As much as we would love to read our pets' minds to understand what they're thinking, that's unfortunately not possible. All we can do is look at their body language, listen to their noises, and try to figure it out for ourselves.

Cats are believed to be one of the hardest common pets to understand. Dogs are often easier to read as they love to wag their tails when they're excited and have clear signs when unhappy, too.

As any cat owner will tell you, their behaviour can be a little more unpredictable. They also have a habit for doing strange things like whining for a door to be opened so they can go through it, but then immediately wanting to come back again once they do.

However, a cat behaviour expert on social media has said there's a reason for that quirk - and it might just make you think differently the next time you try to shut your bedroom door with your cat on the other side.

Amanda Campion, a cat behaviourist with over 30 years of experience, shared a video on TikTok in which she said cats "hate" having doors closed behind them for a key reason that can be traced back to their "territorial" nature.

She claimed that because cats are territorial creatures, having doors closed can interact negatively with their "mental map" of their territory, otherwise known as your home.

Amanda explained: "You shut a door, and your cat's on the other side, and now it's crying because it wants to come back to the side it just asked to go out of. Why?

"Cats are territorial, and a closed door actually disrupts their mental map of their territory. They're not being difficult; they're actually responding to a sudden and unexpected change in their environment. [It's about] curiosity and control, because cats like to explore. So try opening a door and filming their reaction - it's never dramatic."

Commenters on Amanda's video thanked her for her advice, as many said they have learned to keep their doors open to allow their cats to have free roam of the house. Others suggested "creating boundaries when they are young" if you want to keep cats out of a certain room, as it will teach them which doors not to enter.

One person said: "We have an open door policy in this house, and even if we wanted to close, the meowing would be so loud we couldn't. But I deeply enjoy my cats walking around the house when I'm in bed and falling asleep."

Another added: "My tortoiseshell kitten has learned to open the door."

While a third wrote: "It took years to get my cat to accept that I go to the toilet without him."

For more information and support on managing your cat's behaviour, visit the Cats Protection website.