Does your cat do this?

[begin_within]

When they want to go outside, you open the door, and they stop halfway through the doorway, and just stare around the outside, and won't go all the way out. You try to nudge them gently with your foot, but they won't budge, and sometimes just turn around and come back in. Then a few minutes later, they want to go out again, but the same thing happens.

[Richard Steele]

1. Yup. All the time.

[NV Whino]

2. Yes.

It's called standard behavior.

[KyndCulture]

3. Constantly... or worse.

She will go all the way out until her feet get cold in the snow and ice then she will wail as loud as a 3 yr old child that just dropped their lolipop until I pick her up and carry her back in.. then she looks at me like *I* made her feet wet and cold.

Just another day with a cat!

[KT2000]

4. What I heard about this

is that cats are territorial and they get anxious abotr who might be in their territory. They need to check it every so often to make sure everything is OK and no one is there.
Obviously their preference is staying in the warm house and finding a cozy sleeping spot but they still have the need to check things out. Blocking the doorway is probably a good way to preserve all options - and keep you as their servant!

Love the kitten pics!

[begin_within]

5. Thanks

[Mr. McD]

6. No, I don't cater to there wishes

They have a cat door. If they want out they use it or stay in.

[hatredisnotavalue]

7. Only our stray siamese does that

I think at her previous home she was an indoor cat and she makes this lunge to run outside sometime when I open the door for the dog and then backs away.
I thought she was telling me that she could run away at anytime. "Go ahead," I tell her, "go home." But she hasn't after five years. Sigh

[vademocrat]

8. They're just making sure that you are still at their beck & call -

All the cats I've ever been owned by have had some variation on this. Sometimes it's opening the pantry door or a bathroom vanity door...I always figure they're just making sure I "still work"...:rofl:

[Skittles]

9. HELLO! IT'S CALLED PUSSY-FOOTING!!!

:D

[yellowdogintexas]

10. they are looking for the door into summer. This is also why

when the weather is bad, they will seek the outside through one door, then balk when they see the wet/cold/messy weather. Then later they will try a different door, do the same thing and later another door, if another option is available...and back to door # 1 again.

[vademocrat]

14. What a wonderful concept- that's exactly what they're doing!

I think I'll join my old lady cat next time - I want to be with her when she finds that "door into summer"!!!

[Mikimouse]

15. Doesn't that only apply to cats named...

Petronius?:P

[yellowdogintexas]

17. if that is the cat in the short story...then yes. I have not actually

read this story , just been told about it by my husband..who always jokes that the cats arelooking for the door into summer when they hem and haw around in the cool weather, or bad weather.

[Mikimouse]

18. Yes, that is the cat in Heinlein's short story...

you should read it, it is a great story.

[allalone]

22. aaawww

[WolverineDG]

25. My dad used to say that!

He read a science fiction short-story about that & would often mention it when our cats would do the "do I want in or do I want out" routine when it was raining or cold outside.

dg

[jus_the_facts]

29. I should have read the responses before I posted below....

....I posted about the very same thing but referenced the novel by Robert Heinlein where the analogy comes from!! :)

[deadparrot]

11. Oh, yes.

At all hours of the day and night. The sooner we all admit that we're slaves to our felines, the better we'll all feel.

[Arugula Latte]

12. I surrendered long ago.

See my profile.

I believe all life on Earth has evolved for the ultimate goal of anticipating the every need of our feline superiors.

[Hissyspit]

13. They are checking to be sure it is safe to go out.

And, yes, they want to go out because they are territorial.

Feline behavior can be logically explained as can all animal behavior (and this includes humans - humans are animals).

[graywarrior]

16. What swear words run through your mind when you find yourself

in this predicament? Mine are very colorful.

[allalone]

19. ohyeah

in or out. I sound like I'm selling hamburgers.

[allalone]

20. how about this?

my cat who has since passed away used to stay outside but come in and out to use the litter box. too funny

[yellowdogintexas]

23. I had one of those too. Cats are so weird. nt

[barb162]

21. Yes, they bang on the door to go out and then just stand there

when I open it

[Left Is Write]

24. My cat cries and cries and whines and scratches the door.

He is not allowed outside (I'm afraid of losing him), but if someone opens the door, he runs the other direction anyway. He cries and cries to go outside, but when he gets the chance, he appears afraid.

He sits in front of the patio doors half the day, watching the birds intently.

[graywarrior]

26. Mine thinks he's a dog. Runs to windows when someone

slams a car door outside or talks too loud. Runs like a little pussy when the doorbell rings.

[SoCalDem]

27. When cats go out, at our house, bad things happen

[jus_the_facts]

28. They're just looking for 'The Door Into Summer'.........

.....excellent book by Robert Heinlein that begins with his laments about his big tabby Pete going from door to door in the winter time expecting each door to be the 'door into summer'!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Door_into_Summer