Why Do Cats Come To The Bathroom With You?

[Surya Gayatri]

"In or out?"

Cat lovers everywhere have to ask their cats this question a few times a day. And very often the door in question is the one leading to the loo.

Cats follow their people all over the place, but there seems to be a special fascination with the bathroom.



Why the prevalent interest in bathrooms among feline folk? Are cats guarding us in moments of vulnerability? Or, do they simply enjoy staring at us from the sink?



Theories abound. Confusion abounds even more.

"My cat does this all the time. If I don't let her in with me, she puts her paw under the door until she finds my foot to hold onto," one reddit commenter wrote. "Sometimes I'll put my hand down and we'll hold 'hands' through the door, she purrs like mad when we do this."

"This is painfully cute," another commenter replied.



"Cats have that toddler mentality," another wrote. "If you're doing anything behind closed doors it means you're having fun without them. They want in on it."



So, perhaps cats have a case of FOMO, and want to ensure they're doing what's cool.

Or perhaps they just want to be literally cool. Cats tend to like cool places, so one theory is that tiled rooms are appealing to the furry felines.

https://www.thedodo.com/why-do-cats-come-to-the-bathroom-with-you-1158286406.html

_________________________

My solution was just to leave the bathroom door wide open. That way, Buddhi, my Siamese, could come and go at will.

Then again, I live alone, so don't have to be concerned about privacy and modesty. LOL!

[Hoyt]

1. To laugh at -- and annoy the heck out of -- you.

[Surya Gayatri]

2. But, when the tables are turned, and you watch them in the litter box,

they don't like it at all. It's obviously a power play! Catching you at your most vulnerable.

[Vincardog]

20. My cats don't give a flying fig if you watch them do their business.

[Surya Gayatri]

21. My Buddhi preferred for his 'pudeur' (modesty) to be respected. But, in extremis,

he would go whether I was there or not.

[Vincardog]

26. My cat think you should watch, take notes, and learn how it is done correctly.

[Surya Gayatri]

29. Then there are the people who train their cats to use the human toilet.

Last edited Wed Sep 16, 2015, 01:27 PM - Edit history (1)

Always wished I could train my boy. What a savings in litter!

[Vincardog]

34. It is easy. You put the cat box in the toilet and the cat gets used to going there. Then you get

rid of the cat box. My cats already use the toilet, for drinking.

[Surya Gayatri]

41. But, they have to learn to balance on the rim. Never could figure that out.

[Fla Dem]

112. My cat actually wants me to go into the bathroom with her.

She will pester me until I follow her in while she does her business.

[vankuria]

3. My dog does

He sits on the rug and waits for me to be done...he loves me too much to let me out of his sight!

[Surya Gayatri]

6. Afraid you'll disappear down the drain or the flush?

[vankuria]

12. He always wants to be in on whatever I'm doing

even going to the pottie, lol. He does the same with my husband.

[Enthusiast]

107. I love your doggie.

[url=http://www.freesmileys.org/emoticons.php][img][/img][/url]

[Duppers]

113. Our pup's the same way.

Doors inside can never be closed, especially the bathrooms'.
Yes, she's spoiled rotten.

[tabasco]

11. My dog always comes and lies in the bathroom when I'm taking a bath

I think he's worried I'm going to drown.

[vankuria]

13. And he'd probably try to save you if you did!

[tabasco]

25. I'd jump in a raging river to save him too! n/t

[smirkymonkey]

37. Funny, when I would watch my Brother's Golden Retriever, he would always have to

come into the bathroom with me when I showered. Then he would stick his head through the shower curtain (to make sure I was still there?, to get his head wet?). Anyway it was so cute. When his fur dried it looked like he had a little party perm on his head.

[Duppers]

115. My rotten 4mo Lab is now climbing in the tub with me...

If I don't stop her. Then, she sits fixated on the fun she thinks I'm having, and sometimes whines until I'm out. Needless to say, this water pup LOVES her baths.

Gotta loves 'em. I still miss having kitties though. Damn allergies.

[Gormy Cuss]

4. If the litter box is in the same bathroom they'll show their solidarity

so to speak.

[Surya Gayatri]

10. Just sharing in the experience...

[Arugula Latte]

5. They don't want to miss out on the incredibly intriguing action going on.

One of mine will squawk outside the bathroom door if it's closed. He especially doesn't want to miss water going down the drain or a toilet flushing. Pretty exciting stuff.

