Cats are observant, curious, and anxious about every little task around them. With their independent and eager nature, you can find them everywhere, from the bathroom to the kitchen cabinet or bed bottom.
But the question is, why does your cat guard you at your doors? They are possessive, curious, or uncertain about what is happening on the other side. This article will discuss different reasons for your cat’s guard behavior.
Common Reason Behind This Behavior
Affection
If you have seen your cat at your room door and guarding you, it is just a sign to gain affection from their owners. If your cat is meowing loudly or pawing at the opposite side of the door, it’s safe to assume they want you. Cats are social animals, they love to be close to their owners. They start meowing and howling if they don’t find you, but once they come close to you, they start rubbing, purring, cuddling, and curling on your lap. When your cat is near you, it is a sign that they trust you and feel comfortable in your presence.
You may also like: https://persiancatinfo.com/how-do-persian-cats-show-affection/
Attention
Cats are social animals who want to be the center of attention. You have noticed that they start wandering around you if you don’t show affection. This is the major reason why your cat is guarding you. When your cat is near to you, they feel important and beloved.
Curious
Cats are naturally inquisitive, and by exploring their surroundings. They can stock their resources better, assess threats and safe spots, and feel certain in their space.
Closed doors are a mystery worth investigating. If your cat is trying to become acquainted with the room, they might linger outside a door until they can gain access. Outdoor cats, in particular, may have a stronger urge to explore when inside and could show more stress behaviors when they can’t get relief.
Your Cat Is Protecting You
Guarding cat owners is considered lucky because most people think that they are defending us from evil and any threats. Cats are often considered solitary creatures, but they’re perfectly willing and capable of cooperating with others when mutually beneficial.
It’s a Habit
If you have some routine as going to the washroom at the same time and making bed, your cat becomes accustomed to it. They develop the habit of staying outside and guarding you.
Once it’s part of the routine, they’ll keep with it because they enjoy the familiarity and predictability.
Your Cat Is Territorial
Cats are territorial creatures and possess aggressive behavior when they feel threat. If they are scared by something, they start guarding different things, including their owner. And introducing a new cat in the home may cause competition between them. If there’s a door separating your cats from something they want, one might take up a habit of guarding it to keep others out.
Emotional Attachment
Your cat has an emotional attachment to you, if you are not near to them to start guarding you. If you spend most of your time with the cat, and suddenly you stop caring for your cat, your cat starts protecting you and keeps following you to gain attention and care. They sometimes stop eating if they don’t get an emotional attachment.
Do I Need to Stop My Cat From Guarding My Door?
If your cat becomes habitual to this habit, there is little reason to discourage your cat from guarding behavior. If you see your cat is present next to the door and guarding you, due to separation stress, provide them with a soft and cozy environment and a lot of interactive toys. One of the specific reasons is that if we don’t give our cats enough attention that they want then they start guarding us, giving them sufficient time, to play with them but also giving them their personal space.
As long as you aren’t keeping them from anything else, your cat can decide to spend their time as they want. Scratching at the door and destruction aren’t allowed, and you don’t want to risk someone walking out of the room and accidentally stepping on them. Otherwise, hanging out next to the door might be a harmless habit of a healthy cat.
Why Do Cats Hate Closed Doors?
Mostly you have seen that you go to the washroom and mind your business, but suddenly you hear scratching and meowing. Yes, it’s your cat crying at the door. But if you close the door while your cat sees you, this is the most hateful element for your cat. Cats hate closed doors. When you close doors, your cat becomes frustrated, curious, and protective. Cats are independent and social animals, they don’t want to be left behind closed doors.
FAQs
What does it mean when my cat guards me?
Guarding owner is a common behavior in cats, cats are curious, possessive, and inquisitive. It may be a sign of separation anxiety, overprotectiveness, or seeking attention or affection. Naturally, it is the cat’s job to hamper their owner’s every activity.
How do you tell if your cat is protective of you?
Cats’ body language tells mostly the situation that they are doing. Your cat starts following you, keeping an eye on every little moment, biting and scratching, hissing and howling, dilated eyes, moving ears as the satellite dishes, and tail movement.
What does it mean when a cat sits at your door?
Often, a cat will sit and wait at a door because they are waiting for someone. Cats and their owners can form very special bonds.
Do cats guard you at night?
While cats can protect us while we sleep, you shouldn’t necessarily expect them to, as their ideas of protection are a bit different from ours. Plus, each cat is an individual, and how protective they may be will vary.
Conclusion
Cats are social animals and affectionate animals. Your cats start guarding you when they don’t get enough attention or affection as they need, sometimes they like your daily routine. But most cats do this because they have separation anxiety, your cat loves you, Your cat is protecting you and your cat is territorial. If you have more than one cat, give them plenty of resources, because it can also become the cause of guarding behavior.
Leave any comment about your cat-guarding behavior.
