vaccuum, be patient. Remember that you have a teenager on hand, and like most teenagers he's exploring his limits. Keep correcting him gently but firmly, and eventually he will settle down. I've found that my cats respond well to just a stern voice warning. My Basil (5 years old) still always accompanies me to the door and meets me when I come it, stretching his neck to "smell" the outdoors, but he's used to a firm voice warning, "back" or "no" and he pulls back immediately. My point is that cats are trainable, but you need to be extra careful and firm while they are still young and bouncy. Be practical, too. If the matter really is extreme, can you confine him to another room when you leave the house, or occupy him elsewhere with a treat? By the way, I have "walked" with my two cats since they were kittens. In nice weather, I put on their harnesses and leashes, and we walk around the backyard and down the block a bit. Or sometimes I sit on the front steps and let them hang out in the sun, with the leashes in my hand. The absolutely love going out, but they have learned that it is always on a leash and always in a confined area. It works very well. Since your cat is young, why not begin this behavior? I think exposure to the outside stimulates cats and also lets them get to know the outside environment so that, just in case--God forbid--they ever get loose on their own they could find their way home by sight or smell. I hope this helps

Get a spray bottle and use it when the cat is NOT aware you are sprayting it. A good squirt in the rear when the cat is approaching the door will make the cat associate THAT experience with the door. The cat should not associate you with the correction. They are not like dogs in that way. A stern voice will not impress them except to explore behind your back.

Each situation and cat personality is different, and sweeping generalizations are not helpful. As mentioned above, my cats did (and do) correct with a stern voice. By trial and error, we all need to find what works for the individual circumstances and not dismiss another's experience.

Yes, one my cats did that. He grew out of it once he was out of kittenhood. He will still run to the front door when you get home. Sometimes he gets a look on his face like he's contemplating a dash for the outside but a loud "BACK!" always changes his mind. Your little guy is still a kitten and probably very curious but I imagine he'll calm down eventually.

One of our four, Clancy, likes to run to the door and put his nose out, only because we take care of 3 strays and they are usually looking in...In fact 1 of the strays is his mother and 1 his grandmother...He isn't allowed out, but I do carry him out and we stand on the front porch and he can look around...2 of our other cats were born feral and trapped at 3 months and they sure don't want to go back outside...Simba the oldest could care less what's happening, just make sure I'm fed and someones soft lap to lay on....Clancy listens when we say NO, but I think the squirt with a spray of water will probably to the trick.....Good luck

"2 of our other cats were born feral and trapped at 3 months and they sure don't want to go back outside"

Ain't this the truth! I have six cats. Five were rescues who lived outside. The one cat of ours who has not lived outdoors at all (he was born to someone's housecat) is the only one with any interest in getting outside. I could leave every window and door open and those five would just look and say, "Eh, been there, done that. No thanks." But our sixth would already be out the door.

Sully, it's the same in this house. No problem with any trying to get out. Since I'm never close to the spray bottle when I need it, I holler NO and that works. The only cat who ever tried to bolt was my old guy and he's too feeble, but all the rescues have never tried.

First, try to stop humanizing the cat. They do not think like people do, and he's not trying to run away, be ungrateful, or annoy you. He's just curious. Can you open a closet door in your house without the cat racing in to see what's there? I can't. But I do have four cats who do not go outdoors and know to stay away from the open doors to the outside world. The only thing you need to do is be vigilent to make sure that he doesn't get out the door. After a year, he'll stop trying! Meanwhile, be patient, and put him in another room before you open the door.

I would put him in another room and close the door if I were going in and out.
I don't really recommend the spray-bottle methos by spraying him from behind, because that would, in my opinion, directhim to ge where he was headed. Animals generally run away from whatever annoys them.

Thanks for the responses. Cynthia, I understand cats aren't people. Most of what I said about the probable reasons for his behavior was to inject subtle humor for the respondants. If you carefully read my post, you will see that I said "he is getting curious"... second sentence right there at the top. I said "getting" because the behavior just started. I know cats are inherently curious. Thanks!

Yes, it's kitty games

This may or may not work with your situation but I keep my kitty out of our living room with a motion detector chime/alarm. She hates the sound. She even gets anxious when I go in there and it sounds for me, she sits in the hallway and warns me. Poor kitty is a semiferal cat and she wants to avoid the outdoors. She will stand by the door but no thanks, I'll stay here. Although she did follow me once when I went outside to pull a weed and left the door open. She was on the porch and I just said "back" and she ran back inside. She followed me into the garage once and thought it was a game hiding under the car, until I threw a can with pennies at her and she hightailed it into the house and hasn't tried it again. My last cat never went outdoors until midlife, then I found it impossible to keep him indoors. He got into a fierce fight and wouldn't come inside for a couple of days. Then decided he wanted to have both worlds. Poor cat loved to fight even though neutered.

I have used the spray bottle with many cats and it works. Leaving it where I need it is useful. That is my experience and that is all I can offer.

Thank you for sharing what works for you! I think the water would be useful for keeping a cat away from the door in the first place. If he is on his way out and I squirt him, it would most assuredly propel him out the door. He's been good since I posted this... maybe he went online while I was at work and read this thread. Uh-oh... I'm humanizing again, better not joke! :o)

I think you'll find, you won't have to use the water very often...If for whatever reason I did use it, after that, I'd just have to sit the water bottle near by and all 4 cats seemed to know what it meant....

Both of my cats started out life as "farm cats" and were outdoor. Since bringing them home, they have never even LOOKED at the door. One will sniff at the screen when we have the window open, or they lie in the sun and breeze by the sliding door when we open it (with the screen shut) but that is about it. I can't even convince them to go outside.

I think vet trips fixed that ROFL.

No. They know full well they may cross the threshold virtually anytime they wish.

No big deal.

My 8 month neutered Jasper is starting a bad habit that I would like to break before something bad happens.

I don't think that was the question, Chelone. This has not yet gone down that road, although it looks like you are taking it there.

haha,this is easy too.Next time it is raining,let him go out.He will quickly come back in and not be so anxious to go out again.

I've used the water bottle in the past to keep my cats off the breakfast table and after a couple of times all I had to do was set the bottle out on the counter and they would walk away. Have a bottle with you and if he's waiting at the door as you're entering from outside, a quick spray won't hurt him but will get his attention. Just try not to hit him directly in the face. Otherwise, the other suggestion to put him in another room will direct his attention elsewhere while you bring in stuff.

Does he have a tower, window seat, toys, things to climb, etc??

If you decide to walk him (yes, cats are walked on leash) be very aware of dogs and make sure the leash fits securely. I have a Maine Coon I tried to leash walk and if I stopped and let him just lie around he would roll, twist and turn, and before I knew it he was walking away a free cat. After trying 4 different harnesses, I gave up. Fortunately, his escapes always happened on our property.

Some cats are just drawn to the outdoors and this may or may not be an ongoing battle.