to chose a room where the cat will have to go, whenever the front door is opened.

Remind your hostile other that if he's hostile now, he won't be crazy about the way you behave if you lose your cat (because of him).