# What's with cats and the bathroom? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 29, 2006, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cats-and-the-bathroom/354761 "2006-04-29T18:58:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Queen\_of\_the\_Felines](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/b5e925/32.png) [@Queen\_of\_the\_Felines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_of_the_Felines)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2006, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cats-and-the-bathroom/354761/21 "2006-04-30T04:11:26Z")
My cat loves to watch the toilet flush. He’ll follow me inside and patiently wait for me to finish, and then at the count of three I’ll push the handle and laugh as he puts his front paws on the toilet seat and watch the water swirl down. He’s been doing this for almost a year now, you’d think he’d get bored. ---
**Author:** ![mrald](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@mrald](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrald)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2006, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cats-and-the-bathroom/354761/22 "2006-04-30T12:03:07Z")
I have a bathroom cat as well. My husband is very bad about not shutting the door… _Husband walks to bathroom, closes door_ “Meow” _Fonziecat makes a mad dash to bathroom_ “Knock knock” _Door swwiiiiinnnnnggggs open_ "well hey fat cat. some privacy please? “Merowr” _cat returns to sunny spot on window sill_ If the door is shut, he beats on it until you let him in, has a quick look around then leaves. It is like he is making sure you are safe. The bathroom is the only room he does this in. ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2006, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cats-and-the-bathroom/354761/23 "2006-04-30T14:54:17Z")
My cats are both big bathroom fans, too, though one likes it more than the other. The younger one runs in and heads straight for the shower curtains. She likes to hide between the inner shower curtain and the outer one and bat at my hands. Or she likes to hang out in the tub and dig at the side. The older one likes wandering around, watching me put on makeup and trying to drinking out of the toilet before I can put the lid down. Both make little trills or half purr/half meows the entire time. And if I sit down on the toilet and don’t pet her, the younger one tries to climb into my pant leg. I guess she just likes close places. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2006, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cats-and-the-bathroom/354761/24 "2006-04-30T16:06:12Z")
Oh, Maggie LOVES the bathroom. She waits until someone gets out of the shower or tub, and then goes and plays in it-she likes to watch the water run down the tub. Sometimes when I’m taking a shower, she’ll poke her head in the curtains. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cats-and-the-bathroom/354761/25 "2006-05-01T00:14:38Z")
Max, my first cat, was a bathroom nut. He’d hop into the tub when you were done showering and splat the droplets of water with his paws while getting his tail soaked and then leave wet footies with a snail trail across the kitchen floor. When seated on the toilet, he’d climb into my pants and make himself comfy between my ankles. Then, he would look all annoyed when I was done and wanted to raise my trousers, sans kitty. ---
**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cats-and-the-bathroom/354761/26 "2006-05-01T00:52:40Z")
Why do the my cat and dog want to watch me in the bathroom? > [@Maggie the beagle](#): > > He’s peeing inside! :eek: > [@Lucretia the cat](#): > > He’s peeing without sand! :dubious: At least they don’t cry and beat on the door anymore. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cats-and-the-bathroom/354761/27 "2006-05-01T01:08:30Z")
[Randall](http://www.sunflower.com/~cneuman/photos/randallwater.JPG) loves water. Loves to play with my toes in the bathtub, loves to drink from our hands or legs when we shower, loves to play in it. He sleeps in the bathtub, wet or dry. He jumps in the toilet, and a couple of times, in the stream when Ardred pees. He paws at my butt when I sit on the toilet. One of my other cats, [Tank](http://www.sunflower.com/~cneuman/photos/tankhead.JPG) is a “captive audience” cat. She comes to be petted lavishly while you can’t go anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cats-and-the-bathroom/354761/28 "2006-05-01T01:09:05Z")
Tallulah likes to jump up on the toilet seat and watch the ever-entertaining spectacle of “The Flush”. I have at least at 45 minute commute, so the bathroom is usually the first place I’ll go when I get home. I start talking to the cats as soon as I walk in the door, and the cats just congregate there with me. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cats-and-the-bathroom/354761/29 "2006-05-01T02:38:53Z")
Both of our cats like to come into the bathroom with us; we just assumed it was because they can get us to brush them in there, but after this thread I’m not so sure. Xena – the fat, dominant cat – can get very aggressive about the brushing. If I’m sitting on the toilet and ignoring her for long enough, she’ll jump up to the sink, reach over, and bite the back of my neck. WTF??? Bitch, I’ve got 180 pounds on you, not to mention opposable thumbs. I don’t think you can intimidate me. ---
**Author:** ![Booker57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Booker57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Booker57)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cats-and-the-bathroom/354761/30 "2006-05-01T03:38:10Z")
> [@VarlosZ](#): > > Both of our cats like to come into the bathroom with us; we just assumed it was because they can get us to brush them in there, but after this thread I’m not so sure. > > Xena – the fat, dominant cat – can get very aggressive about the brushing. If I’m sitting on the toilet and ignoring her for long enough, she’ll jump up to the sink, reach over, and bite the back of my neck. WTF??? Bitch, I’ve got 180 pounds on you, not to mention opposable thumbs. I don’t think you can intimidate me. Who feeds who? I am not kept by a cat and I am a much poorer person for that. I thought my ex’s cats were strange with the bathroom thing. Not any more. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cats-and-the-bathroom/354761/31 "2006-05-01T03:40:02Z")
My cat does this too. I can’t stand it. He used to come visit me in the shower, too, until he got splashed one too many times. ---
**Author:** ![Rock\_n\_Roach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Rock\_n\_Roach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rock_n_Roach)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cats-and-the-bathroom/354761/32 "2006-05-01T13:59:50Z")
I call my pets my “Potty Pals” or my “Bathroom Buddies” ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cats-and-the-bathroom/354761/33 "2006-05-01T16:46:56Z")
[This](http://www.twolumps.net/d/20040416.html) might explain it. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cats-and-the-bathroom/354761/34 "2006-05-01T19:22:54Z")
Officer [Geoffrey](http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/strangelove1972/detail?.dir=134e&.dnm=638f.jpg&.src=ph) , Bathroom Police. Ever since day one, he must supervise any and all showering activity, and this must be done while poised between the two shower curtains. He is to be allowed to bat at the water droplets as they slide down the curtain. He is also to be permitted to bat at me, and cry while I’m showering. When he occassionally slips and falls into the stream of water, we are not to laugh too loudly at him as this only encourages him to return to his edge-of-the-tub throne with indignance and more aggressive naked human slapping. We, as per instructions by Officer Geoffrey, are to always leave the bathroom door open, or at least only cracked to that he may come and go as he carries about his duties. If one is using the toilet, we are subject to inspection, required to pet and talk pretty to him and we are commanded to engage in a round of “peek-a-boo” as he ducks behind the shower curtain. Failure to comply with Master Geoffrey results in him flinging himself dramatically into the bathroom door, crying and “Brrrrrrrting” as though he was being torn to shreds by a jackal. At this point when one of us leaves the bathroom he will charge at our legs and bitch-slap us in the calves. It would be the face if only he were taller or we were shorter. I just do what he says, I don’t want any trouble. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cats-and-the-bathroom/354761/35 "2006-05-02T12:16:38Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > [This](http://www.twolumps.net/d/20040416.html) might explain it. Or it could be just that they wants [pettins.](http://www.twolumps.net/d/20040326.html) Our three cats all enjoy supervising bathroom chores. In fact, my daughter will tell her cat that she’s going to take a shower, and he runs into the bathroom, so he won’t be locked out. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-cats-and-the-bathroom/354761.md?page=1)