Preventing Accidental Front Door Escapes: Family Rules & Drop-Offs
๐จ Check first
The most common causes of indoor cat escapes are cats slipping past feet during the 30 seconds the front door is opened to receive a package delivery, and cats sneaking out through a window a family member opened and forgot to close.
๐ The answer in 3 seconds
- Relying solely on human attention inevitably leads to mistakes when people are in a hurry or sleepy. Build a system combining physical barriers with a pre-opening check routine before anyone opens the front door.
- Use contactless drop-off delivery or a parcel locker for packages whenever possible, and strictly follow the rule of putting your cat in a separate room or inside a crate before opening the front door for in-person deliveries.
- Simply placing a magnetic reminder sign on the inside of the front door asking 'Is the cat in the living room? Is the inner door closed?' reduces accidental slip-ups across the whole family.
๐ Flowchart
- Step 1Set your online shopping delivery preferences to contactless front-door drop-off by default to reduce the number of times the front door is opened and closed.
- Step 2Install a tall escape-prevention gate between the front entryway and the hallway, and place a magnetic reminder sign right above the indoor doorknob reading: Check the living room door before opening.
- Step 3When family members return home late at night, have them send a message before arriving so someone inside can secure the cat in the living room before the front door is opened.
โญ Step-by-step fix
Step 1 ยท What you can do at home right now
Set your online shopping delivery preferences to contactless front-door drop-off by default to reduce the number of times the front door is opened and closed.
Step 2
Install a tall escape-prevention gate between the front entryway and the hallway, and place a magnetic reminder sign right above the indoor doorknob reading: Check the living room door before opening.
Step 3
When family members return home late at night, have them send a message before arriving so someone inside can secure the cat in the living room before the front door is opened.
โ Never do this
- Answering the front door for a delivery or guest while holding your cat in one arm (cats are frequently startled by delivery truck engine noises or unfamiliar voices, kicking off your arm and bolting straight outside).
- Leaving the front door or back door cracked open while stepping outside for 'just one minute' to take out the trash.
๐ Make notes for the vet
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