Maya had experience with a catio (screened porch) and all we had to do was to show her the cat door. She was instantly going in and out.
Lucas had never had a catio or cat door in his previous home and we had to show him several times, but he picked up pretty quickly. He's still a little funky about it, pawing at it and not wanting to bump it with his head.
Sabra was the hardest, party because she is not amenable to being held or handled. In the spring, we left a window or the sliding door cracked open for her so she learned to love the catio but she didn't have to use the cat door to go in and out. Once it warmed up, we tried a window insert cat door but she wouldn't open it on her own. She'd stand next to it and we'd open it for her to go through.
Eventually I had enough of the window insert (it didn't seal well, for one thing) and took it out. Within a week Sabra was cautiously going through the cat door! It's obvious that she learned her technique from Lucas since she has his same hesitant style, but she goes in and out whenever she wants.
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