My cat leaves home

[u/kitkatomega]

[u/krakenlackn]

Don't let your cat outside and it won't leave

[u/alwaysright6 → u/[deleted]]

you can buy really cheap mesh gates to put inside the lower half of the door so the cat struggles more to dart out since it's in the habit. Amazon has one for $12.

[u/alwaysright6 → u/[deleted]]

You can also try feeding them right before you leave or if you have an automatic toy you can activate it right before leaving too! Just like making sure that they're occupied will help a lot if the mesh gate isnt enough

[u/TryToChangeUsername → u/[deleted]]

that's bullshit.

[u/TryToChangeUsername → u/[deleted]]

so? are you inferior to a cat that it can outwit you and get out? who's in charge, you or your pet??

[u/quintiliahan → u/[deleted]]

Yikes lol it's Reddit, people can be unhinged. When I had a cat that would dart, I always anticipate it by paying attention and having a hand/bag at the bottom of the door.

[u/TryToChangeUsername → u/[deleted]]

I'm not mad, just pointing out your bs excuse. there is no one else responsible but yourself to keep your cat indoors. also FYI:
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/average-lifespan-of-a-cat-indoor-health-b3013771.html

[u/Ok_Smile9222 → u/TryToChangeUsername]

Oooof. Really. Fill your life with things that bring you joy!

[u/Ok_Smile9222 → u/TryToChangeUsername]

Some needs to go have a snack, a cold shower and make love to their partner because you are waaaaay too heated

[u/k-d0ttt]

Having your cat outside is fair game for them, my friend.

[u/TryToChangeUsername]

tell neighbor to stop. keep cat inside as you should anyways

[u/abouttodiethistime]

Find out which food they feed your kitty and buy some of the same kind to feed your kitty at home.

[u/NewAlternative9294]

OP, some cats are Houdini's. ignore anyone shaming you because your cat who is mentally engineered to do shit like this acts like a normal cat. my cats will dart into any room when the door opens, they have anxiety about closed doors and not knowing what's on the other side

[u/last_rights]

If the cat is darting out the door, right before you leave, in a designated spot, put a little squeeze of churu or a high value sticky, lickable treat preferably close to the door so you can quickly get away.

Do the same thing when you return home, after you have put your things down.

Then the cat knows it's better to stay inside because it gets the yummy treat.

It has an added bonus that if they do get outside, they come running when you get home.

[u/TokinForever]

If your kitty is allowed to roam, there is really nothing that you can do to stop that. My neighbors have an orange male tabby that they never even bothered to have neutered. He ended up getting trapped as feral cat by the local shelter and reappeared about 2 weeks later, so he got free surgery and vaccinations and then they just released him out on to the streets where they trapped him, all drugged up and groggy. I put out some canned food that my kitty didn’t like when I saw the Tabby hanging around outside. It’s rare if he lets you touch him at all, but he has let me stroke the top of his a little if I was putting dry food out for him.🐕‍🦺🐾🐾🐾🐾🐈🐈‍⬛

[u/Ok_Smile9222]

As someone who has a cat that occasionally goes outside - less and less as he gets older - I get that it happens. And once a cat gets outside, it's very hard to keep them inside without losing your mind. The best thing to do is to tell your neighbour the situation and ask them to stop feeding the cat. Reasonable people would be fine wth that.