Cat evolution - the open door/close the door quandry

[bellac11]

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

These two work together to get closed doors open: she climbs up to push down the lever, he pushes it open.

One of ours was at the patio door howling this morning, so being well trained I opened it, only for him to shoot behind me. Next door's cat was on the patio, he just wanted to yell at it - not actually be in a position where he might have to chase or fight it!

My 16yo cat feels the need to go in and out of a door approximately every 6.5 seconds. He's not fussy about whether that is the door to the garden, or the door to the hallway.

This is how I get 90% of my exercise and step count in.