He also squawks loudly if I'm on the phone -- just like my kids did when they were toddlers.

Kittehs ...

[Surya Gayatri]

9. My Buddhi would either use his raucous Siamese voice or make trouble when I was on the phone.

[Arugula Latte]

7. This kitty always perches on his staff's head:

[Eleanors38]

94. We called that "wearing cats." Siamese are notoriously wont to do this.

[Arugula Latte]

98. I have a tabby who is a shoulder kitty. But I've never had a head kitty.

[TlalocW]

8. My bathroom

Is one of those two-door dealies. First door you're at a counter and sink, and then there's a door that takes you to the toilet and bathtub. I don't let the cats in that last part, but every night when I brush my teeth, one of them comes and jumps on the sink counter and then jumps onto a small towel rack to balance herself there for pettings while I brush.

TlalocW

[joeybee12]

14. The curiosity is amazing, especially kittens...I've had two come running in...

while the seat was up and I was urinating, they jump onto the edge to get a better look...and oopps...misjudged...good thing is they leanr their lesson.

[Surya Gayatri]

15. Did you have to give them a sponge bath after the 'lesson'? LOL!

[joeybee12]

16. A rinse off...

Thankfully it wasn't totally submersion!!!

[Atman]

66. Only one of my cats does this, but she'll get up from a sound sleep.

Doesn't matter what time of day or night, or how quiet I try to be. If I'm in the bathroom she'll come join me. I think considers it a special room where I go to sit just to pet her for a few minutes. It is truly bizarre.

[joeybee12]

99. I have so many cats...

Sometimes there's not enough room for me in there!

[Ms. Toad]

119. Both of mine do -

Especially the skittish one who is very insistent that any other time humans are not to touch him. But the middle of the night he will jump down from on top of the open wall that surrounds the kitchen to run up to the bathroom to be petted.

Unless his sister is there, then he turns around and leaves.

[alarimer]

17. Mine wants a drink from the faucet.

Whenever we head in that general direction, he is leading and meowing. He has a water fountain that he uses, but he prefers water fresh out the tap. But my cat has to be where I am ALWAYS, as well.

[NV Whino]

18. Because they can

Every morning three cats parade in and out. I think they're just making sure I don't fall in before I fill the food dishes.

Then there's the bathtub used as an abattoir. If the shower door is closed, the space just in front of the tub is used.

And during the really hot days, it is the coolest place in the house, especially if I allow access to the tub, which is when the abattoir comes into play.

I call it the catroom rather than the bathroom.

[Surya Gayatri]

19. Do they do their business in there, too? My cat's litter box was in the bathroom,

so I had a strictly 'open door' policy...

[NV Whino]

49. I have a very small bathroom

So they get their own area. Well, Beau, who has decided he is a house cat, does. The other two use the twelve acres of kitty box around the house.

[Surya Gayatri]

51. I live in a flat on the fourth floor in the middle of the city, so no outings for my guy.

Fortunately, there was a space between the bathtub and the window just big enough for the litter box.

[ryan_cats]

123. What kind of cats do you have

What kind of cats do you have that they create a slaughterhouse in your bathtub?

[NV Whino]

124. Adopted street kitties

They still think they have to provide their own food. If I'm gone overnight, I know I'm going to find the remnants of a meal in my bathroom. Nice to know they can take care of themselves.

[ryan_cats]

125. Those must gave been some mean streets.

Those must gave been some mean streets.

When I adopt a cat, I take away their switchblades, cut their hair, remove their leather jackets and ween them off their crippling 'nip addiction so they become productive members of my household, indoor only.

[kpete]

22. oh my

my dog roo follows me into the bathroom & wants to SMELL my pee
I think she is checking for drugs?


peace,
kp

[Surya Gayatri]

23. They can also 'smell' disease. Maybe she's just giving you a daily check-up...

Wants to keep you healthy!

[Agschmid]

24. My cat does not walk on tile...

It's a weird thing but she refuses to cross any threshold onto tile floors this means she never is in a good portion of the house (bathrooms, mud rooms, basement) but otherwise she goes where I go.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

27. Like this?

They were waiting for me to get out of the shower.

[Agschmid]

28. Good lord...

I laughed out loud at that shot.

[Surya Gayatri]

32. LOVE the concentration. No way were they going to let you out of their sight! LOL!

The guy/girl on the toilet seems to be a bit cross-eyed. Siamese cross? Gorgeous.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

35. I imagine they were thinking something like,

"Gaahh! Put some clothes on!" Pixie, the one on the toilet, is indeed slightly cross-eyed (and blue-eyed) and part Siamese. She has a lot of cattitude.

