It’s a familiar scene in households with cats. It starts the moment someone closes the door, whether it’s to go to the bathroom or to be quiet during a Zoom call. They put their paws under the door. They scratch. They whine. Cats don’t like closed doors. Even I hate them.
This behavior has baffled humans ever since we first closed the door between us and our cats. Wanting privacy and some free time seems like a reasonable request – for humans. For cats, it’s confusing and upsetting. And the reason can be found at the very core of their nature.
The cat and the closed door conundrum
When someone slams a door on a cat, it threatens the two things a cat values most: dominance and territory. For a cat, these are two non-negotiable needs.
Cats have always liked the feeling that they were in control, that they could go wherever they wanted and do whatever they wanted. People who have a good cat-human relationship know how to manage this need while still maintaining human peace and order. But if there’s a door between the cat and the room, it immediately communicates to the cat that it has lost control over that room, and that can be very upsetting for the cat.
Every cat has a territory that they consider to be theirs. This is a basic cat need, and many solutions have been developed to help cats feel safe in their living space. Everything from creating vertical space to building a sense of home through smells and possessions. A closed door means your cat’s territory is being restricted against their will. Yep, you hate that!
What other reasons do cats hate closed doors?
There are other reasons why cats dislike closed doors, but they are not instinctual.
Fear of missing out
Admit it, you feel a little FOMO sometimes too! And cats are naturally curious, so naturally they’re interested in everything – including what you’re doing in the litter box.
They think you are avoiding them
Cats are more social than you think, and many of us cats enjoy being a part of your life, so we don’t understand why you want to distance yourself from us. Also, cats are not self-aware, so we think it has nothing to do with us (as some believe, and that’s almost never true). In fact, we might think it has something to do with you, and we want to know what your problem is.
It’s your fault
Yes, sometimes humans are to blame. Did you finally give in and open the door the last time your cat caused trouble by leaving the door closed? Congratulations! Your cat has trained you to open the door on demand, and we are willing to use this power against you whenever necessary.
Can you stop your cat from begging in front of a closed door?
Usually, cat behavior when the door is closed is temporary and not a big deal. But there are times when you may need to confine your cat, such as if you have workers in the house or if you need to separate your cat from other pets for medical or psychological reasons. Here are some things you can do to reduce your cat’s stress.
Make the room they are confined to as comfortable as possible
For cats, that means they want to be surrounded by familiar smells and a safe space. Bring along your cat’s favorite items – items where they spend a lot of time sleeping or playing. Provide hiding places in the room for privacy – and for active cats, provide vertical space, like a cat tree or furniture they can climb on. Set a time for them to come into the room and provide your cat’s favorite food and treats.
What if your cat basically hates a closed door and makes a fuss?
To solve this problem, you’ll need to resort to the classic tactics for modifying cat behavior: routine and consistency.
If there is a room that is always off-limits to your cat, never give up and allow your cat to explore. Once you do, your cat will think it can do it again. You can’t prove that “there is nothing there.” The fact that it is off-limits to your cat is a sign that you are trying to avoid it. teeth So just decide they can’t enter and stick to it.
If your cat is fussy in front of a closed bathroom door or other door that must be temporarily closed, throw a toy away from the door to distract him. Or, give your cat a treat or catnip toy as far away from the closed room as possible. Give your cat something more fun to do than scratch the door. If you know you have to close the room at a certain time, try to do so at the same time you feed your cat.
Don’t punish your cat by locking him in his room
I’m not saying that you should never lock up a cat that has done something dangerous to you or your family, but think carefully about the intention of your approach. If you throw your cat in a room and slam the door in anger, your cat will see it, and you, in the most negative light. If you instead leave it calmly in its room with its favorite bed, blankets, and other cat belongings, it will be clear that you have no intention of being mean. A punishing attitude is damaging to your cat and your relationship with it, and it will not help anything. Just lock your cat calmly in and let it out as soon as it is safe.
What if the door scratching and crying gets too much?
If your cat is overly affectionate, suffers from separation anxiety, or exhibits extreme behaviors like ramming his whole body into the door every time it closes, this is not normal behavior and it’s best to consult with a vet or feline behaviorist to find a solution.
I hope this was helpful. If you’ve ever had to deal with a cat making a fuss behind a closed door, let’s discuss in the comments.
