Make sure you know where the cat is before opening the door? I find physically picking the cat up and dumping it in another room pretty effective, too.
Of course, that might be because Cammie is pretty dumb and takes about five seconds to figure out her new position before she can do anything.
Ela is a very sharp cat, as befitting his name, and all too cunning. I'll still take a stab at it and hope I can get out my front door before he recovers.
The water gun idea is always a good one. It takes some time, though. Kitty has been reinforced by getting to go outside many, many times, it sounds like. And you obviously have to set up the times to do it, not just carry a watergun and hope you hit the kitty-cat (before he gets out of the door, I might add. If you hit him in the ass, he'll just learn to run faster).
You also need to carry or store the water in an inconspicuous location (or a totally conspicuous one that's always there). If it's only a sometimes thing, and it requires a second person to be there, the cat is going to learn pretty damn fast when he's going to get squirted or not.
Another option is a baby gate, the kind they make that still allow the door to close. That does, of course, mean that you have to step over the damn thing every time.
Clapping does startle him, but this cat is startlingly immune to all attention-calling technique. You'll be like, "HEY. HEY. YOU. GET DOWN" and he'll clearly be thinking you're talking about some OTHER cat and ignore you.
Shouting doesn't help either. XD I've TOTALLY tried that.
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I guess you could have someone lurking with a water gun and squirt him every time he went near the door?
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Of course, that might be because Cammie is pretty dumb and takes about five seconds to figure out her new position before she can do anything.
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You also need to carry or store the water in an inconspicuous location (or a totally conspicuous one that's always there). If it's only a sometimes thing, and it requires a second person to be there, the cat is going to learn pretty damn fast when he's going to get squirted or not.
Another option is a baby gate, the kind they make that still allow the door to close. That does, of course, mean that you have to step over the damn thing every time.
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And lift my bike over it! It still might be worth it for a little peace of mind. XD
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Shouting doesn't help either. XD I've TOTALLY tried that.