It has most likely happened to you that, when you tried to close the bathroom door to enjoy a moment of privacy, your cat was right there, trying to enter with you. Or maybe you have come home after a long day of work and observed some traces of your feline in these facilities. Surely you know that your pussycat loves you and enjoys your company but, is that really why it follows you? If you want to discover why your cat goes with you to the bathroom, we invite you to continue reading this article with all the details about it.
My cat follows me to the bathroom: most common causes
Cats can accompany their guardians to the bathroom by different reasons: because they feel hot, because they want to drink water, because they are bored or, simply, because they want to enjoy their company or have fun with new “toys”.
If you spend a lot of time away from home, your cat may want to enjoy every moment of your presence at home. Then, you can not only follow the bathroom, but also want to sleep with you (or on top of you) or require caresses when you return home. It is a signal that indicates that loves you and appreciates your company.
If it is very hot, your cat can enter the bathroom in search of cold tiles to freshen up, lie down and rest quietly. Generally, the bathroom is the coolest home environment, since it is usually located in the region with the lowest incidence of sunlight. It is worth remembering that, mainly during the summer, we must be vigilant to avoid heat strokes.
Your cat can also follow you to the bathroom to take fresh water. Although we leave water in your drinker, it is likely to warm up easily, especially during the hottest days. To prevent this from happening, we can prefer a fSource of water for cats, which are found in pet stores. And if your pussy cat takes a lot of water, be sure to know the possible causes in our article “Is it normal for my cat to drink a lot of water?”.
A bath, many adventures
If you have reserved some moments to observe how your cat can entertain itself for hours and hours with its simple bag or cardboard box, surely you understand that your imagination and energy can transform simple and everyday objects of the home into a real amusement park. In the same way, the facilities of our bathroom, which for us tend to look absolutely ordinary, can offer them real adventures. The furniture, products, utensils and bathroom objects are totally new to the senses of our cats, and naturally awaken the intense curiosity that is inherent in feline nature.
Toilet paper is transformed into a toy with challenging movements until your roll takes the last turn. The towels are tempting to scratch, play or simply be thrown to the floor to become a very comfortable bed. The cabinets are excellent hiding places and the optimal shelves to climb and gain a privileged view from the altitude. And all this without mentioning that the bidet, the toilet, the sink, the bathtub and even the hangers, form an original circuit of obstacles, which our cat takes advantage of to perform his majestic jumps and aerial acrobatics. In this way, it is possible that your cat will accompany you to the bathroom not only to enjoy your company, but also to spend an entertaining time with your “new toys”. If this is the real reason, you will probably surprise him more than once by going in without you, every time you leave the door open.
Are you paying due attention to your cat’s stimulation?
When they are bored, cats can follow us everywhere simply to entertain themselves, call our attention or invite us to play with them. It can also happen that they enter the bathroom to find objects (which for them are toys) that stimulate their body and mind. In these cases, the mentioned behavior appears as an alert that our cat need more stimulation. For this, we can enrich your environment with toys, accessories and accessories that allow you to exercise and keep yourself entertained, even when we are not at home. You can find different options in pet stores, or choose to make recycled toys and homemade scrapers yourself, which are very simple, cheap and fun.
Remember that lack of stimulation (or poor stimulation) is among the possible causes of increased aggressiveness in cats. A feline that has fun, plays, spends energy and tires daily is less likely to develop behaviors associated with stress or boredom. If you notice any symptoms of stress and boredom or perceive changes in the behavior of your feline, do not hesitate to consult your trusted veterinarian immediately. In the face of unusual behavior, it is essential to rule out possible pathological causes.
Beware of cleaning products and cosmetics in the bathroom
Do not be surprised if you leave your bathroom door open and find a lot of traces of feline fun in there. Your cat will naturally be attracted to aromas, textures and different shapes found in the bathroom, and also in other home installations. However, we must be very careful with the products that we leave at your fingertips. Remember that most cleaning products they possess substances that are irritating or toxic for our pets. And cosmetics and personal hygiene items, such as shampoo, soap or creams, are not suitable for consumption.
To ensure the safety of our pigs during our absence, the ideal is leave the bathroom door tightly closed. It is also essential to keep cleaning products, cosmetics, poisons, insecticides and all articles that are not suitable for ingestion or contact with skin, eyes and mucous membranes out of the reach of children and animals.
Do you find it uncomfortable for your cat to accompany you to the bathroom?
Although we deeply love our kittens, it can be somewhat uncomfortable not to have total privacy at the time of going to the bathroom. Therefore, if you do not find it pleasant to have your cat follow you to the bathroom, and prefer to be alone in this intimate moment, you will be able to teach him that this environment is not suitable for him. Keep in mind that cats are very intelligent animals and, well stimulated, can be easily trained to adapt their behavior to home life. With patience, dedication and positive reinforcement, it is possible to train a feline and avoid behaviors that put your own health at risk. For this particular case, as we have already mentioned, it is essential to encourage the environmental enrichment of the rooms that are suitable for the animal, as well as to avoid paying attention to it when we continue to the bathroom and to verify that it is not really a problem of stress or poor stimulation.
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