My cats attend my morning dump religiously. Tango will present himself for a butt scratch while Cheddar will use the litter box then try to leap into my lap. Kami usually just lounges in the doorway, waiting for breakfast.
Pets be weird.
I had something similar but the details were different.
I had two cats and a dog in a loft apartment (read open floor plan so the the kitchen and living room were really just part of one big room).
We kept the catnip in the cupboards along with all our human food. We could go there and get water or wash dishes or cook human food (going in that same cupboard many times for whatever) or talk and the cats would be wherever sleeping. But as soon as I grabbed the catnip container they were both standing right there. I mean, they didn’t come running…they were already there.
It was kinda spooky.
As for closed doors…didn’t bother my dog at all but the cats would always stick their paws under a closed door if you were in there.
I can just think cat treat too loud and mine are breathing on my neck. Literally. They hang out on my headboard and look down on me(in a couple of ways)