Problem Solving & Advice by Pam Johnson-Bennett Cat Behavior Expert & Best-selling Author
Door darting is a potentially dangerous behavior for a cat. For a kitty who lives indoors exclusively, escaping through the door to the outside can result in instant tragedy. Even for a cat who is allowed access to the outside, being able to just zip out the front door whenever it’s opened can have very bad consequences.
The Allure of Door Darting for Your Cat
From the cat’s point of view, door darting is the one opportunity to escape to where all the excitement is located. When the front door is opened, a whole bunch of enticing scents enter the house. For an indoor/outdoor cat, being able to be in charge of his own in-and-out schedule is very appealing. The door is open and there’s nothing to do indoors so the cat uses that as his chance to head outside for some bird or chipmunk hunting.
Types of Feline Door Darters
Some cats are very obvious and insistent about their plan to bolt out the door. They sit and wait for any opportunity – whether it’s a visitor entering or leaving, the cat parent entering with an armload of groceries or a child heading off to school. The obvious door darter makes his intentions known and although you do everything you can to block his access, he knows there will be one time when you’re not paying attention and he can zip out behind you.
Then there are the covert door darters and they can be the most dangerous because cat parents often don’t realize kitty is even missing. He hides somewhere in the room, ready to slip out without anyone noticing. It isn’t until dinner time that you may become alarmed because kitty isn’t meowing in the kitchen the way he always does when you pop open the cat food can.
Door Darting can be Deadly to Cats
Cats who aren’t used to being outdoors are at serious risk of being hit by cars, attacked by other animals, becoming lost, ingesting poison, among many other dangers. Regardless of whether your cat darts out the door and usually just sits on the front porch or stays in the front yard, he is in danger. Door darting is a behavior that needs to be corrected.
Retraining Your Door Darting Cat
First, stop giving your cat any attention at the door. It’s probably very typical for you to bend down and greet your cat as soon as you open the door. Chances are, kitty is right there waiting for you as soon as he hears your key in the lock. You now have to make the door a place where you completely ignore your cat. All meet-and-greets need to take place away from the entrance.
Set up an official hello-and-goodbye spot on the other side of the room. This can be a cat tree, window perch, chair, any place where your cat would enjoy sitting. Start by training him to go to that spot. You can call his name and then reward him with a treat when he goes there. If your cat likes to be petted, call him to that spot and pet him as soon as he lands there. If you do clicker training, you can click and reward him for going to that spot. Do all your greeting and saying goodbye there and then leave. Make sure any treat you offer at the cat tree, window perch or whatever location you’ve chosen, is so tasty it’s irresistible. When it comes to choosing between the darting out the door and munching on a special treat, there should be no doubt in your cat’s mind the treat is the better choice.
If you need more than just a quick treat, offer your cat a puzzle feeder or Lickimat in that spot so it’ll take him more time to complete the task in order to get all of the food out of the toy. There are many types of puzzle feeders that can accommodate dry or wet food. Divide up his daily meal portion so you set out a couple of puzzle feeders before you head off to work in the morning.
When you come in the door at the end of the day, don’t look at your cat or greet him until you walk over to that official hello-and-goodbye spot. That’s where you can lavish him with attention. Keep treats nearby in a container (or even keep some in your pocket) so you can reward him when he goes to that spot.
If your cat tries to dart out the door when you are trying to enter the home, and he isn’t deterred by any treats, you can try keeping a flat piece of cardboard or plastic outside by the door so you can hold that in front of you, by your feet, as you enter, to prevent him from slipping by you.
Need More Information?
For more specifics on retraining a door darter and for other information on cat behavior problems, refer to the best-selling books by Pam Johnson-Bennett. Pam’s books are available at bookstores and online. We’ve included links to Amazon here on our website.
If you have a question about your cat’s behavior or health, contact your veterinarian. This article is not intended as a medical diagnosis nor is it a replacement for your cat’s regular veterinary care. This article is for general information purposes only.
