Conference misery::feline

    
    Hi Cheryl,
    
    My Zuzu does the same thing.  She hates when the bathroom door is 
    closed and like your door, mine doesn't always close completely.
    Of course, it is off the living room, so when Zuzu slams through it,
    the poor person is left exposed to the world.  Zu just loves to sit
    in your lap (which can be very tedious in the cold cold hours of
    early morning when you want to just get about your business and
    go to work).  she also like to jump up in the towel closet while
    you shower and keep vigil....it's the wierdest thing.  Oh, and the
    new kittens sit by the toilet to watch the water swirl when you
    flush it....but I make sure I always close the lid!  No death by
    drowning at my house!
    
    N

    
    Every single cat I've been around has had the same habbit. They always
    sit right outside and wait for you. I wonder if they like the sound
    of the shower/running water, or they are worried something might happen
    to you in there or what!
    
    Shaw

    my bathroom kitty is Angus.  he not only comes in with you...he
    has to SIT on your lap while you go!!  
    
    if you shut the door and don't let him in...he cries and cries!!
    
    Sandy

    Mine all do the same thing, kind of....
    
    They just love to come into the bathroom to say "hello" but one of them
    leaves the minute you turn on the tub or shower.  She doesn't like the
    sound of running water (I made the stupid mistake of trying to give
    her a shower with me once, thinking it would be quicker than a sink
    bath and she'd be less scared in with Mommy.  I still have the
    scratch marks to prove that that was a dumb thing to try!!!)
    
    I think they like the bathroom because it is a warm cozy room with
    lots of soft rugs there.  They all sit there and clean themselves
    while I shower. Strange huh?  Must be the warth or humidity from
    the shower that tells them it's time to clean too?  Plus I usually
    turn the heat up first thing in the morning before hopping into
    the shower so it literally is the warmest room in the house.
    
    Cats aren't dumb are they?
    
    Not sure why they act so friendly after the door is shut?  Maybe they
    are just greeting you like they do when you first walk thru the front
    door?  I know I get that kind of greeting if I close the door for more
    than a minute or two.  Maybe they forget that you're there and are
    so happy to see you again when you finally appear that they are just
    very happy and greet you so?
    
    They're great creatures aren't they?  I love the attention mine give
    me....makes me feel special after being dumped on all day long at
    work!  hee hee
    
    /Robin and Bosco, Money and Smudgie
    

    All 3 of mine love the bathroom.  Kelsey drinks from the toilet and
    sits on the sink while I wash my face/brush my teeth.  Herbie always
    plops himself right on the bathmat so when I emerge from the shower
    there's nowhere to stand but on the cold floor!  Taja is usually right
    beside Herbie or on the counter by the sink.
    
    It never fails... whenever I get up to go to the bathroom they all have
    to follow.  They absolutely hate closed doors (and mine doesn't shut
    all the way either!!).
    
    -Roberta
    

    My kitties love to come racing into the bathroom, skid across the top of
    the toilet, then jump on the counter and help you do whatever it is you
    are doing in there.  The other day, Nicky came racing in just as I
    stood up from doing my thing, and he almost fell in!  YUCK!  Today, he
    was persistently intent on helping me with my earrings, hairspray, and
    makeup, but he just doesn't understand that it's not helping when he
    swats my earrings off the counter and carries off my makeup brushes!
    
    Michelle

    Oh, yeah, and Kelsey RACES me to the toilet!  He just won't allow me to
    go, and I always have to pick him up, place him on the floor, and
    remind him who pays the bills!!
    
    -Roberta
    

    Pearl likes to come in and lick the water off the shower walls after a
    shower.  Both babies drink out of the toilet...its funny when you go in
    to do your thing and they're drinking,.."Ah, excuse me I need that for
    a minute" and they're like.."hey! I wasn't finished!"  They also like
    to sit in your lap, but only when you first wake up or just get home
    and they need loving!

    My newest adoptee (former stray) Brutus is a bathroom kind of guy, too. 
    I just hate it when he twirls around my legs before I get a chance to
    dry them off.  I found him sleeping in the bathroom sink
    yesterday...Wierd fella!
    Sarah

    My three do the same thing.  I think it's because the bathroom is the
    smallest room in the house and they can corner the Petter (me) in
    there.
    
