Things You'll Need
- Spray bottle
Instructions
Fill a clean spray bottle with water. Keep the spray bottle near the front door. When your kitten goes near the door, spray it (see References 1). Kittens do not like water, and this will scare it away from the door.
Distract your kitten with a toy. Kittens are playful. Make a small ball of aluminum foil. When your kitten comes near the door as you are trying to go out, throw the ball in the opposite direction of the door. The kitten will chase after the ball, forgetting about the door.
Shake your keys near the kitten. Kittens are afraid of loud noises, and the noise made by the keys will scare the kitten from the door. This is convenient when you are on your way out the door with keys in hand.
Give your kitten a treat before you open the door. The kitten's urge to eat can often overpower the desire to go outside. Keep a small bag of kitten treats near the door, and toss one away from the door to draw your kitten away.
Move your kitten into another room and close the door. This is good to do for a short amount of time if you need to keep your front door open to bring in groceries or other items. Let the kitten out of the room once you have closed the front door for good.
Open a screened window so your kitten can look out. Pull up a chair to the window so your kitten can get comfortable in front of the window. Kittens enjoy fresh air and going outside. An open window simulates the outside experience and will help keep the kitten's attention away from the door.
Experiment with kitten repellents around the door. One example is bitter apple spray. This spray acts as a repellent for animals and can be picked up at your pet store. This spray works on some kittens but not on others.