Reptile & Amphibian Forums

my cat, Coco, flips out when my boyfriend or i take a shower.
she's still on "new kitty probation" in a sense, and we often close her in the bathroom while showering in case she has to potty. it keeps the bathroom from getting too cold to keep the door closed.
Coco will start by meowing at us in a curious tone. her tone will get more and more urgent and she'll sometimes sit between the outer, colored curtain and the clear inner shower curtain and paw at us. when i move the curtain aside and let her peek in at me, she'll meow urgently and put her paws up on the edge of the tub but stay far away from the water. she'll also hurriedly drink handfuls of clean warm water when offered, regardless of the fact that her kitty fountain is less than five steps away.
if we don't get out of the shower within her "time limit" she becomes extremely frustrated and will lay down in her bed with her ears flat and glare at us. we'll sometimes get the silent treatment for as long as an hour or two after an overly indulgent shower.

she tolerates baths on the few occasions that she's needed one, but won't go into the tub while it's still wet.
she's also pooped in the tub multiple times, but that's another post in the litterbox forum.

any thoughts?

I'm no cat expert, but the way you explained how she lays in her bed with her ears back after the shower tells me she's actually terrified. You said she's a "new cat on probation." Do you know if this kitty was abused in any way? It almost sounds as if someone tried to drown her . It might be a good idea not to lock her in the bathroom while either of you take your shower. Maybe she feels trapped with no way out.

she's been living in a no-kill shelter for about six years, and was rescued pretty young. i don't know her past before the shelter, but i do know that she wasn't abused at all during her time there.
she's okay taking baths, on the two instances that she's needed one. she doesn't put her ears back or act frightened at all when *she's* in the water... only when my boyfriend is or i am.
she's also got free run of the house now. we've taken to leaving the bathroom door open during showers and she follows us into the bathroom and cries at us.

My boyfriend and I have two cats, and they have exhibited very strange behavior regarding the shower. On the advice of our vet, we frequently bring them into the bathroom when we shower, as the steam is good for them, especially in the winter (they get static kitty syndrome something awful). Both of them cry and make a big fuss when we're in there. Part of it, I am sure, is being confined. Part of it is the fear they are to be bathed. But I suspect a large part of it is that my boyfriend and I are in the shower paying attention to *each other* and not to the kitties. If I am showering alone with the cats in the bathroom, they stay very quiet.

It is also possible that your kitty was reacting to the sudden presence of a very loud noise in what was 'her room'. I am sure the noise of the shower can be unpleasant to some cats.