Cats are known for their quirky behaviour, but it can be both baffling and frustrating when they act out as soon as a door is closed on them. If you've ever shut a door only to find your cat immediately scratching, yowling or pawing at it from the other side, you're far from alone. It's one of the most common - and baffling - feline habits that owners deal with on a daily basis. But it turns out there's a very real explanation behind it.
The Territorial Nature of Cats
Cats have a reputation for being one of the trickier pets to understand, particularly when compared to dogs. A wagging tail or a drooping head tells you a lot about how a dog is feeling, but cats tend to keep their cards much closer to their chest. Their behaviour can be unpredictable at the best of times. One moment they're demanding to be let through a door, and the next they want straight back through it again. It's the kind of thing that can leave even the most devoted cat owner scratching their head.
Now, a cat behaviour expert has shed some light on exactly why cats behave this way - and her explanation might just change how you think about closing doors in your own home.
Expert Explanation
Amanda Campion, a cat behaviourist with more than 30 years of experience, posted a video on TikTok in which she explained that cats "hate" having doors closed behind them for a crucial reason rooted in their "territorial" nature. She maintained that, because cats are territorial creatures, having doors closed can negatively affect their "mental map" of their territory, which is your home.
Amanda said: "You shut a door, and your cat's on the other side, and now it's crying because it wants to come back to the side it just asked to go out of. Why? Cats are territorial, and a closed door actually disrupts their mental map of their territory. They're not being difficult; they're actually responding to a sudden and unexpected change in their environment."
"[It's about] curiosity and control, because cats like to explore. So try opening a door and filming their reaction - it's never dramatic."
Cat Owners' Reactions
Commenters on Amanda's video expressed their gratitude for her guidance, with many revealing they had learnt to leave their doors open to give their cats free rein of the house. Others recommended "creating boundaries when they are young" if you wish to keep cats out of a particular room, as this will teach them which doors to avoid.
One commenter remarked: "We have an open door policy in this house, and even if we wanted to close, the meowing would be so loud we couldn't. But I deeply enjoy my cats walking around the house when I'm in bed and falling asleep."
Another added: "My tortoiseshell kitten has learned to open the door." While a third contributed: "It took years to get my cat to accept that I go to the toilet without him."
For further information and guidance on managing your cat's behaviour, visit the Cats Protection website.
