Scientists Reveal Why Cats Are Drawn to the Bathroom With Us

Picture this: Nature calls, so you head to the bathroom to take care of business. Suddenly, a furry paw shoots under the door, rattling it in its frame. The claws extend, searching for something to grab onto. A mournful, gutteral sound pierces your soul from outside in the hall. It is your cat, and he is not pleased to be excluded from the magical secrets taking place on the other side of that door.

Sound familiar? You aren’t alone. Cat parents have long pondered the mystery of cats’ fascination with our most private of rooms. It turns out animal scientists have wondered the same thing. Cat researcher Mikel Delgado, a postdoctoral fellow at the School of Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis, tells Inverse.com that scientists don’t have all the answers, but they do have some educated guesses.

Wildlife biologist Imogene Cancellare agrees with the “captive audience” theory, telling Inverse:

Delgado also adds that cats likely enjoy the “cool, smooth surfaces of sinks and tiles,” and that some like the water. Cats hating water is a long-held misconception. In fact, many kitties love fresh, running water and refuse to drink from the standing water in their bowls. Others simply like to play and splash under the faucet. A few exceptional felines love water so much that they insist on hopping in the shower with their owners. And then there’s Nathan the Beach Cat who adores swimming in the ocean with her humans (yep, Nathan is a girl)!

iHeartCats’ own resident veterinarian, Dr. Kathrynn Primm, also has some interesting ideas on the feline bathroom obsession. She suggests the behavior may stem from evolutionary instinct and a need to feel protected.

Dr. Primm also points out that cats tend to be “micro-managers” and may simply “want what they can’t have” when faced with a closed door.

Wherever the true answer lies, one thing is for sure: becoming a cat parent usually means an end to your bathroom privacy!

Do you have a funny bathroom story about your kitty? Tell us in the comments!