How to stop my cat from escaping her room and improve her behavior?

It may be difficult to train Angel not to run out the door when she has the chance. Certainly vigilance if the best option. There are invisible fence options and motion activated blow horns which can act as a negative deterrent for Angel. You can also try environmental enrichment such as adding climbing opportunities, daily play time and food puzzles. These additions may not reduce her escape behavior but it may help make her happier. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hello, a cat tree will certainly add more enrichment to her environment and may reduce the her hiding behavior. However, it will likely not prevent it completely. You may start off by partitioning a part of the house for her to get used to. As you get more comfortable with her being outside of the cage, then you may allow her more space within the house. You may also ensure that the doors are closed so that she does not attempt to get out. Finally, you should also spay her before her first cycle so that she is not more likely to get out. Hope this helps and best of luck.

It sounds like a stressful time at your house. I’m so sorry to hear about your mom. It is very common for cats to want to explore their surroundings. This is especially true of in tact animals. Often, neutering a cat will make him less interested in escape. The crying and trying to escape will also be much worse if there is a female in heat anywhere in your neighborhood. If this is the case, It will not stop until her is neutered or the female cat leaves. If it’s really important that Lumi stay in your room, try making your room appealing by adding a cat tower or high shelf for him to climb up to, fun toys, a scratching post, or an indoor cat garden (potted edible plants that are safe for cats to eat). I hope this helps and best of luck to you and Lumi.

It can be difficult to keep cats inside when they want to get out. First, I would recommend never taking Pawncho Jo (love the name!) outside through this door unless she is in a carrier - it is confusing to get to go out the door sometimes but not others. If possible, the best thing to do would be to confine her to another room when you are coming or going so that she can't access the door. This obviously wouldn't work in a busy house. I am usually reluctant to recommend any type of negative reinforcement for cats since it can lead to fear and undesirable behavior, but you could try making a loud noise when she approaches the door or using something like a Sssscat forced air can to scare her away.

Locking her in a dark and confined room may in fact be worsening the aggression. Behavioral therapies such as Feliway pheromone plug -ins/sprays, VetriScience liquid composure supplement daily (both available online without a prescription) and having her spayed may help as well. Other options include prescription anti-anxiety/anti-depressants which would require a consult/exam at your vet’s. Good luck!

Unfortunately now she has been out it is very difficult to blunt this natural behavior. Providing climbing toys and other distractions can help but it may be easier to keep her 100% indoor or regular free access outdoors. Many people build secure, aviary type pens to provide safe, outdoor exercise areas

Uh-oh, naughty Cassie! This is tricky. In general, when we're trying to shape our pets' behavior, of course we want to reward behaviors we like and either ignore, punish, or redirect behaviors we don't like. We want our pets to learn that "good" behavior gets rewarded, and "bad" behavior does not. The tricky part here is that Cassie has started misbehaving - but every time she succeeds in stealing food, or playing with something she shouldn't, if it's a good experience for her, she is essentially "rewarding" herself. We need to stop her ability to reward herself - and I'll be honest with you, it's challenging! My advise is that Cassie not be unsupervised around *anything* that she might get into, until these behaviors stop. This is easier said than done! But, again, every time she does these behaviors and has a great time doing them, she is solidifying the behavior. We cannot punish animals after the fact - we have to respond to them in that moment or they do not make the association. So, she cannot be allowed to get into real food without someone there to intervene. Again, I realize this is not easy advice - but unfortunately behavior issues generally require time, energy, diligence, and patience to correct. So, if you have a room in the house where there is nothing Cassie can get into, I would place her there when you are not home or are unable to watch her. Otherwise, make sure she is in the same room as you so you can catch her "in the act" when she is getting into something she shouldn't. You could also invest in a large cat playpen such as this one: https://www.chewy.com/midwest-collapsible-cat-playpen/dp/45740?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=hg&utm_content=MidWest&utm_term=&gclid=CKHwxcaC9dQCFQONaQodFwwFog&gclsrc=aw.ds ...where Cassie can spend her time unsupervised (overnight, etc). Make sure to place safe toys, cat treats, etc where she is confined so she still has things to do. She can then "earn" more unsupervised freedom around the house as you work on these behaviors. If you're still running into trouble, I would recommend chatting with your vet. They will likely have recommendations for trainers or behaviorists in your area who could consult with you. I know this is not an easy fix - but I hope it helps!