    Nanci

    Just about the only time that Marnie comes to sit on my lap, is first
    thing in the morning when I'm doing my thing.  I usually have several
    cats coming in to say hi, and jump on my lap, if it is unoccupied. 
    Since the bathroom is very much out of the way, I don't care if the
    door is open.  The cats don't like it closed if they are on the other
    side.
    
    Steffi

    Normally I get to hold a cat whilst doing my thing, but, what would
    happen if they were trying to get Jimmies attention?!!!!!8*}
    They lick the shower walls too!
    Karen

    Only Beth has to join me in the bathroom.  When she was a baby, she
    stayed in the upstairs bathroom, so she's used to me coming in, holding
    her, kissing her, feeding her and whatever else whist I'm "on the
    throne".  The instant I sit down, she comes running, wanting to be
    held.
    
    Julie, on the other hand, is still trying to figure out why I keep
    peeing in her water bowl....
    
    Mary

Whne I was a teenager, my S.K. (significant kitty) at the time was
Shadow, all black, half Siamese. He loved to sit in a dry tub and
watch the water drip. Shadow was not a no-brainer but the dedication
with which she went about this task always slayed me.

Bumble Bea sometimes likes to walk around the edge of the tub while
I am in it. She was more into it when she was younger. I guess the
thrill is gone.




                                           Susan

      This is funny!   I thought I had the only "bathroom cat".   Kooki
    is my bathroom cat,  I swear that cat has a split personality.  He is
    a love bug in the bathroom, and a grumbly, growly "don't touch me"
    cat in the other rooms.  I often wonder if his former owners (we
    adopted him from the MSPCA a year ago) played with him in the  bathrrom
    or something.  He likes getting affection with no other cats in the
    room, that's for sure.  When my husband takes a shower, he gets right
    in there.  Hubby has to put down a towel on the floor just for Kooki,
    where he lays and purrs and purrs. When the shower is done and they
    both leave the room, Kooki returns to his other personality and huffs
    off.  It's funny!
    
    Denise and the gang of 10

    All of mine love hanging out with me in the bathroom.  Only reason
    I can come up with is that they have a captive audience in there.
    Carrie will either sit on the counter or lay blocking the door on
    the floor.  Onyx must be in my lap getting pet and hugs.  He used 
    to jump up on the top of the shower door while I was showering and
    walk back and forth and meow at me.
    
    Amelia is in there the least frequently.  When I come out from my 
    shower she is usually sitting on the toilet seat lid waiting for me.  
    We have our little ritual cuddling we go through then.  Bailey used
    to set on the counter and wait for me too.
    
    Jan

    My goodness, all these replies!  Guess Chubs isn't as brain dead as we
    thought.  :^)

    A closed bathroom door in my house means for some very indignant
    kitties! (;
    
    The 2 Korats, Casey & B.K., insist upon climbing into my pants
    while I'm sitting on the throne.  Kind of hard to pull up your
    pants with two 7 pound lumps in the pant legs...(8
    
    B.K. will cry and claw at the closed door, while the other three
    wait patiently, curled up outside the door.  This scares the heck
    out of my M-I-L, who is somewhat afraid of cats.  She goes to
    use the bathroom, and calls out in panic when a cat joins her in the
    bathroom.  We have to go remove the "offender"! (:
    
    Casey sits in the sink, Pepper gives your knee headbutts so he can
    get his morning pat on the head, and Rusty just sits there looking
    his normal dumb self!
    
    Casey joined Daddy in the shower the other day, for the first time
    in years...he used to do it every time....
    
    
    

    Hahahaha....sorry!  
    
    I *think* it's the "power of suggestion".  Without fail, when I
    use the bathroom - Otis does too.
    
    On a more serious note - he is "bonded" too me (imprinting, 
    whatever) and wherever I go ... he goes!  Closing a door, ANY
    door, is a no-no!
    
    M
    

    > The 2 Korats, Casey & B.K., insist upon climbing into my pants
                                                               ^^^^^
    
    In the UK, pants are underwear. I burst out laughing when I saw Lynnes
    note - I can just picture Lynne with her knickers full of cats! ;-0
    
    Ouch!
    
    Lisa.
    

My Chester likes to slip between the inner and outer shower curtains when I'm
showering.  When I'm done, he hops into the tub and licks the water from the
tub and the faucet.  I like to call it having his "people soup."  He also loves
to get in the sink when I'm brushing my teeth or shaving, so I quite often 
close him out when I'm doing those things.  But, he actually let himself in one
morning. I have lever type door handles in my house rather than round knobs.   
He jumped up, grabbed the handle and the door popped open.

