Cats love roaming around and that’s a big part of their personality.
This might come in spurts with some cats preferring to roam for a few minutes, while others want to spend hours at a time walking around.
This is why it’s important to look at what causes a cat to respond to specific environmental triggers where they live. This includes asking, why do cats hate closed doors?
Cats hate closed doors because they are territorial animals. They want to maintain complete control of their territory including being able to come and go as they please. A door restricts this from happening. The cat will often scratch, whine, and show displeasure when a door is closed.
If you do want to close the door, it’s important to keep the cat occupied. This includes using cat toys and other similar engagement options to make sure the cat is focused on those aspects of the space they’re in.
Otherwise, the cat is immediately going to go up to the door and attempt to claw at it.
This article will dive deeper into understanding why cats hate closed doors.
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Reasons Cats Hate Closed Doors
1. Feel Boxed In
Why do cats meow at closed doors?
Cats meow at closed doors to show their displeasure. It’s a sign they are not happy with the barricade and wish to see what’s on the other side. This is due to their territorial nature to want to command the area they’re in.
This also has a lot to do with the cat feeling boxed in.
In most cases, a cat will “mark” its territory. This includes different parts of the house.
This is done to show it is the boss of that territory and it should be able to come and go as it pleases.
When an owner closes the door, this makes the cat want to go through it. It is a desire to want to reclaim the territory and assert its dominance.
2. Become Territorial
Cats are naturally territorial.
This is done in different ways.
Some cats will urinate in spots around the house, while others are going to rub against items to leave their scent trail.
This is also combined with roaming around the property and observing what’s going on. This is done on purpose because cats want to demonstrate they are the boss of where they reside as that’s what would happen in the wild too.
With this in mind, cat owners need to understand the impact of a closed-door on their pets.
It will instigate this territorial desire leading to the cat meowing and scratching at the barrier.
3. Attracted To Sounds And Scents On The Other Side
Cats are going to become hyper-sensitive to what’s going on.
This includes not only the door but also everything on the other side of the door. A cat will still have a strong nose and ears meaning it can hear what’s happening even if the door is closed.
If it feels like someone is walking around in its territory, it will want to reclaim it.
This creates a situation where the cat becomes eager to go through the door by any means necessary.
This is why you will notice cats want to scratch at the door and show aggression. It happens out of curiosity and an inner drive to want to be on the other side.
4. Curious
Cats are curious creatures.
They want to see what’s going on. This includes scents and sights.
If they are unable to tap into these things, they will become eager to go to the door. This is why you will notice the desire to continue to push towards the door and attempt to go through it.
You have to be focused on this.
It is important to concentrate on how the cat is behaving. It’s the best way to make sure you remain on top of things by keeping the cat busy. Otherwise, its curiosity will continue to make it want to damage the door.
Final Thoughts
Why do cats hate closed doors?
Cats hate closed doors because it restricts their ability to roam around. They are territorial and often mark their territory to show dominance over the area. If a door is closed, this makes it impossible for the cat to maintain that hold on its territory. As a result, cats will often claw at the door and meow aggressively.
As a cat owner, you will want to make sure cat toys and other things are used to keep the cat’s attention away from the door.
Otherwise, the cat is going to remain aggressive with the door as time goes on.
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