Cat Meows in Bathtub? Here’s What He/She Likely Wants
Cats are pretty much the most major oddballs sometimes. I’ve written a lot about weird cat behaviours on this blog, but there seems to be an endless supply of these strange cat behaviours, as I’ve learned firsthand with many a cat having gone through my home (I currently have three).
This counts double for when they do things that are so peculiar that they involve bathrooms (like obsessively following you into them or being obsessed with bathrooms in general) and meowing (like meeping when you sneeze and meowing all night long!).
That being said, it can be pretty easy to interpret what they’re “saying” with their meows sometimes, and usually, when it comes to bathtub meowing, there’s a pretty clear reason, you just have to go down the list!
Narrowing the explanation down to the one your cat means when he or she’s doing this strange behaviour might take a few attempts, but I have a feeling you’ll likely figure out why in no time.
I’ll go through all the reasons I think your cat is likely meowing in the bathtub. And yes, I think he or she wants something from that experience, just not necessarily from you.
If you have any more ideas, do take a moment to leave your thoughts in the comments below! And if you have any great cat-in-a-tub stories, because I love reading your cat stories! Without further ado…
Reasons That Likely Explain Why Your Cat Sits in the Bathtub and Meow
1. Your cat may cry in the tub because they want to pee in the tub.
First things first, I had to get this out of the way because it’s important.
Listen, if you’ve ever seen any pee in the bathtub before, you need to take your cat to the vet and have him or her checked out for a UTI.
This is very common behaviour – I think I’ve heard it’s because the glossy porcelain tiles are smooth and cold, so it soothes the burning sensation while peeing?
Either way, it doesn’t matter, if there’s any connection your cat’s making to bathroom + peeing, whether it’s on tiles, in the bathtub, or some other smooth surface, you need to go to a vet.
A lot of times my cat will “announce” he is going to the bathroom by meowing before he tries, so this in the bathroom instead of a litter box, especially if it happens multiple times a day (with or without success peeing), red flag, go to a vet ASAP.
And yes, vets can help with UTIs a lot, but the faster you are with the diagnosis the better.
You should also double check to make sure your cat likes his or her litter box, his or her litter, and that the litter box is clean as well.
Because if any of these are an issue for your cat, your cat may look to relieve themselves elsewhere – you know, somewhere more appealing.
Modko Modkat Sleek Minimalist Top Entry Litter Box – Amazon / eBay
2. Your cat may be meowing in the bathtub because he or she wants attention.
Do you rush over to greet your cat and confusedly figure out what the heck is going on when he or she is in the bathtub?
Maybe your cat did this once and that’s been the pattern ever since, you rush to go check on him or her, and *boom*! Instant gratification because attention = super nice.
This could be all it’s down to. But of course, there are other layers to this that might be true.
3. Your cat may be meowing in the tub because he or she is hyper and wants to play.
Maybe peek-a-boo isn’t what you’d think of as a top 5 cat game, but I honestly think sometimes confusing humans and getting them to pop in on them on demand is a source of entertainment for cats.
That being said, if your cat’s meow sounds more like a war cry (the cutest and most sweetest war cry, surely!), a warning: “I’m gonna go hunting you little mice!!!” – maybe your cat’s just got his or her zoomies on and likes sitting in the tub to announce the next few minutes will be filled with wild eyes and running.
Speaking of which, there’s another reason why in particular the bathroom works.
Petlinks Jeepers Creepers Catnip Rat Toy – Amazon / Chewy
4. Your cat may cry in the tub because he or she wants to hear that perfect acoustic.
There’s a kind of echo in the bathtub that’s hard to replicate anywhere else in the house.
It’s pretty much the perfect acoustic, which is why so many of us love singing in the shower, and we feel we sound damn good in it.
Maybe your cat’s a smart little cookie and has discovered this for him or herself?
Of course not in a, “Ooo, I sound so good way” (although maybe, would be nice to imagine!), but maybe in a “WOW I sound SO much bigger and more threatening if I stand here, like I’m Simba in the Lion King and I rule over the land and can kill any little grasshopper or tiny mouse that I want!! I am such a scary hunter!!”
Okay, so, not in as many words, or any words at all, but you get the picture.
5. Your cat may meow in the tub because you give him or her something he or she wants straight after.
Whatever the heck you’re doing after your cat meows in the tub, giving attention, giving cuddles, grooming your cat to settle him or her down, testing to see if he or she’s hungry, refilling water to see if that’s the problem – that may be what your cat is after by meowing in the tub in the first place.
Cats are clever. If you start behaving a certain way after they behave a certain way, you best believe they’re going to start acting out that first behaviour whenever they want the second.
It’s like pushing a button on their human. Pretty hilarious.
Kong Zoom Groom Cat Massager Brush – Amazon
6. Your cat may be meowing in the tub because he or she knows they’re not supposed to be in there and are testing you.
Listen, I don’t care how crazy you think I am for believing this, but I 100% have a cat who “tests” to see if I am paying attention to the-naughty-thing-he-is-about-to-do by meowing before.
It’s Avery, my first cat, and he has a thing for munching on house plants? Yeah it’s stupendously annoying, but he’s into eating lettuce anyway so he’s obviously an odd ball to begin with.
And all the house plants I have (in rooms that are not off limits to him) are cat-friendly and obviously not poisonous at all anyway. Because I know what he’s like.
So anyways, he’ll sometimes give this short, kinda shrill and annoying little meep, and I’ll be like, “OKaY Avery what do you WAnTtt?” Because when he does this he’s usually in a bit of a, “Give me attention, give meeeee” mood, and sometimes I am working or doing chores or am busy (he never remembers I exist until I have something important to do).
So anyways, if I don’t go check up on him immediately, in a few minutes he’s usually eating house plants.
So I definitely think your cat could be as clever as my Avery (rarely meet cats this clever, but there 100% are!!), and that he or she’s testing you to make sure they can hang out in the bathroom in peace because you’re just not paying attention right now.
Say because your cat loves the feel of the porcelain bath tub on his or her paws and/or loves sleeping in it, and because you’ve scolded him or her before by saying no.
Your Thoughts on Cats Meowing in Bathtubs?
Okay enough about my ideas and my crazy cat stories, it’s time to share all of yours!
What do you think is the most likely reason to explain cats meowing in the bathtub?
What explanations did I miss out on?
Has your cat ever done this? Did you figure out why?
Can’t wait to read about your thoughts and stories in the comments on this topic! Such oddballs cats are, but boy are they cute!
Elise Xavier
Have three pet cats, Avery, Bjorn, & Athos whom I love to bits. Obsessed with cats. Figured I might as well blog about ’em.
Fond of my fluffies? See more of them on my personal blog, E&T. Dig KittyClysm? Check out all the other blogs I pen & photograph.
Elise’s Favourite Tip
One of the most frustrating problems I’ve had to deal with as a pet parent is staying on top of my cats’ desire to play. While this is typically hard to do, toys like these that allow cats to play by themselves make the job one heck of a lot easier.
The hits in my household are ridiculously affordable: cat springs, ball track toys, & kick sticks. I have a slew scattered around the house, so when my cats get bored, even if I’m busy or not even home, my furries are able to actively play.
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Hi, I’m Elise! Welcome to KittyClysm – a blog for cat lovers & kitty keepers. Join me & my furries in our little corner of the feline-obsessed world. Facts about cats, training tips, odd behaviours, pet care advice – I talk as much as I can about it all here!
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