[amylou8]

Hello All

I haven't posted for a while as my cats seem to be in good health and behaving themselves (sometimes) at the moment!!

I do have a question now though!

Mickey and Mazie have started going out, we don't have a cat flap yet so it is only when we are in, they generally run in and out of the house and we eventually shut the door and they are in for the night.

On a couple of occasions Mickey has decided he doesn't want to come in and we have been in the garden with torches at 11pm trying to get him inside, is there anything I can do in regards of training to get them to come in when I call?

We will be getting cat flap soon but even then I don't really want them out all night as there are a lot of foxes where we live!

Thanks

Amy

 

[kittykat]

I think all you can do is keep them indoors after their evening dinner. My 2 are always hanging around about 5ish waiting for their tea!

 

[bichonsrus]

cats are very independent animals and i know if mine wants in or out it will do as it pleases lol.

 

[Janee]

I use 2 tactics to get them in of an evening.

I always get them in well before it turns dusk (in winter it is harder to do this as days are short and if you work you may not get home in time).


I have trained them to come to banging a metal dish with a spoon. I ALWAYS give a treat when they appear. I ration treats to this and to exceptionally good behaviour.

You can also train them to come to the rattle of treats in a small cardboard box or a tin.

 

[amylou8]

Thanks, can you recommend what treats are best for cats? At the moment my 2 don't have any snack type treats they just get some tuna or fish once a week!

It would be good if I could get them responding to the treats!

 

[shortbackandsides]

Hi,unneautered cats tend to wander furthur and for longer,sometimes days/weeks at a time!

 

[Guest]

Hiya

I dont know if either are neutered or not... that may make a difference in their willingness to respond.

My cats are indoor only cats, but they do come for supervised playtime into the garden with me.

All of mine respond to a treat shaker (old mini pringles tub with some dried food in).

I shake it before i feed the cats in the morning and evening anyway, so they are conditioned to associate the sound with dinner time. If i need them at all during the day or night i pop some prawns or some pieces of chicken on their plates and rattle the tin, works every time!

hope it helps x

 

[Antw23uk]

We have consistently tapped his bowl at feeding times and had him follow us round the flat whilst tapping before feeding him so he associates the tapping and calling with food.

We also use the shaking treat packet as well.

Top tip is NOT to let them out after they have had there evening meal. Ollie would be out for the night if he had the chance. Its only hunger that brings him back. We aim to feed between 1800 and 1830 every evening so he gets into a routine (this can depend on how much trouble he is causing in the neghbourhood ... its busy work you know, lol)

Cat flaps can be brought with timers, i love the look of the ones that work off the microchips.

 

[amylou8]

Mickey isn't neutered, he is due to be done on 19th June. Neither cat goes very far, they tend to run between our garden and the neighbours but when it comes to getting them in Mickey makes sure he sits just out of reach in the neighbours garden!

I will definitely try the treat shaker idea and think I will have to start feeding them later, I currently get in from work at 6 and feed them and then they go out. Think I will change that so they go for a run around first and are fed later!

Thanks for all of the ideas! :thumbsup:

 

[Janee]

Thanks, can you recommend what treats are best for cats? At the moment my 2 don't have any snack type treats they just get some tuna or fish once a week!

It would be good if I could get them responding to the treats!

Natures Menu do treats which are 'meaty' treats. You can get them at [email protected] for £1.27 or so - more expensive than other treats but then you are only going to use them sparingly!

Treats contain a high dose of calories hence give sparingly

 

[Midnight]

I guess i'm lucky then mine never go far only in the garden they are always at calling distance they are all spayed and neutered, i had a conversation about this at work and my deputy manager who has 2 cats that aren't neutered and she said hers stay out days at a time ...

 

[Antw23uk]

I guess i'm lucky then mine never go far only in the garden they are always at calling distance they are all spayed and neutered, i had a conversation about this at work and my deputy manager who has 2 cats that aren't neutered and she said hers stay out days at a time ...

I hope you told your deputy manager off for not having them neutered? :thumbdown: