If you are going anywhere in your home, chances are that your cat will follow you. When we go into the kitchen, our cats like to follow us because it’s likely we will have food in there. And, as we know, cats like food. That’s especially true when it comes to those cans that open. It’s a sound they know and love! Another place in your home that your cat loves to follow you to? The bathroom!
While we want our privacy, our cats simply do not care.
Our cats will yowl when there’s a barrier placed between us or swipe under the door with frustrated paws wondering what on Earth we are doing in there. Why is it taking so long? Are you coming back? And most importantly, will I ever eat again? If only we could know all the questions going on in their little minds!”
If you are going anywhere in your home, chances are that your cat will follow you. When we go into the kitchen, our cats like to follow us because it’s likely we will have food in there. And, as we know, cats like food. That’s especially true when it comes to those cans that open. It’s a sound they know and love!
Another place in your home that your cat loves to follow you? The bathroom! While we want our privacy, our cats simply do not care. Our cats will yowl when there’s a barrier placed between us or swipe under the door with frustrated paws wondering what on Earth we are doing in there. Why is it taking so long? Are you coming back? And most importantly, will I ever eat again? If only we could know all the questions going on in their little minds!
So, why exactly does my cat follow me to the bathroom?
When we are in the restroom, we prefer to hang out there alone. It’s not exactly a social time for us excluding the mobile device that sometimes finds its way into the bathroom with us. Your cat, however, does not care what you are doing in there. And if you attempt to shut the door, this triggers their curiosity even more than usual. What is this strange contraption separating me from you? Are there other cats in there? What are you hiding from me? The list is endless, really. And thus triggers their odd cat behaviors into overdrive.
Leaving the room to relieve yourself and putting a barrier between the two of you, only intrigues your cat’s curious nature even more. Now, we wouldn’t think to hang around our cat’s litter box while they’re handling their business, but I think it goes without saying that your cat just doesn’t care about your privacy. But in defense of felines, neither do dogs!
What about when your cat waits for you while you shower/bathe?
Have you ever felt like someone was watching you while you were taking a shower or a bath? I know for myself, I’ve worked up a good lather only to rinse and open my eyes again to see Pepper’s large, piercing green eyes staring straight through my soul behind the shower glass.
His puzzling behavior used to scare the bejesus out of me, but now I’ve grown accustomed to his odd cat ways. Because, really, those behaviors aren’t odd once you know why cats are obsessed with that room temperature, super fresh shower/bath water!
We know that many cats have a fascination with water. And for Pepper, the moment I step out of the shower is the moment he knows he can mosey right in and get himself a lick. Does your cat do this too? Well, there’s a reason for it! Despite our natural craving for cool, crisp water, your cat’s preferences are different. In actuality, your cat prefers to drink warm water….like the fresh from the shower and bath kind! Fresh is key, but that warm temperature is high on their list of preferences, too. (More on that here!)
Final thoughts…
Remember, cats are “micro-managers” and they must know what is going on at all times. This includes you when you try and sneak off to the bathroom, human! Your cats are not like dogs. They do not perform or behave in such a way as to seek praise. Your cat is following you essentially because they are nosy, and you’ve triggered their curiosity. If you want to say that they follow you because they “love you” and want to be near you then you might be overlooking the hardwired nature of a cat. But trust me, even as knowledgeable as I am about the feline kind, I like to convince myself of this too when my cats follow me!
