what scientists have found out
Apparently, scientists were also intrigued by this behavior of pets, so they tried to figure it outwhat kind of relationship do tailed animals have with closed rooms?
Three reasons to hate a closed door
In short, cats don't tolerate three things: lack of choice, loss of control over territory, and sudden change. A closed door is a trigger for all three weak points. Scientists tried to study each of them and give a reasoned explanation for the characteristics of cat behavior.
Curiosity as a basic instinct
Dr. Karen Suedabehaviorist, explainsthat cats are very curious by nature and are afraid of being outside the flow of events. This phenomenon is often called FOMO (fear of missing out) – fear of missing something important. For them, a closed door means one thing: something interesting or important may be happening in a room invisible to the cat, but they are not able to control it. Accordingly, the cat begins to worry and tries to get rid of the obstacle.
“I don’t know what’s behind the door, but I need to find out.”– cats think something like this, as Dr. Sueda explains.
The instinct to control the situation helps tailed creatures to survive in the wild, where it is important to notice a threat or prey in time and react accordingly. And this same feature encourages cats to explore new territories in search of food and expansion of their possessions. This approach has saved the lives of cats, helped them hunt and defend their territories for thousands of years.
At home, cats are not in danger from the outside world, but their behavior is still based on deep natural instincts. Hence the inadequate (in our opinion) reaction to such ordinary things as a closed door.
Control of territory
Cats have lived alongside humans for about 9,000 years. One of the most famous evidence of the domestication of these animals is burial in Cyprus, dated to approximately 7,500 BC. The remains of a man and a cat, the pet of an ancient Cypriot, were discovered in it. Most likely, ninety centuries ago cats had the same features that surprise us now.
“Cats like to control access to spaces, vital resources and their territory,” explains consultant on cat behavior by Ingrid Johnson. “It doesn’t make them aggressive or angry.” This simply reflects their nature as animals that are both predator and prey: they need to hunt to survive, but it is also important to feel safe in their environment.”
Cat's territory includes the main area, or den, where she feels safe, sleeps, eats, plays and interacts with others. This zone serves as the center of her world, which the cat will protect from intruders and control. But a closed door does not allow you to control part of your territory, sometimes just the “den”. So the desire to return “what is mine” arises.
Social interaction
Unlike dogs, who, like people, have developed strong social bonds with their relatives, many cats prefer to spend most of their lives alone – no packs (lion prides don’t count, but we didn’t domesticate them).
But cats aren't antisocial, it's just that people sometimes have a hard time understanding their ways of communicating. The fact is that cats meow solely for “talking” with people is already enough proof of how social they are. And a closed door deprives them of the opportunity to communicate with the owner.
In 2017 it was published study cat behavior. The main point is this: regardless of whether a pet lives in a house or in a shelter, it will always prefer social interaction with a person. “Even such strong stimuli as food and toys come in second place. At the same time, the cat is not able to realize that the closed door is just a temporary obstacle, which increases their anxiety,” notes Ingrid Johnson.
“What they understand is that the place they previously had access to—where they felt safe, slept, rested, or ate—suddenly became inaccessible to them,” explains the animal behavior expert. “When we start to control something instead of our cats, it causes stress for them.”
Although cats often act around closed doors to attract attention, sometimes their behavior can indicate real stress. Signs of anxiety may include frantic meowing, flattened ears, or hissing—this already indicates severe distress. So if your cat is indignant in front of a closed door, do not wait for him to “get mad” – it’s better to open the door. Let him be convinced that “there are no changes in paradise.”
How to help your cat reduce stress
Everything is simple here: try not to block the cat’s access to its usual areas in the apartment or house. And ideally, add some nice things (more on that below). Here's what you can do:
Use cat doors and locks. To avoid completely blocking access for the cat, you can install special locks. They will allow the pet to pass through the door, but will restrict access to other pets and children.
Create a comfortable environment. Create a comfortable space for your cat by adding scratching posts, houses and cozy areas. This will help reduce her interest in closed doors, as the accessible area will become more attractive.
Organize interactive games and physical activity. Regular games will help the cat expend energy and distract it from the desire to conquer closed doors. Make sure your pet has plenty of toys and opportunities to be active.
Use repellers to correct behavior if things get really tough. Double-sided tape or devices with a spray can wean a cat from scratching and meowing at the door – this is if there are no other ways to stop this disgrace. Double-sided tape will create a sticky surface that cats don't like to touch. And the sprayers hiss, which sounds like a natural warning signal to a cat.
Deliver a preemptive strike. For example, if your cat constantly breaks into the bathroom, you can offer her a toy before closing the door. This doesn't always work, of course, but at least it's something.
They say these methods will help make cats friends with closed doors, but personally, I just stopped closing the doors in the apartment. So the cat walks on his own, as he should, but he is calm and happy. The exception is the toilet. Here you really sometimes have to endure a fluffy siege from the opposite side – guests especially like it No. As a last resort, a balcony works: you can isolate the cat there if you really need to. Mine loves to explore boxes and bags, so it doesn’t take long to ask for it back.
How are your control freaks doing with closed doors? Tell us what methods they use to regain power over the world.
