Why Your Cat Follows You to the Bathroom Every Time

Every cat parent has probably had at least one story like this one from a customer.

You've been chilling on the couch watching TV, your cat dozing next to you, enjoying each other's presence. Nature calls, so you get up and head to the bathroom. Your cat, formerly as asleep as you've ever seen them, hops up and follows you.

If you get in there quick and close the door, you're in for it. While you do your business, your cat whines and cries at the door, even pawing under or scratching at it to be let in.

Or maybe you're taking a bath, and you let your cat in to keep you company. They do their little circle, checking out the room while you're in there, but it's just a matter of a few minutes before they're ready to head back out.

Why do cats seem to demand they be let into the bathroom? It's not like it's a glamorous experience, nor is it something they need to participate in. What do they need, what do they get out of their excursion, what drives them into it?

I've been thinking a lot lately about different cat behaviors, and where they came from. Some are hold-overs from behaviors they had as wildcats, while others are evolutionary advantages, and some are just shows of affection or annoyance. But following you to the bathroom? What's the deal there?

As it turns out, this isn't a very well-understood behavior, so there are a lot of possible theories but not a lot of consensus. So, let's explore those theories!

Option 1: They're Showing Their Love

One simple possibility is that they're showing their love for you and the bond you share. If your cat is a clingy beast, the kind that never wants to leave your side, it's possible that they're just following you so they can stay near you. When you lock them out by putting up a barrier they can't get through, like a door, they're going to feel cut off.

This is especially likely if your cat wants to be as close to you as possible while you're in the bathroom. I'm talking "tries to climb on your lap while you're sitting on the toilet" or "settles in your pants while you're going" kind of behavior here. They want to be as close to you as they can, as much of the time as they can, and when you get up and go to the bathroom, they want to be there with you.

Option 2: They're Anxious Without You

This one can seem a whole lot like the first, but it's a little different, and a little worse. Cats with separation anxiety feel unsafe and lost when you aren't around. When you go to work, they cry, they act out, they work themselves into a frenzy or find a nook to hide in until you return.

When you leave whatever space they're in, they feel less safe than when you're there, so they want to follow you. When they're cut off from you by the bathroom door, they get worked up trying to get to you, whether it's increasingly loud whining to get in, trying to dig their way through the door, or even trying to leap and grab the doorknob.

Separation anxiety can be rough. When you're not around, your cat feels unsafe and stressed, and that can cause behavioral and health issues in the long term. When you are around, they want to be with you constantly, even if it's a bad idea. And if they know you're there but can't reach you, like the bathroom or your bedroom at night, they can be incredibly disruptive. That's no good for anyone.

Option 3: They're Curious About the Room in Action

Most of your house is relatively static. Not much changes in your living room on a daily basis, there aren't a lot of things that tend to be interactive, and they know what's what. The same goes for things like the bedroom. Kitchens are unique in that they're food-centric, so they have their own routine.

But the bathroom, that's something more mysterious. When they're all alone, the bathroom doesn't do much. Sometimes there's water, sometimes not. Sometimes there are weird smells, but a lot of them are vaguely unpleasant. There are drawers and cabinets, but not things they can get to.

But when you're there, suddenly everything changes. Water runs, strange noises are produced, the tub fills, you use weird tools like brushes and scissors, shower curtains move, shower stalls open. All sorts of new and interesting things happen, and that's irresistible to a curious cat.

Of course, that's also how that same curious cat ends up wet and mad about it. Not that they'll care next time you go for a shower and they demand to come along!

Option 4: They've Had Good Experiences There Before

Our fur babies have pretty good memories for some things (and terrible memories for others), but one of the things they'll latch onto is when something positive happens.

A common example here is actually just the sink. Cats tend to prefer running water over still water. It's a bit of evolutionary memory; running water is more likely to be clean and free from parasites or diseases, while stagnant water is much less likely to be safe. It's why I recommend a good fountain for your cat instead of a basic water dish.

So, what happens if you're in the bathroom, washing your hands, or brushing your teeth, or running a bath, and your cat learns there's running water they can drink? Especially if you don't have a fountain dish for them? Well, they're going to want to come back to that sweet, sweet running water every chance they can get.

Option 5: There's Something Comfortable For Them

This one isn't always common, and tends to be seasonal. If your cat likes to follow you into the bathroom, but they do so more when it's summer and hot out, it might be because they like the cool, enclosed space of the sink or tub to lay down in. But they still want to be near you, so they're only going to go settle there when you're there, and not other times throughout the day.

Conversely, if you steam up the bathroom during a shower on a cold winter day, or you have underfloor heating or a towel warmer, that's going to be insanely tempting to your fuzzy feline.

Of course, they're just going to be in the way when you need to run the water, but they'll hopefully learn that lesson, eventually… right?

Option 6: You've Reinforced the Behavior

This one might actually be something you've done intentionally; in fact, it's something I trained into a couple of my cats.

Cats need their grooming and care, which includes things like brushing, tooth brushing, and nail trimming. If you set up the bathroom as a place to get it done, and you add a positive reward like a treat to the routine, then you can build the mechanism into your cat that the bathroom is a place of care and good vibes.

The downside is, not every trip to the bathroom is one that needs to involve them, but they don't know that. You go to the bathroom, they want to follow, because they want that reward.

Option 7: They Want to Know What You're Doing

Some of the things you do in the bathroom are definitely familiar to cats, though you aren't using litter to do it. Others, though, they have no idea. Showering? That's weird; why would you want to be wet? Shaving? What are you even doing to your fur coat? Flossing? Hey, let me play with that string too!

The fact is, a lot of the things you do in the bathroom are mysterious to a cat, but they're fascinating in their strangeness. They want to know what you're up to, and maybe participate if they can find a way.

Option 8: They're Standing Guard

Cats don't have the kind of pack behavior that dogs do, but they do have certain social behaviors. In particular, formerly feral cats might exhibit some feral-like behaviors with the people they're bonded with.

Going to the bathroom is a vulnerable time for a cat, which is why some cats prefer litter boxes hidden in enclosures, and why it's usually recommended to have a box for each cat in a household, so there isn't conflict or competition over them.

In feral cat colonies, sometimes cats will use proximity-based safety measures; in other words, while one does something vulnerable, others will be nearby as an early warning system in case something scary comes through.

Cats have a good sense of smell, so they definitely know what you're doing in the bathroom. So, they might want to "stand guard" for you while you're vulnerable.

Option 9: They're Being Territorial

Cats are territorial creatures by nature, and while they're fine with sharing their space with you (because they love you, you see), they can still get antsy if you're invading a space they feel is personally theirs.

This can apply to the bathroom, but generally only if you've put their litter box in the bathroom, or you've trained them to use the toilet themselves (something I don't recommend). Litter time is a vulnerable time, so it's one of their most territorial moments, so if you're invading that space, they want to be there to defend it if they need to.

What to Do if Your Cat Follows You to the Bathroom

So, with all of these possibilities in mind, what do you do?

There are a few options, and it largely has to do with what you want the outcome to be.

Do you not care if your cat joins you in the bathroom? You can multitask! When you do your business, keep a set of nail clippers, a brush, or another grooming tool on hand, and take care of some of those grooming tasks at the same time.

Or, of course, just use it as time to get a little more affection in. Give them scritches and pats, let them drink from the sink, and generally enjoy their company, as long as they aren't too disruptive.

On the other hand, would you prefer if your cat didn't follow you? You can work on training that behavior out of them. It's entirely possible to train a cat not to do certain things, though you might need an accomplice who can distract and reward them for not following you.

Cats in the Bathroom FAQ

As always, here are a few questions that you might have, and my answers.

Is my cat following me to the bathroom ever a cause for concern?

Almost always, no.

The only case where it could be a sign of something bad is if they have severe separation anxiety, which can cause long-term problems. You'll also see other problem behavior if that's the case, though.

My cat keeps making mistakes, getting wet, and causing problems. Help!

If your cat so desperately wants to get to you that they're willing to brave the shower, you might need to find a way to comfort them, or set up a little bed for them to hang out in while you're showering, so they can confirm you're safe.

The shower is loud and unusual, so they might feel like you're at risk; if they can see you better or know you're safe, they might stop.

I want to get my cat to stop, but don't have anyone to help me. What can I do?

You can try a few things. Set up an autonomous motion toy or a puzzle feeder with some treats to distract them while you slip out. Make sure to keep the door locked and block their ability to even peek in under it, and ignore their cries. Set up a cat tree or a cozy bed just outside the bathroom so they can settle in without being inside.

Or, let them in, but bug them in ways you know they don't like until they stop following you. You'll have to play around with different solutions to find what works.