[Surya Gayatri]

38. You can see it in THE LOOK!

[Arugula Latte]

61. AWww!

I love them.

[Enthusiast]

108. Me too. More cats!

[Liberal_in_LA]

64. omg

[polly7]

69. LOL! nt.

[Duppers]

116. Aww, this is adorable!

Hope your camera is waterproof.

Please post more of these two.

[Skittles]

117. those two are bad enough, but nothing beats Callous Cat

[polly7]

121. LOL!

Furry little narcissists. But we love them.

[bettyellen]

30. my previous cat would closely watch the narrow gap between the seat and bowl for, uhm.....

any stuff happening and was quite excited when it did. I am sure if the gap was larger she would have tried to swat at it.
One of my current cats just walks back and forth in front of the doorway, as if she just happens to be passing by, back and forth.

[Surya Gayatri]

36. No wonder we can't help laughing at them. Swatting at your feces! LOL! LOL!

[bettyellen]

42. Thank god that gap was too narrow- and yeah, it felt pretty invasive having my movements tracked so

closely, so to speak.
I do love watching Sweetpea's nonchalant strolls past the bathroom. She is trying to get me to follow her into the kitchen where the food is, and not seem obvious about it.

[elehhhhna]

67. riki has bitten me in the ass for not petting him

Works every time.

[polly7]

31. Mine doesn't anymore ......... he's banned.

The power was out one night and I went to the bathroom, I never shut the door as I live alone. All of a sudden it felt like someone was stabbing multiple needles into my left butt cheek ....... I can still feel that pain. It was my cat. For no reason at all, he'd just reached up and bit the part of me he could - hard! Nooo way he gets back into the bathroom with me.

[Surya Gayatri]

33. He probably got frightened in the dark and just lashed out. Yikes! On your butt?

[polly7]

40. No, I don't think he was frightened, he's a tough, funny cat and just 'plays' like that.

But never with me ........ so I couldn't figure out what the heck had happened at first.

I had a friend recovering here from an open-book pelvic fracture at first flat on his back, then in a wheelchair. Hobo would stalk him and bite the part of his butt sticking out the back of the wheelchair. He has a thing about bums, I guess.

[Surya Gayatri]

43. Pervy! LOL!

[polly7]

46. Actually, I had forgotten about something ..

Every time my Dad came over he'd attack and bite his feet - hard. For years, my Dad would drink his coffee with his feet up a little not touching the floor. The second he put them down he was attacked. Just him. I have a strange kitty.

[Surya Gayatri]

48. Difficult kitten-hood...

[polly7]

50. My Dad rescued him as a tiny, tiny kitten he found all alone in the hopper of his old combine.

Last edited Mon Sep 28, 2015, 11:02 PM - Edit history (2)

He brought him in to me, I had no idea what was in his hands - he said 'here, found something for you'. I cried, he was so little and cute. Sooo, I spent three weeks bottle feeding him every two hours, he slept on my stomach at night - he now weighs about 20 lbs. Personality plus and seriously acts like he's king of the beasts.


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(My friend in the wheelchair on the left - playing cards - this is the reaction Hobo got from mostly everyone, he disrupted everything, but was so hilarious in the way he would stalk and destroy).

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(These are all older pictures ... he's bigger now).

[Surya Gayatri]

53. Love the color-coordinated fur and paper bag. Beautiful big boy. Spoiled no doubt.

[polly7]

54. Yes, he was. He's a silly kitty. nt.

[Arugula Latte]

62. He's awesome. Orangies are always big lovebugs.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

45. One of mine, the grey tabby in the photo I posted,

will wait until I'm enthroned, as it were, and then sneaks up and nips my naked haunch. Not really hard, but it gets my attention. Maybe he thinks it's funny.

[polly7]

47. It's quite a shock, isn't it?!

LOL.

I'm glad (well, sorry for you) I'm not the only one with a cat that stalks butts.

[Taitertots]

39. My roommate's cat used to sleep in the bathroom sink

Even when people were not in the bathroom.

[Surya Gayatri]

44. Favorite place--smooth, cool, and just the right fit.

[Logical]

52. Lounge!!! Nt

[Surya Gayatri]

55. Meta!!! Nt

[peacefreak]

56. My poor dead Lucy

Decided it was a communal activity to the point where he yelled if he needed to go & I was supposed to join HIM!

