Do All Cats Have a Bathroom Fetish?

When I get together with a group of avid felinophiles, our conversations end up concerning the curious antics in which our kitties have indulged. Sometimes these anecdotal sessions can even result in fiery competitive sparring about which of our cats exhibit the weirdest and behavior. On the other hand, we often discover that that their behavior, which we think to be so unique, is something in which all felines seem to take an inordinate amount of pleasure. In chatting with a dear friend the other day about what might be of interest to readers who are passionate about felines, she suggested that I broach the subject of cats and their attraction to the bathroom. This question may impose upon the privacy of many readers, but do all cats follow their humans into the bathroom? Since my friend has this issue with her cats, and it is almost impossible at our house to be in the bathroom without at least one cat trying to get in, it was something to which I had often given thought. It was good to hear that I was not alone. Our cats seem to be compelled to use the litter box in the bathroom quite "coincidentally" when we are on the "throne." I don't know if this behavior is due to a "contagious" urge or some type of competition, but it occurs so frequently that I cannot chalk it up to a random act. What compounds the issue is that our cats haunt me during my morning ablutions. While I am bathing, both of them are riveted to the bathtub rim, treating it as their gigantic water dish. Hush Puppy, our lilac point Oriental shorthair, often uses his tail as bait for some unknown critter that may reside in the tub. Is he trying to protect me, or to find a scrumptious meal? You tell me! I am positive that my white Oriental shorthair, Hubble, is mocking me! He sits on the bathtub ledge primping and preening, fastidious in his grooming, even paying strict attention to the area between his toes. Is this really the "paws" that refreshes? But what really gets me wondering is his compulsion to persistently tug and chew on my wet locks to be sure they are thoroughly cleansed to his lofty standards or maybe he is just taste-testing my shampoo. Sometimes it really is hard to know for certain what motivates cats' behavior. I am waiting patiently to learn if your cats join you in the John? Do they supervise your bathing routines? Please do leave a comment to share your experiences with bathroom privacy invasions.