Conference misery::feline_v1

    RumTum does the same thing!  He is also a strictly indoor kitty.
    He has succeeded twice in getting out...
    only to find himself terrified!  I had to chase him the first time,
    he didn't know where he was going! and then the second time he was
    out and it was dark and Bob and I were walking around the 
    neighborhood with flashlights going crazy...he finally sauntered
    up to the back door like nothing had happened!!
       
    He is constantly trying to get out, the only thing I can think of
    is that he is soooo curious; maybe your cat is too?  The only thing
    to do is constantly guard the door! :-)
    
    Good luck!
    Erin
              

    My sister suggested this method of keeping the cats away from the
    door and it seems to have worked with Amelia and Bailey.  They will
    come near the door and peer out but they usually don't try to run
    out (although I still make sure I watch them).
    
    One day (or more if necessary) when you have some free time, take
    your kitty discipline tool (also known as a spray bottle) and go
    to the front door.  Open it and position yourself just outside the
    door.  When curious kitty comes too close give him/her a spritz
    and say NO (I've found that making a hissing sound at them works 
    as well as NO for my kitties).  Repeat this several times.  Keep
    on your guard in case kitty is very persistant.
    
    I know this doesn't sound like a very nice thing to do but it worked
    for me and Jo Ann (and I had some fun doing it too).
    
    Jan

    Well, i have a couple of indoor curiosity seekers also.  A couple
    of things could work.  If there is someone else home when a person
    is leaving to go outside, have someone hold the cat until the 
    door is closed.  Or, if there is only one person home, you hold
    the cat, open the door, get yourself on the other side of the
    door holding the cat, reach in and place & push the kitty far
    enough into the room and hurry and close the door! Practice
    and patience helps with all methods!  
    Or, there is the leg in - leg out trick.
    When I open the door from the outside to come in, I always
    keep my head down cram my foot and leg (up to the knee) in
    the 2 or 3 inch opening so the little shooter can't get past
    my leg!  That seems to work.  Anyway, it did until we came
    home from a show in CT - the kids were tired of sitting still
    and when we opened the crate door (crate was still in the truck
    - the truck was IN the garage) it was funny to see four kittens
    booking it in four different directions all over the garage!
    Lauren and I could only stand in front of the open crate door
    and laugh like crazy!  We didn't know which way to go or which
    kitten to grab first!  The kids have never been in the garage
    except to get into the crate to go to the shows or vet, so 
    they are VERY curious.  They were so busy sniffing around
    that they were easy to catch!  Needless to say, we are now much
    more careful when we open the door to the traveling crate.
    

    I have the same problem with Mocha.  Of course he was a stray 
    before he came to us, so he knows all about the wonderful out
    doors.  He will run to the slider everytime he thinks he can
    escape. The old leg in the door routine works quite well but
    is a problem at times.  We try the you hold while I go out
    the door business also.  He is allowed to go out each morning
    until I get ready to leave th house, and then husband lets him
    out when he gets home and is usually out until I get home at
    5:30.  We TRY never to let him out at night.  He does pretty
    well with a sharp, "NO MOCHA", but then saint bernard hears
    him being yelled at and has to rush over and see what has
    happened to him.  Our life is a circus sometimes.
    
    Do you have a place where they could go out on the lawn and
    investigate?  (Of course with a harness and lead.)  The first
    time their paws come into contact with grass is a funny sight.
    Back to the old delima: Inside always vs outside supervised
    visits.
    
    Barbara

    Our cats used to do this too, but are pretty good now.  They usually
    need a refresher course in the spring - I guess they feel the warm
    fragrant air and are more interested in that than snow and frigid
    air.  
    
    Our solution is this... If the cat nears the door when we're going
    out we use our firmest "no".  (note - In Tristan's case "no" means
    stomping on the floor, because he's deaf)  If they don't leave the
    vicinity of the door immediately, we gently lift/slide them over 
    with our foot and set them down away from the door.  This is usually 
    all it takes, but we'll repeat the exercise if they near the door 
    again.  This all takes place *BEFORE* the door is opened or as soon 
    after they appear.  After a few times they stand no closer than 5 feet
    or so, or watch from the window.  Please note that there is *NO*
    force involved - no kicking!  Just gently moving them away from
    the door.
    
    re .3 -- We have tried the open-door-water-bottle procedure too.
    It didn't work with Tristan because it encouraged the investigation
    of an open door.  Even though he got squirted, which he hated, he
    did get to get near/almost through the door, and that whetted his
    appetite for it.  He's the epitome of the curious cat.
    
    The most important part, I've found, is that our cats understand
    what "no" means.  If they know that, half the battle is over.

    By the way, we have a special reason to make sure our cats don't
    get out.  Tristan had been hit by cars twice before we adopted him
    because he couldn't hear them coming.  
    
    Karen (who still shudders to think about Tristan's little body under
    	   a car)