Ember is going through a closed door phase.

[wnylib]

I noticed it first last week when looking for her. I checked both of her tunnels, the top level perch of her cat tree, and glanced at her carrier, which I keep on the floor in a corner of the living room so that she can nap in it if she wants to.

But the door to the carrier was nearly closed. If she was inside, she'd have to pull the door toward herself to get it nearly closed. Certainly possible, but Ember usually prefers to push things outward rather than tug them toward her. So I kept looking.

Finally, I said the magic words that always get her attention. "Treat, Ember?"

Whoosh! Faster than an Olympic track star, Ember burst out of her carrier and reached me in record time. So, she HAD tugged the carrier door shut. But why? Was she showing me that she wanted to go somewhere?

She's done it several times since then. Crawl inside, close the door, curl up for a nap.

Then two days ago, I noticed that my bedroom door was nearly closed, leaving only about a two inch gap. There's no one else here besides Ember and me. And I knew that I had not closed the door. When I peeked inside, Ember was curled up on my bed. This has happened a few times since then.

So I guess Ember's new closed door policy is her equivalent of a "Do not disturb" sign. Probably has some weighty concerns to meditate on. Who am I to interrupt a philosopher at work?

[Walleye]

1. It's basically the cat thing I want the door like this, quit changing it

Open or closed they like to feel in control. Patches woke me up this morning to a high-speed mouse chase. Then I spilled my coffee and distracted him, the mouse got away, he’s been patrolling behind the bookcase and giving me dirty looks all day.

[Freddie]

2. I had a cat who closed doors

Had to prop them open or he’d close himself in a room all day. Of course he could never figure out how to open them.

[wnylib]

3. Ember only pushes the bedroom door to an almost closed position.

Whether leaving that gap is intentional or not, I don't know. But she can nudge it open by slipping her nose or a paw into the gap.

The carrier door will not close completely unless you simultaneously press the upper and lower spring operated levers on the door. Even if Ember had the physical capability of doing that, it can only be done from outside the carrier.

Some day Ember might get too exuberant in closing the bedroom door and shut herself inside. It has a lever instead of a round door knob, so if motivated enough to open the door, she might figure out that she can do it.

[niyad]

6. My first kitteh could open closed doors. I watched him stand, wrap his paws around

the door knob, and rock back and forth til it opened. I immediately went out and got those child-proof things. Thank goodness there were no latches anywhere. Pretty sure all of my kits could teleport.

[wnylib]

7. When Ember was younger, she sometimes used to

reach up toward the door handle that opens out to the hallway of my apartment building. She couldn't quite reach it unless she jumped, which she never did. So she had the idea, but never quite acted on it. Just to be safe, though, I made sure to keep the bolt lock on. Did not want her taking off down the hall or getting into the elevator with someone.

[3catwoman3]

4. Of course, if YOU were to close a door, she...

…would want it open.

[zuul]

5. Sometimes a girl just needs her privacy.