How can I get my cat to go out to my porch?

by Brooke H
(Florida)


I have been looking for an answer to this all over the web and have never found any help. I have an indoor cat who refuses to go out on my porch. It’s completely closed and screened in and has a doggy door that goes into my house.


My cat does NOT like treats so it’s difficult to persuade her to do anything. I want her to use the patio so I can put the cat litter out there and away from my living room.

When I take her outside she runs and if I block the door she cries and sometimes even starts panting. I have never had her out there for longer than 4 minutes because she seems to not be able to handle it.

How can I get her to be comfortable out there? I thought, maybe buying shades so she can’t see outside? Please help if you can. Thank you in advance.

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starstarstarstarstar 		Cat won't go outside
by: Randy

I live in a small 1 bedroom apt in a high-rise. I have 2 cats, a big gray and white male and small tortoiseshell female. Male is fixed, female is intact.

The male escapes out the door almost any chance he gets. He loves running up and down the hallway and knows which doors to stop at to get treats. Pretty much fearless and friendly.

The female will not leave the apt under any circumstances. She wants a smaller territory than the male. I could let the door open for days and she would not cross the threshold. She went in the hall once and freaked out. She was slinking across the ground with her head/neck stretched way up in the air, looking around. Got 3 feet outside the door and ran back inside, never caring to venture outside my apt again.

Some cats are not comfortable leaving their claimed territory. Leave your door open. Maybe your cat will decide to go exploring one day, but don't count on it.
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starstarstarstarstar 		Some cats don't like being outside
by: Sally F.

Some cats are just overwhelmed by all the smells, sights, and sounds out there. It's going to be stressful for her, but you could try placing her in a carrier and bringing her out there with you for longer and longer periods of time. She may feel more secure in the carrier.

Over time, she may get used to it, and then you can open the carrier door and see if she'll explore. If not, just keep at it.

There are also some calming products, like Feliway that may help calm her down. You could also try just leaving the door open. If you have a screen door, that might help to make her feel more secure as she looks outside and gets used to things.

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