[Surya Gayatri]

57. Lucy was a boy??? A gender-bending cat...liked an audience while going to the loo. LOL!

[peacefreak]

59. The person i got him from

Told me it was a girl. The first morning we woke up together he stretched & presented an impressive pair of man stones! When I mentioned this she said "but he sat down when he peed!"

[Surya Gayatri]

60. His previous owner was obviously not an expert in feline anatomy! LOL!

[Enthusiast]

109. Now that is funny!

[polly7]

58. That's funny!

Lucy sounds like quite a character. They leave us with such good memories.

[MerryBlooms]

63. I'm not allowed any closed doors between me and the felines.

When I'm outside tending the garden, I can hear our Meezer calling me clear to the back fence. :/

[Surya Gayatri]

65. I see that you're a fan of 'Henri, chat extraordinaire...philosophe existentiel.'

His wisdom is matched only by his ennui.

[MerryBlooms]

68. Oui!

[Warpy]

70. Mine seemed to be waiting for the flush

and both kitty heads would hang over the toilet while it happened. They were fascinated by it.

If I headed for the shower, they just weren't interested and left.

[Surya Gayatri]

71. The swirl has a hypnotic effect--a bit like the red dot, only much bigger and wetter.

[applegrove]

72. One of mine monitors me when I have a bath. Just in case...

[Surya Gayatri]

73. Keeping vigil--felines are born to it. Watching is their forte...not to say staring.

[Tree-Hugger]

74. Cats are weird

One of mine - Amber - will join me and sit on the sink while I shower. If I am going go the bathroom, she sits on the back of the toilet or the sink and just purrs. She tends to be my shadow as it is and will follow me most places.As a kitten, she ran into the bathroom just as o stood up to flush. She landed in the bowl. Ew. Never happened again.

My other cat - Seamus Marie - follows me in whenever I go and just sits in front of me and watches me go. Sometimes, he rubs my ankles with his head. Creeper. Always purring while I go. If I happen to close the door before he gets in, he will frantically try to open the door and will stick his paws under it. My door doesn't always latch incorrectly and he can open the door at those times. He runs in all frantic as if something terrible would happen if he skipped watching me pee. He doesn't care about the shower, the toilet, or the sink so I don't get his motivation. I guess he just has a creepy bathroom fetish.

[Surya Gayatri]

75. What are they really thinking while fixated on us--crouched on the john, or naked in the bath?

They are an eternal and fascinating enigma. Wish I could speak Cat and get the lowdown from the source.

[Tree-Hugger]

93. I would love to know what they're thinking.

Or would I?

Sometimes I wonder if they're perplexed because we don't use proper litter boxes.

[Surya Gayatri]

95. And we don't scratch properly to cover our 'business'.

[MADem]

76. Many, many years ago I had a cat that learned how to use the

crapper on her own. I'm assuming she learned by watching!

This was back in the day of indoor/outdoor cats (a concept that has fallen out of favor in the last several decades) and this cat was just a smartie. She'd hang out all day and leave late at night and come back early in the morning.

She liked doing her business on the crapper, though, rather than outdoors in the garden!

[Surya Gayatri]

78. Clever girl! Tell me they can't reason! She observed, deduced and taught herself.

A lot of homo-sapiens don't have that much brain power.

[Blue_In_AK]

100. I once had a cat

who would do his business in the bathtub and then try to cover it up with a wash cloth. They're not stupid. LOL.

[MADem]

110. Now that's a BIG litterbox!!!! Ha ha! nt

[hifiguy]

77. I swear it is something mother cats teach their kittens

when people aren't watching.

Both Max and Butch would always follow me into the loo unless they were sound asleep. They'd just sit and stare at me, with an occasional meow for commentary.

[Surya Gayatri]

79. Just giving you moral support! LOL! Expressing their solidarity.

[Rex]

80. Think about it, cats HATE is when people see them pooping or peeing.

So the crapper has to be one of the most amazing inventions their food providers ever came up with!

[Surya Gayatri]

81. Yeah, wonder what goes through their heads when they watch the flush.

Where'd it gooooo?

[Rex]

82. I've had one cat out of many in my lifetime that figured it out.

He didn't know how to flush, but would straddle the seat and do his business.

[Surya Gayatri]

83. Balancing on the seat rim, tail in the air? But, how did he keep from toppling in?

Amazing feline balance, I guess.