-Patrick

    The wonderous Mr. Misha used to accompany all persons
    to the bathroom and was very indignant if he got left outside.
    I always had to sheepishly tell the guests, "He prefers to go
    in with you."  And I wonder why I get so few visitors :-}
    
    Belle always comes in to get pats while I'm in there and 
    the "Fur Toddler" Red thinks the bathroom is his personal
    playground.  He like nothing better than standing on the
    edge of the tub and watching the shower run.  
    
    Mary-Michael 

    
    	Missy has the adorable little habit of getting real cozy with you
    	when you're `busy in the bathroom', and just when you least expect
    	it, she gently reaches up and bites whatever is hanging over the
    	seat!! Yeow! That'll wake you up in the morning!! :)
    
    	Squeeky howls non-stop the entire time I am in the shower, maybe
    	she thinks I'm going to commit suicide by drowning! `No Mom, don't
    	do it! It's not worth it! And you haven't FED ME YET!' :) 
    
    	Pumpkin never had a [ahem] man in the house while he was growing
    	up, so when I do have a male guest and they use the bathroom, he
    	jumps up on the tank to watch, with a look on his face like `hey,
    	how'd you DO that? Mom doesn't do that!' As his little eyes go up
    	and down, up and down watching this amazing event, the little paw
    	is poised to `play with the water', since this is evidently much
    	more amusing than simply watching it trickle down the sink from the
    	faucet. I usually hear a few amused giggles from the bathroom, 
    	followed by a slightly nervous `Hey, don't you dare!' Tee-hee... :)
    
    	Sherry
    

    My kitties do this too!
    
    Whenever I go into the bathroom and Boo Boo isn't right there to join
    me I hear little kitty cries on the other side of the door.  Naturally
    I get up and let him in, and behold Ebony is there waiting too.  They
    come in, sit and watch me go about my business. 
    
    When the shower is on Ebony stands vigial on the toilet seat and Boo Boo
    on the towel closet.  As soon as the water stops and I'm out of the
    shower, they're in there lapping up the remaining water....weird.
    
    Brushing the teeth is always a chore as both kitties head for the
    running faucet for a drink.  Many times I start in the bathroom and
    finish in the kitchen, can't get my toothbrush in edgewise.
    
    If it all makes them happy, then I'm happy.

    Here's a cute Beth story....
    
    This morning, Beth wanted to play and I wanted to take a shower.  Beth
    also likes to run along the tub edge between the curtain and the liner. 
    Anyway, this morning, I heard Beth chirping away and saw her little
    body moving along.  Then I saw this paw come around the edge of the
    liner and then this cute little face poked around---with a mousie in
    her teeth!  Seems my shower interferes with her mouse hockey time....
    There's now a slightly soggy mousie in my tub...
    
    Mary

a real mousie? She can catch real mousies????




                        seh

No, not a real mousie.  Mousies are little fur toys that Beth just loves.
It's her very favourite thing on Earth.  She fetches them and has a blast
playing with them.  If I call out "Mousie!!" in the house, no matter where
she is or what she's doing, she comes running, looking to play.  She can
even say "Mousie!"....course, it sounds like "MowMow", but what do you want
from a one year old....

Mary

    I'm usually just a "reading" participant in this conference, but this
    topic reminded me of something that happened a couple months ago.  One
    of our (3) cats - a longhair, probably with some Angora - was sitting
    on the bathroom counter with his tail gracefully draped down into the
    sink.  My husband wanted to shave and he gently "suggested" to the cat
    that he might want to reposition himself.  No dice.
    
    My husband then decided that going ahead and running water into the
    sink would probably achieve the desired results.  He called me into the
    bathroom a few minutes later.  There sat the cat, cool as a cucumber,
    with his tail lightly floating on top of about 6" of water.  Oh, well.

    My cat, "Wellington Boot" (aka Wellie) likes to run into the bathroom
    and jump into the tub to lick at the water droplets after someone has
    showered.
    
    A few weeks ago, when leaving the bathroom with the bath filling, the
    following sound was heard....
    
         pitter patter pitter patter jump......SPLASH!!!
    
    ....scrabble scrabble scrabble jump.....splod splod splod...shake.
    
