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Original poster

Cat evolution - the open door/close the door quandry

28 replies

bellac11 · 27/04/2022 20:44

What is it about cat evolution that makes them not want to go out if the door is open but want to go out when you shut the door.

Or worse, whine for you to open the door and then you do and they just sit there and dont come in

What would the evolutionary reason be for this? Dogs dont do this

OP posts:
Kat1953 · 27/04/2022 20:45

Dogs dont do this

Mine does!

Newfluff · 27/04/2022 21:30

Dogs do do this.

Sunning in garden, quietly try to shut the door, dog needs to come in. Dog tap tap tap on door, open door, just sits there.

Original poster
bellac11 · 27/04/2022 21:32

Well thats interesting. Our dog used to perk up at the sound of the door opening even if he was snoozing or not interested, it was like he suddenly remembered that he wanted to go outside and it was all his idea to start with.

OP posts:
DeanStockwelllsBunny · 27/04/2022 21:33

My cat is a indoor one do he doesn't sit waiting to go out.
But if I shut any other door in the house he wants it open NOW !

Toasty280 · 27/04/2022 21:34

Mine has a cat flap but would prefer to wait for someone to come and open the door.

Original poster
bellac11 · 27/04/2022 21:36

Toasty280 · 27/04/2022 21:34

Mine has a cat flap but would prefer to wait for someone to come and open the door.

We have 3 cat flaps in this house. But you can guarantee there will be a little face sitting at the one door we dont have one, glaring through the glass demanding the door is open.

OP posts:
Pixiedust1234 · 27/04/2022 21:37

Dogs absolutely do this.

Cats don't whine. They meow, they yowl, they meep, they chirp, they scratch, they thwump against the door, they knock things off counters to get your attention but they do not whine.

We need a picture to make sure you have the correct species Grin

Original poster
bellac11 · 27/04/2022 21:41

Pixiedust1234 · 27/04/2022 21:37

Dogs absolutely do this.

Cats don't whine. They meow, they yowl, they meep, they chirp, they scratch, they thwump against the door, they knock things off counters to get your attention but they do not whine.

We need a picture to make sure you have the correct species Grin

Yes those behaviours are 'whining' (moaning that Im not opening the door)

Well our cat is very dog like now you say it, she thinks shes a little dog.

OP posts:
Kat1953 · 27/04/2022 22:14

But if I shut any other door in the house he wants it open NOW

Cat1 can't abide any closed door, anywhere, ever! He finds it very upsetting. He has to be able to get in and out of every room lol

Cat2 lifts paw and actually knocks on the door or window when he wants to go through.

Today he took it further and knocked on his cat flap! 😂

Pixiedust1234 · 27/04/2022 22:22

Ah got it. Same whining as kids rather than a distinct (canine) noise.

Still need a picture though. Just to be certain 😂

SisyphusDad · 27/04/2022 22:25

Simple. Part of the Human Training routine.

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 27/04/2022 22:28

I believe cats do this because they are a bit bored or just because they can. I'm sure I've seen one smirking at me...

PrincessPaws · 27/04/2022 22:37

Girl cat is a contrary bugger. Open the door and she sits down, close it and she runs, open it she sits down.....rinse and repeat

FrankGrillosFloof · 27/04/2022 22:45

The lack of pics of said cats on this thread is rude.

Penguinsaregreat · 27/04/2022 22:45

My cat knocks on the door repeatedly to come in. When I open the door he looks at me like I am mad and refuses to come in. I close the door and he starts knocking again.
sometimes he goes out of the front door, walks around to the back and then meows and knocks until I let him come straight back in again.

knowinglesseveryday · 27/04/2022 22:52

Or sitting on the living room window ledge wailing instead of using the cat flap he happily used earlier (in both directions).

Sweetpea1532 · 28/04/2022 03:30

My little pug used to knock on the door when she was outside...I'd open it, she'd run off, close door, knock knock, open door, run off...I finally worked out that she was knocking on the door because she wanted me to come outside to keep her company whilst she sat in the sunGrin

Sorry for the derail and this post being about my puggie

Namechangenora52 · 28/04/2022 03:59

Mine even complain about shut cupboard doors. Girl cat has trained my 12 year old dd to take her around the house opening and shutting cupboards so she can inspect them every day after school.

Cat evolution - the open door/close the door quandry
Muppetlove · 28/04/2022 06:19

I like closing my office door when I'm wfh. Dcat can't stand it even if she has no interest in being in with me. Actually paid to have a cat flap put in on the door because I was so fed up with the in and out. Needless to say now she hardly ever comes in.

In fairness she likes just sitting at the outside doors and just being on watch sometimes. If I'm fed up though with opening the actual door for her I just lift the cat flap and off she trots. She also gets the hint I've had enough.

Toddlerteaplease · 28/04/2022 10:17

DeanStockwelllsBunny · 27/04/2022 21:33

My cat is a indoor one do he doesn't sit waiting to go out.
But if I shut any other door in the house he wants it open NOW !

Mine are the same!!

Toddlerteaplease · 28/04/2022 10:18

My friend has a Maine coone that can open doors. She also has another that has thumbs. I'm worried for her safety 🤣

DifficultBloodyWoman · 30/04/2022 06:06

My cats know how to use the cat flap but have somehow trained us to prop it open with a stick for them. 🙄

Bigoldmachine · 30/04/2022 06:15

I think it’s just so they can have a better view of the outside, from the safety and comfort of the inside! To close the door would spoil the fun! But sometimes they don’t actually want to go OUT, unless there definitely is something to pounce on.

Celticdawn5 · 30/04/2022 06:21

@DifficultBloodyWoman that made me laugh !
I have one cat who can’t “do’ doors……has never seemed to figure out how to hook a slightly ajar door open hence finding him ‘trapped’ in the utility room or wherever.His mother, on the other hand, is an expert door opener and hates any shut internal door so my carpets are ripped from early morning scrabbling should any bedroom door be closed and lumps against them like a Rugby player
both would prefer not to use a cat flap
all my cats over the years have been very different

Pigeoning · 30/04/2022 07:30

My cat just wants to look half the time. He'll sit looking out of the window, then howl for the door to be opened so he can look about from a different angle.

If it's bad weather out the front he'll howl at the back door for it to be opened so he can check if the weather is bad out back too.

Note: he has two catflaps. Cats just enjoy butler service.