Skip to Content

Why does my cat sit in doorways?

If your cat sits in doorways, this post will show you a number of possible reasons why and what you can do about them.

So, why does my cat sit in doorways? Likely reasons why your cat sits in doorways are that it likes the spot, it likes the attention, or that it wants something from you.

There are a number of possible reasons why your cat sits in doorways and it might be due to a combination of reasons. However, there are some things you can consider when figuring out the main cause and there are some things you can do about it.

Reasons why your cat sits in doorways

Below are likely causes and what would make each of them more likely.

It likes the spot

It could be the case that there is a particular spot that your cat likes. This would be more likely if your cat tends to sit in a particular spot and it sits there even when you and other people are not around. In this case, it could help to put a cat bed down somewhere else and to reward your cat whenever it goes there.

It likes the attention

The cause could also be that your cat likes the extra attention it gets by sitting in doorways. This would be more likely if people tend to pet it as they walk by and it tends to sit in doorways that people pass through a lot.

It wants something from you

Another possible cause is that your cat wants something from you. This would be more likely if it sits in a doorway near to where you are and if it mostly does it before it has been fed. In this case, it might help to feed it earlier than you usually do.

Separation anxiety

Another cause could be that it has some separation anxiety. This would be more likely if your cat sits in the doorway leading to the room you are in while you have the door closed and if your cat also follows you around the house a lot.

It wants to go outside

If your cat sits in the doorway that leads outside, it might be the case that your cat is waiting for the door to open so that it can run outside. This would be more likely if it immediately tries to run out the door whenever you open it.

Things to consider

Below are some things to consider to help figure out the main reason why your cat has been doing it.

If your cat always sat in doorways

If your cat did not always sit, lie or sleep in doorways, it would help to consider what else happened when it first started doing it. If it started doing it suddenly, it could be due to things such as learning that the behavior gets rewarded or it lost access to the spot it normally sits in.

What is different when your cat does not lie in doorways

If your cat tends to do it more at a specific time, it would also help to consider the timing of when your cat does it since the timing could have something to do with it. For example, if it tends to do it more at around the same time that you would feed it, it might be doing it because it is waiting to get fed.

What doorways it sits in

It would also help to consider the doorway it sits in. If it tends to sit in the doorway to the room you are in, it might be doing it due to separation anxiety or it might be doing it because it wants attention. Whereas, if it does it by the front door, it might be waiting for a chance to run outside. 

What to do about your cat sitting in a doorway

Below are some options you have when dealing with the behavior.

Give it another place to sit

One option would be to encourage your cat to sit somewhere else. One way to do so would be to put a cat bed where you want it to go and to put your cat there whenever it tries to sit in a doorway. It would also help to reward your cat whenever it does sit where you want it to sit and to avoid rewarding it when it does not.

Limit reasons why it might be anxious

If your cat has been sitting in the doorway to your room, while your door is shut, it would also help to try to limit reasons why your cat might get anxious when you are not around. Ways to do so could include giving it a safe spot it can go to without you and to feed it before leaving it and to give it access to water and a litter box when you are not around.

Let it do it

If your cat has not been behaving unusually in other ways and it seems to be doing it just likes the spot, another option would be to allow your cat to continue doing it.