How can I keep a neighhbor's cat from trying to enter our house?

Question

We don't own a cat, but ever since Halloween night, a neighborhood cat (with a collar but no ID) has been trying to get into our house whenever we open the front door. It's never been allowed to stay and we generally were able to get it out within a minute or two. I took it around to several neighbors asking if the cat belonged to them, but with no luck. It doesn't like to be held or touched (though I'm a dog person, so maybe this is normal cat behavior). Today it got into the house and stayed for 45 minutes hiding under my daughter's crib. It looks healthy and clean. It's definitely not getting food from us. Our dog eats in the backyard and he's a labrador so there is never food left in his bowl! Does anyone have a humane suggestion for trying to keep this cat from sneaking between our legs every time we open our door? WHY does it want to get into our house so badly?

Update:

I do not know who this cat belong to...I just assume it's a neighbor's cat as it is wandering on our street. So there is no one I can "tell" to keep it at home.

KLT · Accepted Answer

How long have you lived in your house? Is it possible that the kitty used to live there, got outside from it's new home, and returned to it's old home?

If you call your local animal shelter or animal control, they can come over and place humane (no-kill) traps to capture him and take him back to the shelter. If he has a collar, he probably belongs to someone and if he is microchipped, they can contact the owners.

It certainly seems as though he has adopted your family and your house. If no one claims him, would you be willing to accept him into your family? Either way, good luck with your situation.

bornetobegerman · Answer

You should take the kitty to the pound, it probably doenst have a home and the reason it likes your house so much is because it is probably way warmer than it is outside.  Although it may hurt you to take it to the humane society, youll probalby e doing the poor kitty a favor, by keeping him off the streets and away from dangers like cars, dogs, and other cats/predators

hope everything goes well
~*~Crystal~*~

Anonymous · Answer

If you have a cat flap,change it to a magnetic one but if the animals are wandering in,then keep doors/windows shut.Cats do not like anything citrus, so leaving lemon peel or citronella at the doorway should deter them.There are also laser products on the market that let out a shrill alarm sound when a cat passes by.

miladybc · Answer

This cat has "adopted" you. It wants to stay with you. If you dont want to keep it and don't know who owns it, please take it to your local shelter right away or it will continue to walk into your house. This is a common behavior for animals who have been dropped off by bad people who no longer want their pets and just toss them away. Its scared and wants people again. It dosnt know how to live outside. Obviously its a house cat.

♪ Seattle ♫ · Answer

Hi Stephanie...consider contacting your neighbour and ask them to encourage keeping the kitty in their home or someone not as nice as you may give the cat a one-way trip to nowhere, injured or worse a target for mean people. It happens all too often.

Indoor vs. Outdoor cats: http://www.cat-world.com.au/IndoorCats.htm

Hugs r nice but kisses r better · Answer

I have 2 things or more 4 u try locking ur doors or killing it have fun

Tik-Tak · Answer

get a dog

*smile* · Answer

just keep it until they come looking for

Shannon(: ! &lt;3 · Answer

stomp your foot at it and if it does it again tell its owner.

Who is he · Answer

you may have to take it further away from your house and leave it.

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How can I keep a neighhbor's cat from trying to enter our house?

11 Answers