When you put your cat out of the bedroom, it’s usually because you want some space. But Mulder the cat doesn’t like being apart from his owner. If there’s a door between them, he can always find a way to get inside.
An Extremely Clever Kitten
The famous video of Mulder opening a door was filmed when the cat was only 5 months old. Kristian, his owner, was cutting chicken on the kitchen counter. In order to cook, he needed the hungry kitten to give him a little space. He tossed the cat into the bathroom, shut the door, and went back to cooking. But when he turned around, Mulder was sitting right there as if nothing had happened.
Not sure if he could believe that the cat had really opened the bathroom door, Kristian grabbed a camera and tossed Mulder back into the bathroom. In a few seconds, the door handle started shaking. With a loud “click,” the door swung open, and Mulder’s adorable face appeared.
In Spite of All Obstacles
In an attempt to foil his cat’s plans, Kristian set up a “moat” in front of his bedroom door. This large tub of water was meant to keep Mulder from scratching on the door at night, and it had the added benefit of keeping the adventurous kitty away from the door handle. At least, that’s what Kristian thought. Two different clips show Mulder successfully dodging the moat as he works his door-opening magic. In one clip, Mulder actually uses the container to give himself a boost – all without getting wet.
How Does Mulder Do It?
Mulder’s ingenious door-opening process involves quick thinking and the clever use of his own momentum. Many smart pets can use this method to open doors, but it’s surprising that Mulder thought of it while he was so young. The doors in Kristian’s house have bar-shaped handles. To open a bar handle, you simply turn it to the side, rotating the bar downward in the process.
Mulder can’t grab hold of the handle, but he can definitely press it down. The main obstacle is the height of the handle, which Mulder gets around with an impressive jump. First, Mulder lines up his jump; if there’s a moat in the way, he takes this into account. He aims directly for the handle and tried to catch it with both paws. If he’s successful, the weight of his falling body will pull the handle down and open the door. It usually takes two or three tries for Mulder to open doors, but he’s been getting better at it as he gets older.
The original video was recorded in 2014. Today, Mulder is a full-grown cat who has granted himself free reign of his owner’s house. If he wanted to, Kristian could probably change the handles or even lock his bedroom door. But when you’ve been blessed with such a smart and adventurous cat, why would you spoil all the fun? And anyone who’s watched the videos knows that if he’s actually locked out of a room, Mulder is not shy about making a fuss until Kristian comes to say hello.
