macdack
If you have a cat outside, you can expect to learn how to teach cats to cat doors or ring a bell to understand that they are ready to enter.
I realize that sometimes I can take my cats outside and forget to check them, so I’ve found a way to let them know they are at the door. I live in a place that is too cold for a cat door (I have one that goes into the basement where there is a box of cat litter) so I decided to find a way to tell them to open the door we wanted because of that cold, which we sometimes endure here.
Here is a very simple way to train your cats to communicate when they want to be released.
Just take a small ringing sound loud enough for you to hear and twist it from a string just outside the door. Be sure to show this to your cat many times and you can even add a little catnip to your bell if you need it to please your cat.
You can buy the bell at almost any craft store. If you use a few small bells, it will be even better for you or your cat. Attach a bell or bells to a rope that hangs low enough for your cat to easily reach, then attach a catnip toy or use a catnip spray to attract your cat.
When the cat rings for the bell to come in, you will want to give them a cat to let you know they have done something worth rewarding. If your cat does not grab the bell right away, you may need to show them constantly to get interested. Sooner or later, they’ll know you’re coming to the door to let you in when the bell rings.
Initially, you may need to constantly show them the bell each time they leave or enter so they can associate the bell with the door that opens to them. You may want to start with the bell inside the house when they want to go outside, and this will help them learn more quickly that the bell ringing means the door will open.
Although I understand that sometimes you may not open the door simply because it is missing or for many reasons, your cat will still ring the bell at the open door.
If you live somewhere where you can insert a cat door, this is another option you can use to let your cat enter and exit whenever you want. It will also depend on what other animals you may have at home. Another reason I decide not to have a cat door leading to the field is if I have a cat that can go outside but she is uplifting and I have to have the baby sit when she goes out so she is not scared and takes off.
While you can buy cat doors at any pet store, you can do it yourself if you design things well. We put the cat door into our basement by itself, just cutting a small hole in the bottom of the door and putting a piece of plastic through it so they can pass easily.
If you want to insert a cat door that goes outside, make sure you know the size of the cat you need to fit comfortably through the opening. While a cat who is used to going outdoors all the time will probably have a quick idea of how to use a cat door, you may also need to know how to teach cats how to use this new door.
This should be a fairly simple process. One way to teach your cat to use this door is to keep it open and use a toy to tempt the cat to move from side to side. It should only take a few moments for your cat to realize that he can enter and leave as he pleases.
After they have been in and out several times, you will want to show them how to use the doors themselves when they close and you can use the same process. You may choose food to lure your cat through the door and help push it for the first few times, but many cats will go through this process fairly quickly if they really want to be able to get outside.
With perseverance and love, you can learn to teach cats to do just about anything.