If you have ever seen a cat behind a closed door, you may have noticed how annoyed they are by this situation. Cats may stick their hand as far as possible under the crack of the door, drag their paws into the door, growl in frustration, and even attack the door. But why do cats seem to hate closed doors so much? Experts say that evolution and pet owners play a role in this behavior.
Dr Karen Swedaan animal behaviorist told LiveScience, cats’ frustration with a closed door is partly because cats are curious and have a fear of being left out (FOMO). Sweda added, “This is partly due to FOMO; “Like I don’t know what’s over there and I want to go find out what’s going on.”
Cats are curious and have a fear of being left out (FOMO).
Cats are naturally curious creatures and like to keep an eye on everything that happens in their territory, including their owner’s home. This controllability helps them survive in the wild, but can cause behaviors such as door-attacking that may seem strange.
Ingrid Johnsoncat behavior consultant, says, “Cats like to control access to spaces and basic vital needs and territory.” Johnson believes that this particular behavior of the cat is not meant to be evil. Cats are a species that are both hunters and prey; So they should both hunt and feel safe in their environment.
Jane EhrlichA closed door, the cat behaviorist believes, contains all the things cats fear: they hate no choice, no control, and hate change. While cats don’t necessarily want to be involved in everything going on behind the door, they do want to know what’s going on, she said.
Cats also enjoy attention from their owners, which the enclosure prevents. A 2017 study published in the Journal of Behavioral Processes found that most cats prefer human interaction to other stimuli, including food and toys.
Cats also don’t know that a closed door is temporary, Johnson said. “Cats just know that a place that they used to have access to, where they felt safe, or liked to sleep, nap, eat or what have you, is now suddenly gone,” Johnson said. “When we control things for our cats, we stress them out.”
To help reduce pet anxiety, Johnson said, cat owners should maintain consistency in areas of the home that cats have access to. So, for example, if you don’t want your cat to come in the dining room, don’t ask the cat to enter there only when you have guests; You should not let your cat into the dining room at all.
Although cats often exhibit attention-seeking behavior around closed doors, sometimes they can be really troublesome. Behaviors like frantic meowing, flattened ears and hissing indicate that a cat is really upset, Sueda said. She advised that if pet owners are concerned about their cat’s behavior, they should see a veterinarian to understand and resolve any health issues.