[Rex]

84. That is exactly what he did he could stand legs spread apart

one foot on each side of the seat then kind of hunch over and do his business. He was so PROUD of his discovery! Made me chuckle.

[Surya Gayatri]

85. Too bad that was before the age of smart-phone cameras. You could've

uploaded him to YouTube!

[Rex]

86. True plus we don't live in that house anymore.

He has no potty access. He was so proud, just thinking about it now makes me smile he is laying right here next to me. Sleeping on my tower.

[Surya Gayatri]

87. Careful of cat hair in the electronics. My computer guy told me it's one of the worst things for

computer innards. The static electrcity attracts and holds it.

He air-blows tons of the stuff out of PCs when he has them in the shop.

[Rex]

88. Thanks but no big deal for me, I work on PCs too.

He is sleeping on a huge case fan, he likes the air I guess. I clean out my PC about once a month.

[Surya Gayatri]

89. Oh, a geek! I'm not so lucky. Have to schlep mine up the street to my 'guy' if anything goes wrong.

[Solly Mack]

90. My cats, guinea pig, and husband all followed me in one day.

I asked my husband where the bird was since he wasn't there. Seconds later - the bird flew in.

The husband propped against the vanity with a cat at his feet. The guinea pig settled at my feet and the other cat climbed onto my shoulders. The bird rested on the shower.

My husband said he was following the cats to see where they were going in a hurry. The guinea pig always followed the cats around.

I lock the door now. Joking.

I don't lock the door. Otherwise my dogs couldn't get in. They cry and bark if they can't get in.

Children. Got to love them.

[Surya Gayatri]

92. A whole menagerie in the bathroom. LOVE the mental image! LOL!

The family that stays together...stays together!

[Solly Mack]

97. I'm glad no family was visiting at the time.

Curiosity would have gotten the better of them.

[Eleanors38]

91. Yep. I had a male cat crawl into my jockey short, hammock-style, while I

was on the throne paying homage to the Gods of the Sewer. He would squint his eyes and vibrate the floor with his purring.

[Surya Gayatri]

96. And, I suppose you dared to disturb him once you were through?

Poor, put-upon kitty. He expected you to stay put until his cat nap was over!

[notadmblnd]

101. Because we don't close the door behind us when we go in.

[Freddie]

103. And we don't close the door behind us because...

Little paws will appear under the door and indignant meowing to follow. I have to consciously remember to shut the door when there's non-immediate-family in the house.

[notadmblnd]

104. Cats do funny things

when they are in the bathroom with you. It's more entertaining than reading the back of the toilet bowl cleaner container when sitting on the pot.

[oldandhappy]

102. Mine want to sit on my lap

I suspect she thinKs she has me trapped, smile. While I am in the shower, she lurks on the sink counter and waits for me to be finished. She really does keep track of me until I am in bed and the lights off. Then she disappears!..until about 2 or 3 AM when she is ready for a good head rub.

[mythology]

105. My parents took my cat in when I moved to Boston

She was the most cowardly cat I have ever met and due to missing 6 teeth, she had to eat canned food (I can't say I blame her for not wanting to gum dry cat food). However my parents at the time had 3 dogs and 2 other cats, all of whom would steal the cowardly cat's food.

So my cat was fed in the downstairs bathroom. Which meant that when the door was shut there was always at least 2 of the other animals waiting outside to lick the food bowl. The looks of disgust and disappointment if the door was opened and a human stepped out, were amusing.

[Enthusiast]

106. K&R! This post should have hundreds of recommendations!

You would have to know my cat to understand.

[trueblue2007]

111. 2 of our cats sit in hubbies pants like the picture of that little kitten. Soooooo strange.

all 5 of our cats visit me all the time.

[Skittles]

114. CAN'T I DO MY BUSINESS IN PEACE?!

I have shouted that many, many times

[tblue37]

118. You are, for a moment, not rushing around and ignoring them.

Stuck in one place, you chat with them, maybe even hold, pet, or play with them. They come to think of it as the communal break room, where everyone gets together to hang out.

[Ligyron]

120. I hate when she poops in the tub

Miss Kitteh knows what we use the bathroom for. She kinda has the right idea.

My previous cat would go in the sink.

could be worse, the dogs sure are.

[polly7]

122. I have to be away for a few days at a time occasionally ..

I have a neighbour who watches my cat and dog and makes sure they're let in and out, but my cat will still use the bathtub for some reason.

I caught him one time trying to push his poo down the drain. Could be he tries to hide the evidence.