I've had my cat, DJ, for about 8 months now. I got him when he was about 6 months old. He has been mostly indoors only. However, he had always yowled to at the door so I began leash training him. We now go on walks daily. I have been trying to get him to obey come commands, but he has never listened when outdoors.
I live in a bungalow behind my parents house. Me and DJ frequently move from one house to the other. I usually carry him, but I occasionally allow him to walk on his own. I allow him to spend time in the backyard whilst secured to a long leash (30ft). But hes usually disinterested in the yard during the day, and will only pace a few steps before flopping over to lay down.
Recently, I went on a camping trip and foolishly left DJ in the care of my parents. DJ escaped three times in 3 days. All 3 times were for long periods of time >4hours. One of which was overnight. Each time, he returned home, meowing at the door, or slipping through our patio door screen.
Since I've returned, I have noticed DJ more and more eager to escape. If I leave him in the big house unattended, he would make an escape attempt, sometimes quite quickly. When he does this during the daytime, he will often scurry out end of the driveway, where I think he is spooked by cars, allowing me to retrieve him.
However he has now run off twice in the last 4 nights. And in the silence and cover of darkness, escaped my vision (damn you, crappy phone light). I really have no idea where he goes. I'm not super worried, but I do get a little anxious knowing there are many other cats in my neighborhood. My main concern is him getting struck by a car. Fortunately he is quite afraid of them, so I think he stays out of the streets (based on his behavior on our walks)
Now that backstory is out of the way. How can I, if its even possible, keep DJ from escaping? I get that he wants to go outside. And maybe I am mostly at fault for walking him in our neighborhood, which I'm sure he is now quite familiar with. But is there really any deterrent to this? Or must I simply keep a more watchful eye on him at all times?
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from Pets https://www.reddit.com/r/Pets/comments/hj6w6s/cat_keeps_running_off_into_the_night_can_i_stop/
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