Cat logistics

[AuroraBora]

Hi all

We recently adopted two new gorgeous cats who are currently shut in our living room to get used to the space before they get let into the rest of the house (under the advice of cats protection lady). However girl cat is already nosing to get out and explore. It's not really a big deal if she does, but it's brought us to the question of once they are out fully in the house, how do we stop them from going out the front door when we leave/come home? We don't have a porch of any type, and we are never planning on letting them out the front as it's just a small front garden and the road, they'll eventually go out the back as it's safer.

So how do we stop them? Anyone got any good tricks? TIA

Let her out if she's looking like she wants to go out. I have two indoor cats and no porch. Mine are not bothered about going out the front door. If I open the door they will go back into the hall. I'm very careful not to leave the door open though. Just be careful.

I think we kept ours in one room (living room) for less than two days as she was so keen to explore. She wasn't nervous so we let her, we do just have a 2 bed flat so not a big house to explore.
Re. Front door, just kind of be ready to usher them back in. If you need the door open for a time to load/unload car make sure the cats are shut in a room. You'll start doing it as second nature.
And rules on here are we need pictures of your cats

Ours do make a break for it through the front door occasionally, but they've never gone further than the drive before coming back in again, we chivvy them or tempt them with food, or encourage them over the side gate and round to the back. When we first had them we did shut them in a room while the front door was open but don't bother now.

I let my 2 out the back, not the front, and they've sort of made a mental note not to go out the front door. Sometimes Little M does a runner when I'm putting out the rubbish, then just collapses, cringing in fear.

I always shut them in the kitchen when receiving a delivery.

Yes, mine know perfectly well they aren't meant to do it and by and large they don't try now. They just pretend they are going to in order to have me leaping into action and paying them attention.

Thanks all, you've been very reassuring. We let them into most of the rest of the house this evening and they've had an explore and seem happy that really it isn't that interesting!!

We're very nervous we're going to get this wrong, but actually they do seem to listen to me, so I have high hopes that when it comes to it we can stop them going out and/or shut them in the living room.

DP and me are in disagreement about getting a cat flap or not in the back door. I say yes, as I'm convinced they will need the entertainment and feel bad they're inside all day. He's a worrier and has thought of all the bad things that could happen to them and wants us to just let them out for a bit each evening after work which I don't think is long enough. Plus if they're out they won't poop as much in the house is my logic

Can you cat proof the garden?
I come in the front door and either block the entrance with my leg or swing my handbag gently in first.

We have 3 indoor cats, plus one who likes a 20 minute morning wander (then he's done for the day) and one who likes to go out all day.
It's just a case of opening the door and herding them away. If Tescos deliver, then I put two of them in the conservatory so they cannot escape.
Kids know not to leave the front door open, guests have learnt not to loiter by the front door, postman knows to leave things outside!

Wolfie probably not though I'll mention it to DP and see whether he has any ideas.

I've been doing the leg first thing when they were initially in the living room and that does work.

We're about to get takeout pizza, so that'll be the first test!

I'll try and do pics...

So lovely that you've given a home to black & b&w furries, they look at home already. Hope you'll be very happy together.

When you come in through the front door, just open it slowly and if you have a bag, kind of place it down low, so there's a barrier in front of them if they're there waiting. That's what I do. You'll get to know them soon and their little ways.

We need to have the same logistics here as we have a busy road out the front. So far we have managed to keep them in the back few rooms when out and about and then let them roam when we are home. We have a door between the hall and living room and a door between hall and kitchen in a kind of loop so it's not been too hard.

When they've refused to come down before I head out I'm just super careful when I come home and if they do come to the door I have to shoo them away until I get in properly and close the door.