Why Does My Cat Sit at the Front Door? (Escaping?)

If you have noticed your cat is hovering at the door, you may be wondering why it’s happening (Click here to see my best cat flaps to deal with this) and how you can deal with it.

Why does my cat sit at the front door? It is because she is either eagerly waiting for you to get in, wants to get out or a potential door darter. How you deal with this varies (more on this later). Either way, there is a good chance it’s one of these.

Now that you know why she is doing this, it is likely that you may be thinking of ways to get around this. Keep reading and I will reveal how you can deal with these issues and keep your cat happy at the same time.

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How do you stop your cat from sitting at the front door?

So, now you know why your cat is sitting up the front door. This is all well and good but how do you actually deal with these problems? Well, in this section I will explain how to address these issues and potentially stop your cat moaning at the front door.

Wants to get out

Firstly let’s look at the problem of your cat just wanting to get out. If you are inside your house and you constantly see your cat waiting at the door (Click here to learn how to stop your cat trying to open the door). This is obviously an indication that she wants to get out.

There are two ways you can deal with this:

Training your cat.
Or get a cat flap.

Training your cat

Training your cat may seem like a good logical thing to do. In all honesty, there is no right or wrong way to deal with it. It just comes down to your patience and how your cat will react to the training.

The training can be a simple as opening the door at a select time of day and only allowing your cat to leave when that time window is available. Other cat owners prefer to use a cat harness to assist her (Click here to see why I rated this one).

It may take a few weeks for him to work out when this window is available. but when you start this it is important not to go back. Why? It will just confuse her.

Getting a cat flap

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A cat flap (Click here for my best cat Flaps for your cat) is a good simple alternative. Effectively, your cat will have free reign to go and come whenever she wants to.

However, there are some really good cat flaps nowadays that will restrict access to only your cat (Click here to see what I mean). So, only your cat can enter the property. This is great because you do not have to worry about stray cats entering while you are at work, are you with me?

Potential Door darter

A door darter is a cat that has the potential to run out the door as soon as you open it. There could be a few reasons for this. It could be an indoor cat that is curious about going outdoors.

Or it could even be a cat that usually has access to go outside but is limited to a schedule. And, he is being a bit naughty (Click here to learn how to keep your cat out of your cabinets) and trying to escape on the off chance the door is open.

Either way, there is a simple way that you can deal with this. The best way to deal with this is to remove the emphasis of the front door.

What?

I mean, for example, you come home from work and the first thing you do is greet your cat at door and spend some time hugging or kissing her, right?

Well, don’t do that!

Instead, and I understand this might sound a bit harsh, completely ignore her. And, no, I don’t mean in ignore her completely for the rest of your life, lol!

I mean, ignore her at the door for that short moment. This is to remove the emphasis and curiosity of what’s beyond the door, are you with me? It sounds a bit controversial, but with time and persistence, it can work like a dream.

Waiting for you to get in

The last reason why your cat is sitting at the door could just be because she is eagerly awaiting for you to get home from work. This is why you may see them also looking out of the window if a cat perch is available (Click here to see why I rated this foam cat window perch).

Cats have a very special knack to work out your schedule and second guess when you are likely to come through the door.

Who knows how they do this without the use of watches or clocks. But, for whatever reason, it seems to work for them.

But, my point is, is this really an issue? No, in my opinion.

In fact, I think this is pretty cute. Don’t you? The only thing I would say if you have a cat that is likely to bolt through the door when you open it, then yes you have an issue.

As discussed earlier, is this is the case, it’s really a different issue, you have a “door darter” on your hands. And, if that is the case, you will need to use that same strategy I explained earlier for this.

Why is there a cat meowing at my door?

Cats often meow at doors because they are indicating to their owner, or any other human, that they need something.

Cats like attention and they know that using their meow will grab your attention, are you with me? The chances are your cat is either hungry, tired or just cold. You may even have instances where you own cats and another stray cat is randomly meowing at your door.

Why? This could just be out of sheer curiosity. Or, this cat could be anticipating that you may have food inside (smart cat, right?).

It’s your own judgment call if you want to entertain this new guest. Or maybe you prefer to be cautious because you do not want to put your other cats at risk.

What does it mean if you have cats hanging around your house?

There is an old superstition that leads to a lot of curiosity in people. It is regarding why cats are hanging around your house.

I am not talking about your own cats that you own. Instead, I am referring to random cats that you do not know about.

The rumor…

The rumor has it that this is a good indication that you have good energy and your house has positive vibes.

Therefore, you should take this as a compliment. That is if you believe in some of these superstitions or rumors that have been spread.

What about if a black cat hangs around your house?

For those of you that are into superstition. There is an additional rumor that black cats hanging around your house brings good luck.

In all honesty, this is a little bit confusing to me. Why?…

Because there is another rumor (or superstition) that if a cat crosses your path it is deemed as bad luck. So it depends on your beliefs if you want to take this on board or not.

Why does my cat hang around the front door at night?

Your cat may hang around the front door at night because it is restless and keen to go out and hunt. Cat’s, are not like us. They are naturally active in the late hours looking for their prey, or practicing their hunting skills.

An impatient cat will hang around the front door at night hoping you will wake soon and let it attend to its prey outside. But, in time, it will learn what your schedule is and if it’s wasting its time.

Why does my cat wait at the bedroom door and stare?

Your cat may wait at the bedroom door and stare if it has an issue. It may be prompting you of a problem it has. The confusing thing is, it may not be meowing at the same time. But, this does not mean it is fine.

If in doubt consult your vet because your cat could be hinting at a health issue or its feeling off right now. Cats seem to be well attuned with their body, and this could be an early indication of an issue.

Could my cat just simply like being by the front door?

There is a chance that your cat just likes being by the front door. This can easily be confirmed by how it reacts when the door is open. For example, if you open the door wide open and it just sits there, chances are it loves that spot.
Also, another indicator is how often it sits there. For example, have you noticed it lays there after a meal? Then, it could well be its favorite chill-spot.

Why does my cat sleep by the front door?

If your cat is sleeping by the front door there are two likely reasons: It is eager to get out. Or, it just feels comfortable there. If it’s the former, eager to get out, then once the door is open, it is likely to make a run for it.

Also, if you notice it jump up, as you approach the door, then it is obvious it is keen to head out and is excited with anticipation.

Why does my cat beg to come in then refuse when the doors open?

Your cat may beg to be let out and just sit there when you open it simply because you are there watching it. If you back away, and give it space, it is likely to venture out in its own time.

I get it, you were expecting it to bolt out of the door, right? Well, not all cats are like this. Some are natural hunters who like to be stealthy. Meaning, they do not want to have predictable behaviors.