Years back when I was younger, I could see my brother holding our cat in such a loving manner. I wondered why all this closeness until I realized it was a trick to keep it within the house, especially in the evening when dusk set in. At times it could manage to run out of the house to play around in the compound. But things could turn sour when the door gets closed when outside.
We could hear it scratch the door, meow, yowl and even jump to try and get in the house.
At this point, I realized that cats get sad when you close the door. For one, the fear of predators was evident. When the door was open, they had all the freedom to play around and intimidate the predators with the notion that they would run for a hiding place in an open door.
Cats, too, are social animals and love socializing with the family. If the door is closed, they get angered by the idea that they have been let out of the family unit and get sad eventually.
Have you watched your cat behave in such a manner? You will realize the attachment they have for the family until you close the door.
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Let’s look at more of these points and understand why cats will not be happy when the door is closed.
Cats are Curious Animals
Cats are generally investigators. Have you ever laid silent on your couch, and suddenly, the cat becomes nervous and restless? It is because it has heard some strange noise coming out that could be from beneath the seats. Possibly a mouse is roaming around. It suddenly raises curiosity in an attempt to know what could be happening.
So, if you close part of a door, the cat could be hearing a strange noise or smell. It will feel endangered and, in most circumstances, want to alert you that all is not well. Note that you have kept its investigative spirit out of support, it generally gets sad and vents its anger by scratching the door, yowling as it tries to get inside.
And as the saying goes,” A cat has absolute emotional honesty: human beings, for one reason or another, may hide their feelings, but a cat does not.”- Ernest Hemingway.
This tells it all about the cat’s honesty and the willful to inform you that the room is safe or unsafe to the best of its knowledge.
Cats Mark Their Territories
Sometimes, let’s say you want to sit down and finish an assignment with a 12 hours deadline. You want the house to be as quiet as possible and decide to close the door. The cats at this point, may start scratching the door and making all kinds of noise to create awareness that you have blocked their territory.
Since they love being in control, they imagine you competing for this fact with it and get upset. It is until you open the door that calm will settle in again.
You may find that as soon as you open the door, they take over the control function by moving out and about the entire house, checking if everything is alright before resting near their favourite friend in the room. Whenever you lock them outside, they feel hated and disrespected, more so when they can no longer access their territory.
You will find out that they get mad more when a specific door is closed since it could be the entrance to their territory.
The Essence of Sticking Together as a Family is Evident
When you bring home your cat, you first create an emotional relationship to become part of the family. With this notion in mind, the cat will want to see the family sticking together as the clowder rules, where cats stick together, cuddle, and sleep next to each other.
They assume they are the house kings and will shepherd over you at all times. Therefore, who will take charge of the house if you close the door and leave it outside?
Remember you constantly feed it with its favourite dishes, reward it with the best cat toys and they feel obliged to give back. They will therefore remain restless until such a time that you will open the door and allow them to finish their day’s duty by offering “protection “to the rest members of the family.
When you see the cat scratching the door or hear it yowling, know that it is running out of patience, and since it is the family’s best friend at this point, the only justice is to open the door and let it in.
Cats Feel Trapped when the Door is Closed.
The other reason cats will get sad when the door is closed because they will feel uncomfortable locked in a room the entire day. The room may look gorgeous and comfortable, and the cat may sleep the whole day; but the minute the door is closed, it feels insecure and stress sets in.
This is because they are never taught to stay in a closed room, and you may get surprised to see that after the door is open, they will rest back and even have a nap without any more worry.
How do Cats Dissent Closed Doors?
Just like humans call for help when needed, cats do the same thing and will employ all tactics they know to have someone come and open the door. Some of the traits they will use are;
- Meowing– This is the first tactic they use to see if someone can come in for their rescue. When the door is closed, this alarms them that their territory is compromised, and they will meow as much as possible to see if someone will come in for them.
- Fiddling– If they do not get a solution after meowing, the next thing they do is to fiddle around. They will walk around and run up and down to create anxiety for those around and see if somebody comes in to open the door.
- Pawing– Pawing refers to an action where the cat tries to scratch or dig a hole until someone notices it. Sometimes, they may end up toring a rag if there was any near the door as it attempts to create awareness that the door needs to be open.
- Call for Support– Even after all these attempts, the cat may find that no one is reciprocating its call. The next thing is to look for somebody and ask for help. For instance, it can come near you, scratch you to create attention and immediately run to the door meowing. This is a sign that it needs help from you.
Mostly, it does this act only to the family members present. They become more aggressive by scratching the door using their claws if nothing happens. They ensure there is no peace until the time the door is opened for them.
Is there a Way to keep the Door Closed Even after the Cat Disagrees with You?
There are times that no matter what, the door must remain closed. However, this is irritating to the cat, but there are some ways you can do to maintain a balance between the closed door and offering a peaceful stay with the cat.
- Offer Many Toys to Keep the cat’s Mind Busy- It is evident that cats with many toys to play with often find it easier to adopt in their room and may not notice when the door is closed. Bring in bags, boxes and toys of games that attract their interest. Take time to play with the toys to create a playful environment.
- Your Cats Sprawling Area should be next to the window- The minute the cats find that they are at liberty to see what is happening behind them is an assurance that they are protected, which alone can offer them relief and most likely when they know that you are around them.
- Be there for your Cat- One of the main reasons cats want to be away or have the door opened is to seek attention. Therefore, they feel unappreciated and hated if you close the door behind them. They like spending time with their family members, and when the door is closed, then this can pose a threat to them. As such, keep the door open and allow it to enjoy a fun time with the family.
Is there any cause for Alarm when the Door is Closed?
At times, the cat might be communicating something sensitive. For instance, it may be unwell. It could be it has vomited and is unhappy with the environment. Closing the door may make it more worried about whether it is taken care of well. If you find that the cat is not active after opening the door, you must call a Vet to have it checked immediately.
Finally
This article proves that cats hate closed doors and may add more stress to their lives if you close the doors behind them. Since they love self-control, allow them to be. Avoid locking them, especially in isolated rooms. Their anger may vent and become aggressive even toward the younger members of the family, who may not be able to protect themselves.
The cat’s curiosity cannot let you remain in peace until you allow them to take control as they like it.
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