Learning to Cat: You and the Loo

July 8, 2025

You Will Never Be Alone…

Candilee Jackson

Introduction

Good morning, ailurophiles! Since we are cat lovers, learning how to “cat” is important, sorta like taking Cat 101 to another level. So, let’s delve into one of the most important things we must learn and accept as cat wait staff: you and the loo.

Mother Nature has “called,” and you head to the head (Navy talk – deal with it), and the second your bum hits the porcelain throne, Fluffy and her feline companions magically appear, meowing, “How’s it goin’?,” smoothing your legs, jumping into your knickers, each vying for attention. WHY? Can’t I just have a LITTLE bit of privacy????

And so, here’s my doctoral dissertation on the subject.

The Back Story

This probably falls into the “TMI” category, but as cat servants, we all know that we don’t visit the loo alone. We at Pawdancer Cattery have a morning ritual that has grown into a laughing few minutes during my first-thing-in-the-morning visit to the water closet. It seems like forever that Bronwyn escorted me to the throne and then jumped into my lap to be held like a baby. Only recently, Gypsy has gotten into the act. Each morning, we have a disagreement about who gets in my lap first (Bronwyn usually wins because she IS the queen and the pinnacle of the Tonk hierarchy), but Gypsy is determined: since I have two hands, I should be able to handle two cats during my morning ablutions, right? (cat logic – again, deal with it). This morning Gypsy got her wish to take precedence, and she was not about to give up her spot to anyone – including her grandmother, Bronwyn! Kitty dynamics are definitely interesting and keep life from being ordinary.

Among the many Pawdancer Tonks owners are several veterinarians, and one in particular is a cat behaviorist. No kidding, these amazing veterinarians actually exist, and they are founts of wisdom! After posting about my potty conundrum on social media, lo and behold, Dr. Jill came back with an answer … a L O N G answer. After a little discussion, her explanation made purrfect sense. (Why not? She is owned by two Tonks, a barn cat, and two Frenchies, and obviously she knows the score.)

Cats Love Bathrooms – The Mystery is Solved

• The bathroom is a great place to play
• Closed doors pique cat curiosity
• Bathroom time is great for getting undivided attention
• Sinks and tubs are cool (literally) cat beds
• Water (yeah, believe it or not)
• Cats enjoy routines
• Your cat really DOES love you!

The bathroom is a great playground, and having an observer makes the visit that much more fun. The vanity has a mirror where your cat can admire his/her good looks, or “fight” with the “other” cat while getting paw prints all over the glass. Additionally, the bathmat is a great opponent and is purrfect for getting that back foot action going. And of course, the TP roller is an extravaganza of play … especially if you have kittens: they can create by themselves and can’t wait for you to find their newest paper “art” creation. And finally, some intelligent cats “get it,” what EXACTLY is going on, and they mimic your activity by teaching themselves to void in the potty, tub or bathroom sink. (See Exhibit A)

Curiosity may have killed the cat, but as the old idiom continues, satisfaction brought him back. The quickest way to irk your cat is to close a door, with Fluffy on the other side. They KNOW, instinctively, they are missing out on something, and it’s enough to drive Fluffy nuts. “If cats had one rule, it would be that there should never be closed doors!”¹

As long as it’s on their terms, cats love attention. And “let’s face it, who’s not going to pet a sweet cat who is rubbing all over your legs while you sit on the toilet? The cat seems to know you are ‘trapped’ in there for at least a few minutes and that it’ll be easy to get your attention as you are not distracted by the television, a book, work, or some other activity.”¹

Close your eyes and picture the bathroom sink. In most cases it’s either round or oval, the purrfect shape to cradle a sleepy cat. For long-haired cats, the coolness of the porcelain, quartz, marble or stainless-steel sink is luxurious for a Maine Coon Cat, Siberian, Norwegian Forest Cat – even a Persian. Oh, and don’t forget the faucet! A dripping faucet is fun for batting practice, not to mention getting a quick drink or two.

Now I know most people out there aren’t going to believe this, but some cats really DO like water … Turkish Vans, in particular, are nicknamed “swimming cats” due to their historical adaptation to swimming and fishing in Lake Van, Turkey. Many show cats have adapted to water through regular bathing experiences, and I hear tell about cats joining their staff in the tub or shower! Fresh running water seems to be fun … I have a dear friend who leaves a slow drip in her bathroom sink for her Tonks, so it’s a good thing she doesn’t live in a drought-prone area.

Cats learn patterns very quickly, making your daily routine predictable, and my friends: never make the mistake in thinking cats are dumb. “Chances are, when you’re sitting on the popper, you’re bored and scrolling through Instagram with one hand, twiddling your thumbs with the other.”² It’s the purrfect invitation to your cat that you NEED their company.

Now that I’m retired from teaching, my Tonks have my “loo routine” down pat: from my still-asleep-stumble first thing in the morning, to after breakfast, to about an hour or so checking emails and solving my morning puzzles on my desktop, to my morning break before hitting my writing projects hard, followed by lunch, then another visit before running errands, followed by the “I-gotta-go-now” race when I return from somewhere, plus before and after dinner … and finally, the pièce de résistance – just prior to bed. In fact, my first night in my new townhome caught me tripping over Corelli in the zero-dark-thirty early Tuesday morning hours: I installed nightlights throughout the house that morning.

You are the center of Fluffy’s world … well, almost … since food can bump you out of the number one spot on their list of faves. The bathroom is small, “full of smells of you,”¹ and the important things you do in this space are nothing short of intriguing. “Bathroom time may be some valuable feline bonding time!”¹ Vanity sitting is time well spent as they observe and approve brushing your teeth, doing your hair, and applying makeup. Oh! And watching Cat Dad shave is simply amazing! Fluffy has this innate sense that the bathroom is the best place for attention. Besides the fact Fluffy realizes she has a captive audience, toilets are generally lower to the ground than the average chair (hey, it’s better for your colon), and provide easier access to you, in all your vulnerable glory.²

And the Tail End

Fluffy carries on her own head conversation, and if you make eye contact with her, the messages are loud and clear. “A closed door, you say? How quaint. I shall investigate and put an end to this silliness.”² And after she howls plaintively and throws herself at the door several times, you finally get it: cats are not fond of being locked out of rooms where they normally have unrestricted access. “Our tendency to close the bathroom door behind us makes them want to assert their presence even further, and there goes your chance for a small moment of privacy. But that’s part of the charm of having cats, isn’t it? What’s yours is theirs, and what’s theirs is also theirs. There’s no distance. No personal space. Just uncomfortable, awkward, hilarious intimacy, and lots of it.”²

 

References

1. Stregowski, Jenna. 20224. “7 Reasons Why Cats Love Bathrooms.” The Spruce Pets. June 23. Accessed May 2025, 2025. https://www.thesprucepets.com/cats-in-the-bathroom-554029.
2. n.d. “Why Are Cats Obsessed With the Bathroom?” Why Cat Why: Learn urself how to cat. Accessed May 15, 2025. https://whycatwhy.com/why-are-cats-obsessed-with-bathrooms/.