Did you stumble over your cat this morning again and it’s starting to slightly annoy you? Or, better said, are you afraid you’ll accidentally step on her? Then I understand why you Googled “Why does my cat sleep outside my door?” You’re at the right place, don’t worry.
If you’re not a morning person like me, and barely have your eyes open when you stagger to the bathroom, your feline in front of the door is a big obstacle. Not only do you have to make your first step outside of your bedroom skipping over her, but she starts walking with you as well.
“Why isn’t she sleeping in her own bed?!”
I know, it can be a difficult task before your morning coffee, but I bet you’ve kind of got used to it, haven’t you? If you’d wake up tomorrow morning and she wouldn’t be there, you’d be sad a bit, admit it. The change is not going to happen overnight, so (un)fortunately, you’ll have to deal with it for some time.
There are a couple of reasons your cat is sleeping outside your bedroom door and we’ll try to cover them all in this article. Some of them are really wholesome, others not so much. So, are you ready to find out the answer to your question? Let’s go!
Why does my cat sleep outside my door?
The answer may surprise you, especially if this is your first furbaby ever. Honestly, I was astonished when I found out. It was a couple of years ago when I adopted my kitty. She was a tiny little angel that was left outside and I just couldn’t leave her.
She has wonderful yellowish fur – you know, one of those yellow tabby cats. Her big blue eyes simply hypnotized me (and she still has me under her spell!) Anyway, during her first days at my home, she would sleep right outside my bedroom door.
In the beginning, I wasn’t bothered, but later I got worried that I might step on or kick her when I zombie-walk to the toilet at night. I’d call her to the bed since she clearly refused to sleep in hers, but she ignored that as well. I tried closing the door so she’d leave, but every attempt failed.
Eventually, like you, I started looking up why my cat sleeps outside my door, just to find out the reason for her odd slumber choice. So without further ado, here’s what I found out then and what I learned in the years that followed.
1. She’s trying to protect you
The first reason your feline wants to sleep outside your door is that she wants to protect you. Even though they are domestic cats, they still have the instincts of her ancestors. When in the wilderness, cats tend to protect what they love and care about.
Even though they aren’t considered as one of the most loyal pets one can have, this actually proves the opposite. Your feline friend is actually trying to keep you safe while you’re sleeping. Isn’t that wholesome?
She realized that the only entrance to your room is actually that door and whoever wants to approach you will first have to confront her. Your furbaby is able to warn you of possible danger even before you’re aware of it.
So, I guess next time you start complaining and posing the question “Why does my cat sleep outside my door?!” a million times, remember that it’s simply in her DNA.
2. She wants to be close to you
This one kind of surprised me, considering the fact that I knew cats will only get close to you when they want you to pet them (but just for a couple of strokes, and then they leave) or when they’re hungry. Apparently, these wonderful creatures may have anxiety issues as well.
In this particular case, separation anxiety may be the reason. Perhaps she went through some traumatic experience (like my furbaby did) and she’s afraid that you’ll leave her. If she is a foster cat, she may have changed a lot of homes and now just counts the days before you give her up too.
You can figure out whether or not she is suffering from separation anxiety using this little trick. Try giving your feline her favorite crunchy treats like celery, parsley, or canned fish, then leave the room where her food bowl is. If she follows you outside without even thinking of food, you’ll know that she wants to be close to you.
Also, she may not be crazy about sleeping in your bed since it’s not the right place. Maybe, the temperature is not comfortable, and she doesn’t have a good overview of her environment. Or, you’re just a disruptive sleeper and she’d rather sleep outside your bedroom door.
3. She knows your morning routine
By now my kitty has learned that when I finish my bathroom routine, I go to down to the kitchen and prepare my morning coffee. While I wait for the water to boil, I give her some of her favorite canned food, and then we enjoy a bit of serenity together.
If you’re doing something similar, she’s definitely learned your routine. Your feline is well aware that she’s going to run in the garden, or get her first meal of the day, and she doesn’t want to miss it. That’s why she’ll sleep outside your door.
They are very intelligent, and creatures of habit, so if your alarm didn’t go off for work this morning, chances are high that she’ll wake you up, because she needs her morning routine to be fulfilled.
4. She’s afraid of new things or places
Next time you wonder why your cat sleeps outside your door, think a bit about it. Have you moved recently? If you just adopted her or changed your place of living, your little feline friend may be afraid and a bit stressed.
Cats are not fans of change, and even adopting a new pet into your home may be a bit tricky for her. So if she’s often sleeping in front of your door, it may be that she’s struggling with something. Try to identify the reasons for the shift in her behavior and act accordingly.
Give her more attention so she can get used to whatever is bothering her and help her reduce those stress levels.
5. It’s become a habit
As I mentioned previously, cats are creatures of habit, and perhaps, sleeping outside your door has become one of her habits. Generally, these lively beings are attracted to doorways because that’s where the action happens. If they are stuck in one corner of the room, they may feel like they’re missing out on something.
The place where they spend most of their awake time has to be a bit elevated, as they prefer to see every corner from there. That’s why your feline will sometimes jump around to find the perfect spot if your guests just arrived.
She’s mostly going to choose doors and doorways to be in the middle of whatever is happening. And of course, to get your attention faster and ask you for her favorite munchie. Better have those pumpkin seeds ready!
Is it dangerous for my cat to sleep outside the door?
Not really. I mean, you can’t actually forbid her to sleep on that cozy mat outside your door, right? The only bad thing that can happen is that you accidentally hit her with the door if it opens to the side where she sleeps.
If you have guests staying over and they don’t know about this odd habit of hers, let them know so they can pay attention when they walk in and out of their bedroom as well.
How can I deal with my cat sleeping outside my door?
There are a couple of ways you can solve this problem (if it is one). The first is that you constantly move your cat from that spot. Keep your bedroom door closed and every time she lies there, gently pick her up and take her to her bed.
You can also make her space more appealing to her. Put everything that makes her happy close, like her favorite toys or a little bowl with her favorite dry food (chia seeds maybe?) Add a cat tree and let her have her own “territory.” Hopefully, that will help her to stay in her zone even during the night.
The last thing that you can try is to use some scent she doesn’t like. She’ll avoid that place if the smell is not appealing and before long, your furbaby will associate that spot with unpleasantness and steer clear of it.
Conclusion
Even though sleeping next to your door isn’t harmful to your feline, I’d advise you to pay attention to her behavior. Sometimes, cats do have a good reason for doing this and it may be connected to some serious health issues.
Therefore, if you notice that something’s off and she’s not acting herself, try to solve it as soon as possible.
Otherwise, if you know that your furbaby sleeps outside your door out of habit or because she simply wants to protect you as one of her own, don’t stress about it – simply enjoy that you’re her companion and not her slave! (You know the saying: Dogs have owners, cats have slaves!)
