It’s a familiar scene in every feline-owned household. The moment anyone shuts a door, whether it’s to use the bathroom or to have peace during a Zoom call, it starts. The paws under the door. The scratching. The whining. Because cats hate closed doors. Even I don’t like them!
Humans have been puzzled by this behavior ever since the first time they shut a door between them and a cat. Needing some privacy, or cat free time seems like a reasonable request. That is, if you’re a human. If you’re a cat, it’s confusing and upsetting. And the reasons for that can be found right at the very core of feline nature.
The Cat/Closed Door Conundrum
When someone closes a door on a cat, it threatens two of their most treasured things: control and territory. Cats hold these two needs as non-negotiable.
Cats always like to feel they are in control, that they have the ability to go anywhere they like and do whatever they please. People who have good cat-human relationships know how to work with this need, while still keeping some sort of human peace and order. But when a door comes between a cat and a room, it tells them right away that they have lost control to that room. And that’s very upsetting to them.
All cats have territory that they consider their own. It’s a basic cat need, and a lot of solutions have been developed to help cats feel secure about their living spaces. Everything from creating vertical space to building a sense of home through scent and belongings. A shut door means their territory has just been reduced against their will. Yeah, you would not like that either!
Why Else Do Cats Hate Shut Doors?
There are other reasons cats hate shut doors that are important but not quite as instinct-driven:
Fear of Missing Out
Admit it, you have a little bit of FOMO at times too! And with a cat’s innate curiosity, of course they want to be in on everything. Including whatever it is you’re doing in the bathroom.
They Think You’re Shunning Them
Cats are more social than you may think! And many of us kitties enjoy being part of your life. So we don’t get why you would ever want to shut yourselves off from us. And because cats aren’t self-aware, we don’t think it has anything to do with us (the way some people may believe, and which is almost never true anyway). In fact, we probably think it has something to do with you! And we want in to see what your problem is.
It’s Your Fault
Yes, there are times when humans are to blame. In the past, when a cat has made an issue of a shut door, did you finally relent and open it? Congratulations! Your cat has just trained you to open a door when they request it. And we will use this power over you whenever the desire arises.
Can You Stop a Cat From Begging at Closed Doors?
Usually a cat’s behavior when a door is shut is just temporary and not that big a deal. But there are times when you do need to shut a cat away, like when you have workers in the home, or the cat needs to be separated from other pets for medical or psychological reasons. Here is what you can do to lessen the frustration your cat may have.
Make the room they’re confined in as comfortable for them as possible
For a cat, that means they want to be surrounded by familiar smells and safe spaces. Bring in their favorite items — things they spend a lot of time sleeping on or playing with. Furnish the room with hiding places for privacy. If you have an active cat, make sure they have vertical space in the form of a cat tree or other furniture they can scale. Create routines around the times you will be coming in the room and make sure they have their favorite food and treats.
What if your cat just generally hates closed doors and makes a fuss?
The solution to this comes down to the classic cat behavior modification tactics: routine and consistency.
If there are certain rooms that are off limits to your cat all the time, don’t ever relent and allow them to explore. You do that once, and they will think they can do it again. You can’t prove “there’s nothing in there.” The fact that it is closed off to them is something! So decide they can’t enter and stick to that.
If your cat is fussing at a closed bathroom door, or another door that needs to be shut temporarily, do something to distract them — throw a toy away from the door. Or give them treats or a catnip toy as far away from the shut room as possible. Give them something more fun to do than scratch at the door. If you know you will have to close a room off at a certain time, try to do it at the same time you feed them.
Never Punish a Cat by Shutting Them in a Room
I’m not saying never close off a cat that has done something dangerous to you or another family member. But look at the intent in the way you do it. If you toss the cat in a room and angrily slam the door shut, your cat will view it, and you, in the most negative way possible. If instead, you place them in a room calmly, along with their favorite bed or blanket, and some other things of theirs, it’s clear you’re not doing it to be mean. An attitude of punishment is damaging to your cat, and to your relationship with them. And it’s not helpful. Just quietly shut the cat away and let them out as soon as it’s safe again.
What if pawing and crying at the door is excessive?
If your cat is extra needy, or suffering from separation anxiety, or acts out in extreme ways like throwing their whole bodies against the door whenever it’s shut, that is not normal behavior. You may want to consult your veterinarian or a cat behaviorist to find solutions.
I hope you found this enlightening! If you’ve ever had to deal with a cat who caused a scene at a closed door, let’s discuss it in the comments.