Tom Alexander
If you own a cat, you are probably familiar with their urge to follow you around the house, everywhere you go. Even in the place where most of us would like to have some privacy, our cats want to join us; the bathroom.
If your cat is anything like mine, trying to shut her out by closing the door quickly while she follows you don’t help. You won’t get a moment of peace and quiet because of the constant meowing and scratching at the bathroom door until you leave her in.
Most cats have this uncontrollable urge to follow us around the house to find out what we’re up to. Cats also tend to follow us into the bathroom because what goes on behind closed doors intrigues them. They satisfy their curiosity by joining you there.
Why do cats follow us into the bathroom?
Even though cats sometimes seem to be in their world and are not particularly interested in what we’re up to, they do keep an eye on us and are often intrigued by our activities.
That’s also the reason why many cats will follow their owners from room to room. However, the bathroom is often a place that piques their curiosity.
Until we find out a magic potion that lets our cats speak to us, we have to guess as to the reasons for that. However, we can make some educated guesses as to why cats are so fascinated with our bathrooms.
Cats follow us because they are curious
The life of an average house cat is actually pretty uneventful, and when you are home with them, going about your daily business, our cats like to see what we’re doing. Some more than others, but it’s not uncommon for cats to follow us around.
Then, what is more, intriguing than when you enter a room and directly close the door behind you?
In a cat’s mind, your bathroom activities are something they have to be part of. Maybe there are some extra special treats behind that door, or perhaps you have something you’re trying to keep for yourself.
In short, many cats suffer from FOMO, and they need to make sure they’re part of whatever goes on behind that door.
Cats don’t like parts of their territory being off-limits to them
We all know that cats are territorial creatures, and although they live rent-free in your house, they consider it their territory.
So, when you dare just to close off part of their territory and claim it as your own, that is unacceptable to them, and they have to know what’s going on in that room.
Cats think that a bathroom is a fun place
Through a cat’s eyes, a bathroom can be a rather fun place to be. First of all, it’s a room that is unused most of the day. It’s the perfect place to take a quiet nap on the bathmat.
Secondly, a lot of the best toys are in the bathroom too. For example, toilet rolls. These are great for unraveling and rolling around in. Cats love paper and will happily unwind a whole roll and play hide-and-seek in the mountain of paper.
A bathroom has water and a tap
Although cats don’t particularly like being wet or ‘in’ water, they are pretty fascinated by it on the other hand.
Especially young cats enjoy playing with water and don’t mind getting their paws wet. Have you ever noticed that cats love drinking from a tap? Streaming water is often cleaner than stationary water, and most cats can’t resist drinking from a streaming tap.
Some cats like to sleep in the sink
A sink is an excellent cat-bed because they are conveniently cat-shaped. It’s the perfect shape for cats to roll up in and take a nap. It’s also pretty high off the ground, which cats love as well.
Bathtubs also score high on the favorite places for cats to take a nap. It’s deep and safe and usually hidden behind a curtain or door. Again, the bathroom is a quiet place most of the day. All this makes it a great hiding place as well.
Cats like routine
Believe it or not, cats are more aware of what’s going on during the day than you think. While they sit in their favorite spot and observe everyone in the household, they notice that many things happen according to a set routine.
One of those routines is your bathroom rhythm. Think about it, you probably start your day in the bathroom as part of your morning routine, and throughout the day, you will likely revisit the bathroom at roughly the same times.
Felines are very much driven by routine; they are creatures of habit, making them feel safe and at ease. Joining you in your bathroom routine feels good to your cat, and she wants to be part of that together with you.
Cats follow you in the bathroom because you are in it
Your cat has probably figured out that when you sit down on the toilet, you won’t move for a while. That is a great moment to have you to themselves for a bit.
When sitting down, some cats will circle your legs and give you head-boops. Others will sit or lie down between your feet, on top of your pants, knowing that they’ll probably in the right spot at the right time for some petting.
Cats enjoy the bathroom because it’s full of smells
Cats have a great sense of smell which is about 14 times stronger than that of a human. Just like dogs, they like to sniff out scents they like.
Although to you, your bathroom might not be a place of amazing smells, to your cat, it is. To them, scents are loaded with information.
It has used towels with your smell on them, your bathrobe, and maybe your pajamas which carry your scent too. Also, many animals, including cats, can derive a lot from the smell of your poo and urine, which is very interesting to them.
Privacy in the bathroom? Why?
When we’re in the bathroom, most of us enjoy a moment of privacy, and it might feel weird to have your cat around, looking at all the exciting things you do there.
To a cat, these are unimportant things; they rather spend time in there together with you, and it also breaks up their day with an exciting activity.
Why does a cat not want you around when they are using the litter box?
It’s funny, but as much as cats want to follow you into the bathroom, they don’t particularly enjoy it when you’re watching them use the litter box.
Do cats want privacy when using the bathroom but don’t want to extend the same courtesy?
The fact that cats want to be alone when they use the litter box has nothing to do with shame or the need for privacy. They know that they can’t move when they relieve themselves. In the wild, that makes them vulnerable as prey, and for that reason, they prefer not to have company and try to be out of sight.
Final thoughts
Why do our cats follow us when we use the bathroom? Well, it basically comes down to the fact that your cat loves you and wants to spend time with you. They realize that while you’re in there, they have you to themselves for a while.
Apart from that, bathrooms are magical places for cats where they can have a lot of cat-fun. So, next time you have to go, take your cat along and let them enjoy it.
Related Questions
Why do cats watch you poop?
Cats like to watch you poop because it’s probably fascinating to them. It’s something that’s familiar to them. To a cat, it is a sign of trust when you use the bathroom in their presence. Another reason is that cats like to analyze smell and recognize your scent as one of their community.
Can cats learn to use the toilet?
It is possible to teach cats how to use the toilet. Teaching a cat something requires patience and consistency, and most importantly, it should be fun for your cat as well. Many people have had success with toilet-training their cat, and there are several products available to help with your cat’s potty-training.
