In fact, humans are on Earth to serve the supreme kings: the cats! In the mind of the pet, the owner must satisfy all its needs, for example, allowing it to move freely throughout the entire house. Do you want to know why cats don’t like closed doors ?
It’s simple: it’s audacious to close the door to a cat! Of all people, the cat should reign supreme in its territory! How can it investigate and see if everything is okay in the kingdom if it doesn’t have access to all the rooms? Check out some reasons why felines get uncomfortable when they don’t have free movement.
Territorialism
Jokes aside, it can be difficult to understand why cats don’t like closed doors. For humans, it can have different meanings, such as a “do not enter” warning, or it can be a habit like any other.
However, for cats , closed doors are an obstacle to their instincts because they prevent them from guarding their territory. As the species is extremely territorial, they really need to know what is going on in every room of the house!
Freedom
Apart from territoriality, the owner needs to consider the cat’s freedom. If he has always had access to the room, but finds a barrier, this becomes a fight between cats and closed doors .
Imagine a room where your cat used to enter, jump, climb up and down on furniture. Suddenly, the cat finds the door closed! This is outrageous! Could this be your pet’s favorite hiding place, for example? So, he’ll scratch the door with the intention of breaking it down!
Curiosity
Curiosity is another reason why cats don’t like closed doors. Imagine a world of smells that can’t be explored! Cats are known to be curious. That’s why barred entrances are an obstacle to feline adventures.
Because felines are very curious, they can become frustrated when they see a barrier that prevents them from exploring. Irritated, they may meow insistently until someone satisfies their desire. For example, you can see cats scratching the bedroom door when they want to get in at all costs.
Controlling nature
For felines, the house is theirs. So, it’s easy to understand why cats don’t like closed doors! It prevents them from exercising control over what they consider to be theirs! The tantrum they throw is similar to that of a spoiled child, isn’t it?
Unlike dogs, which normally follow their owner’s orders without question, cats feel challenged. They may see a closed door as an affront to their instincts and a limitation on their ability to control their territory.
Clingy: cats love the company of their owners
A big lie that is created about cats is that they are not attached to their owners. In practice, anyone who has a cat knows how much they like to be around.
Cats love to watch what humans are doing, observe their movements and sleep peacefully next to their owners while they do their daily tasks. They also often follow people around the house.
Well, cats really don’t like closed doors ! When there’s someone on the other side, especially if that person is the pet’s favorite, they feel the need to overcome this unwanted barrier at any cost.
Insecurity
Although cats are excellent hunters, they can also be prey. In the United States, cases of cats being hunted by coyotes or foxes are common.
An insecure cat may see a closed door and become anxious about what might be on the other side, feeling that it is in danger. The situation becomes a threat in the pet’s mind. It may become frightened, constantly seeking the company of its owner.
It is common for these cats to suffer from a problem called Pandora Syndrome . It occurs when the pet’s stress is greater than it can bear. Recurrent urinary infections are a very common symptom of this condition.
What to do when not all doors in the house can be left open for the cat?
There are situations in which the owner does not want the cat to enter a certain environment, either for the pet’s safety or because the cat simply cannot enter that room.
This is common when a human baby arrives. The new family member’s room becomes off-limits to the cat. That’s why the door is always closed. Another common situation occurs with messy cats, especially at night.
While the owner wants to sleep, the little rascal wants to run and play in the middle of the night! So, why not close the door on the cat so people can sleep in peace, right? The point is to get the cat used to it!
It may seem difficult, but one way is to ignore the calls. Another tip is to play with the messy cat a lot before bedtime, to tire him out. In the case of forbidden areas, whenever he gets close to the door, distract him with treats and keep him away from there.
Do you understand why cats don’t like closed doors? To help your cat avoid getting stressed in an environment they can’t access, visit Petz stores and learn about the products for feline environmental enrichment!