    

    Merlin like to drink (hot) water out of the tub, but only after I've
    gotten in.  Then he sits on the edge (always facing away from me; I think
    he's trying to tell me something), letting his tell slip into the water
    so when he figures out it's gotten wet he can flick it in my face.
    With me in the tub the water level is high enough that when his slightly
    ample belly overhangs, he gets his belly fur wet; then after he's had
    enough he trots off to his favorite place on my bed where he can make
    a wet spot.
    
    len.
    

    One of mine has graduated from a bathroom cat to a shower cat. 
    Beethoven likes to play between the shower curtains while I take a
    shower in the morning but lately he's become more and more curious
    about what's going on in the shower.  Every now and then he'll jump in
    the shower with me, get his head wet and jump out again!  Then he sits
    outside the shower grooming the fur on his head backwards! until it looks 
    like a little kitty-sized flat-top!
    
    Nanci

    We had company last week and whenever that happens, my bathroom gets
    taken over.  Well, low and behold, my brother-in-law comes walking down
    the stairs and says "there's a cat in the bathroom.  he won't leave". 
    :^)

whatsa matta? is your brother-in-law bashful? 8^)

    
    Pookie also likes to drink from the faucet.  The problem is that as
    soon as I take one step towards our bedroom (which has an adjoining
    bathroom), she flies around the corner, running under my feet, tripping
    me every time....she proceeds to run to the toilet, looks up, then
    takes a diving leap on top of the vanity.  The other day she was going
    so fast that she slid right past the sink, knocked over my toothbrush
    holder, and slid right off the other end (she was moving so fast).  At 
    the sound of the toothbrush holder hitting the floor, my oldest, Precious,
    decided that she was finished taking her shower and ran out as fast as
    she could!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    Also, the other day I came over and there were 9 bows from my presents
    all over the floor that the cats had so kindly removed.  I replaced
    them because they had chewed them up.  the next day, there were only 5
    (they're getting better, right?)
    
    Could having kids be any less eventful or tiring?  I wonder.....
    
    MIchele (and the three 'P's)
    

    I saw this note and was amazed at all the replies!  Spunky is also a
    bathroom kitty.  He llikes to play in the bathtub when nobody is in it. 
    He believes that there is a permanent monster under the bath mat, so it
    gets dragged into the tub.  Then he finds his toys and puts them in the
    tub.  Then he'll hop in and play with the bathmat and his toys.  If we
    give hima piece of lettuce (one of his *favorite things to play with is
    greens) he'll bring *that* into the tub.
    
    When you take a shower he often walks on the tub edge.  The
    funniest thing is when you get out he likes to lick you dry.  Usually
    while sitting on your wet lap.  AFter which of course you need to take
    another shower to get rid of all the cat hair stuck to your belly!
    
    Our prior cat, Sherrie, wouldn't be caught dead fraternizing with naked
    humans.  It was beneath him to even get up on a lap of a person who had
    shorts on.
    
    Wierd, wierd kitties.... 

    My newest baby has a tub fetish.  Right now, Mondo baby is living in
    the front bathroom in our house, which is the bathroom that I use for
    showering, etc.  Since I had my hip surgery, I usually wake up stiff,
    so before I shower I soke in super hot water in the tub.   A few weeks
    ago Mondo discovered that my body was an island in the tub, and she
    leaped off the side of the tub and onto me.  At first she would just
    cruise around on my stomach, checking things out.
    
    As time went on, she got braver, and she would dangle her tail in the
    water languidly.  Then she got to the biting stage, and I would have to
    cover certain body parts to protect them while she was around.  
    
    Now, we are at the point where every morning I start the water and
    climb in the tub, and she is there on the edge just gently touching my
    shoulder as if to say "hey, lay down and let's get this show on the
    road."  I lay back, she climbs to my stomach and then settles down to
    suck on her right front paw while making bread with her left, and
    purring her fool head off.  It is her favorite part of mornings, and
    has become mine too.  
    
    The most interesting thing about this is that she has no fear of water
    whatsoever now.  She has casually slide into the tub without either of
    us realizing it a couple of times now.  I just scoop her up and wring
    the water out of her coat and then grab her towel and towel her off. 
    There is no struggling or panic when she falls in, which is so odd to
    see. :')  And she is SO easy to bathe now. :')  I just take her in the
    tub with me and we both get a bath.  
    
    Jo