Some cats will learn how to use cat doors immediately, but some might need patience, praise, and training. Cats are inherently curious so many of them learn to use cat doors easily. However, they might be quite nervous when you suddenly bring new things into your house, and some need to be encouraged before using a cat door comfortably.
Cats often like to go outside and since they are very independent they also like coming and going whenever they want. So, therefore, it is good to help them learn how helpful and useful cat doors can be.
The instructing facts of cats to use a cat door:
If the cat is hesitant to use a cat door, you will be patient and show him how to use them. You don’t want them to be stressed out, so don’t just shove them out the door.
Basically, your cat should be shown 2 things:
- That the cat’s door has to be pushed open to get in and out.
- That they can go outside and inside your home using the cat’s door.
The best way of encouraging hesitant cats is doing this step by step.
Introduce and train the cat that it is possible to enter and leave your house using a cat door
Start by maintaining the door in an open position with some rope or tape. Now the cat can see the outside world, and that by itself could be enough for them to use the cat’s door. If not, then you should go out and call your cat by talking through the cat’s door. If you still hesitate then go find someone else that the cat trusts to help you.
Teach the cat how to open the cat’s door
Next, you need to instruct the cat to open the cat’s door by itself. Start by putting a clip or a clothespin on the door so it won’t be closed completely and they can see you waiting outside the house. Then offer some treats and call them from the other side.
After they are good at doing this, get rid of the clothespin or clip and let the door close completely. Then they can practice going in or out and when they succeed at it be sure to praise them.
If the cat’s door is controlled by a microchip, it will not open until it reads the microchip in your cat. That may take longer to instruct the cat to use the cat’s door, as it is afraid of the noise it makes when it is unlocked.
Equally, if the cat is especially scared and fearful, it could take longer, however, everything will finally be worth it. Now the cat has more freedom, they can be confused as to where they should go to the bathroom. If you have these types of problems, so you can read the guide to litter training the cat.