How do I keep my cats inside?

My husband and I just adopted two littermates and they are now starting to shed their initial shyness. They got into the bedroom and the bathroom and are now trying to explore the final frontier that lies behind the front door to our apartment. We do have a "secure" door that opens up onto the street from the hallway and ideally they should not be able to get beyond that but people frequently leave this door open. I'm afraid that if they get out they will find their way to the busy 4-lane road running past our building or won't be able to get back inside the building because of the secure door or because of fear of strangers. I try to hiss at them and make loud noises but they won't stop trying to stick their little heads through. So far, I have been able to catch them and carry them away but I know eventually they will stop allowing me to do this (they are quick when they need to be). I was hoping someone here can help me.

I also have another question. The male cat, Zin, pauses to gently scratch the kitchen floor when he's eating. I don't know if this is significant or not. The litter box is also in the kitchen (it won't fit in our bathroom very well) and I thought maybe he's trying to cover the scent....but...he won't eat when the food is at the other end of the kitchen and the spot right next to the litter box seems to be where he feels most comfortable munching. Overall his scratching doesn't seem to be a sign of irritability or dissatisfaction but I wanted to ask anyway.

I live in the same type of apartment building. You just have to be aware and careful. When you leave and come in, already expect that they are around you and wanting to go out. Watch the door. Block them or pick them up, stop them from going out. Never leave the door open, etc. You just really have to make a concious effort.

Saki scratches around the food bowl too sometimes. I think its just an instinct.. like they want to bury their food or save it for later. Or maybe they just dont like it lol.

1st of all welcome to TCS ! its great here, you´ll have lots of fun and theres loads of great advice, support and friendship.

My cats are outdoor cats, so I dont have any tips on how to manage indoor cats, but as our friends across the world wake up and check into the site, I am sure you´ll get some brill advice.

Anyway in the meantime, enjoy yourself having at look at the forums
When you get chance maybe you could post some photos of your fur-family
We love to see new babies

Enjoy

mooficat - thank you for the welcome. I will post pictures as soon as I get them up online.

My parent's have an outdoor cat as well and the reason she goes outdoors is that we just couldn't keep her inside after we adopted her. It's really wonderful that way because she rarely stinks up the house using the litter box; she prefers to do her business outside even when it's freezing. Plus she gets tons of exercise chasing animals out of my parents' backyard.

I would rather have a stinky litterbox than a lost or injured cat. Too many bad things can happen to them when they are outside.

This is one of the reasons why I'm keeping my two new cat indoors (or, at least, trying to) but Roxanne (my parents' cat) just wouldn't be happy to stay at home. I still worry about her around Halloween, since she's pretty much all black and I know some people love to hate black cats. That's the only time of the year she's forced to stay at home.

I block Gizmo from exiting BEFORE I open the door. I stand there, saying "No." I only open the door after she has walked away toward another part of the apartment.

You might speak to your landlord about putting a 'door closer' of some kind on the hall door so that once a person is through it, it closes by itself.

Originally Posted by gizmocat

I block Gizmo from exiting BEFORE I open the door. I stand there, saying "No." I only open the door after she has walked away toward another part of the apartment.
You might speak to your landlord about putting a 'door closer' of some kind on the hall door so that once a person is through it, it closes by itself.

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That's what I do with my babies too! I also say, in my "captain's voice" "No, stay back, get back!" and block them going in and out. Now they rarely come near the door when we are coming in and out, but I STILL keep a close watch.

Shanynne
Extreme Kitty Lover