Obsessed with his reflection?

[Masson99]

So I have a 2 year old cat who has a lot of quirks (NEEDS to be hard patted on his butt, tries to eat lotion and safety pins, etc.) but I cannot figure out where this quirk comes from. Whenever I enter the half bath that is on the main floor of my condo and am in there for more then 2 minutes (with the door open) he hops onto the sink and starts yelling/fighting? his reflection. He doesn’t do this in any other mirrors in the house. It’s not an issue except I rent this condo and don’t want to have to replace a damaged mirror and I occasionally have to get ready for work in this bathroom while he’s yelling/fighting? his reflection. Is this just another quirk or is trying to get my attention?

Ps I have 2 other cats who do not do this so idk where he learned to do it.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. I am sure others will come along soon with their own suggestions, but mine is to test your theory - cover the bottom half of the mirror, with some sort of paper taped to it, so he can't see his reflection, but you will still be able to use the top half. If he still howls, then maybe it isn't his reflection that is causing it. If he doesn't howl, then there is likely something about the close proximity between him and the reflection that triggers a reaction. He might not get that close to the other mirrors.

If none of the suggestions you receive help, then just have the door closed whether or not you are inside.

 

[cmshap]

tries to eat lotion and safety pins, etc.

I just wanted to comment on this detail. This could be a sign of pica. I don't know much about it, but if he is actually trying to EAT these things (not just playing with them), I would keep a very close eye on him and talk to my vet about this behavior.

 

[Caspers Human]

...cover the bottom half of the mirror, with some sort of paper taped to it, so he can't see his reflection...

I was about to suggest a similar thing. How about some clear, plastic decals that people stick on windows and things. They adhere by static electricity, etc. You'll often find them in the shapes of butterflies or other cute designs.

Whether you cover an entire area of the mirror with paper/tape or just use decals, the idea is to break up the image that the cat sees, hopefully sending the message that the cat isn't seeing something real.

Beyond that, I suspect that your cat's reaction is behavioral.

Cats like to go into the bathroom with their humans out of instinct. Cats that live outdoors often watch each other's backs while they do their business. One cat will go and another will stand guard then, when the first is finished, they'll trade places. Since cats often see humans as part of their clan, they'll commonly perform sentry duty in the bathroom, too.

I suspect that your cat is going into the bathroom with you to perform sentry duty and sees "another cat" in the mirror. He's probably trying to protect you from the "interloper."

My suggestions are, first, try to break up the image of the "stranger" that your cat sees in the mirror then, second, try to reassure him that there's nothing "bad" happening in the bathroom while you are in there.

Give him lots of attention, petting and "good kitty" reassurance. Follow up with a minute or two of playtime, chasing a toy mouse, after you are both done in the bathroom. A couple of kitty treats as a reward for good behavior might also help.

Bottom line: Somehow, teach your cat that the "stranger" he sees in the mirror isn't real and try to make bathroom time into fun, playtime, afterward.

 

[mani]

This may seem like an odd idea, but many cats get a little stressed when their owners are in the bath..my cat would walk around the edges meowing at me as if to say 'why on earth would you do that?'.
I'm wondering whether the mirror fight is a kind of redirected aggression common in cats .. he's upset about you sitting in all that water and so takes it out on 'the other cat'.
Covering the bottom of the mirror is a great idea and will tell you more about why he's doing it.

 

[Caspers Human]

...my cat would walk around the edges meowing at me as if to say 'why on earth would you do that?

Years ago, we had a Turkish Van that would jump into the shower with you. He would do the same thing. He'd walk around the edges, meowing at you except, after a minute, he'd be jumping in!

A soaking wet, long-haired cat, galumphing around the house, flinging water everywhere! A lotta' fun to be had there! Ha-Ha!

 

[KittyCat_chitchat]

I'm sensing a theme here. My mother tells a funny anecdote about our family cat Attila (the exact incident happened before I was born). Now Attila was a lovely cat who tried to make friends with every human he met and was extremely close with us. He'd follow us round the house, he sat by my pram when I was a baby and came in to fetch Mum if I started crying, and anything we were doing, Attila had to be involved. We used to joke that he thought he was a human.

When Mum got in the bath, Attila used to walk round the edges and she interpreted his behaviour as just what mani said: a concerned "Why are you sitting in all that nasty water?" Alternatively, he could just have like the water, because this is the cat who once waded into a stream after some ducklings (they got away). Anyway, one night, he tried to get closer to her by climbing onto a narrower edge of the bath, slipped, and fell in. Needless to say he was not happy about it. Mum picked him out and he apparently looked both very sorry for himself and, as she describes it, "like a drowned rat". After that she decided he wasn't allowed in the bathroom anymore! Makes me wonder if Attila thought of his human family as 'cats' in his social group and was trying to protect Mum.

 

[Caspers Human]

Makes me wonder if Attila thought of his human family as 'cats' in his social group and was trying to protect Mum.

That's, pretty much, true!

Although we'll probably never know for sure, common consensus says that cats think of humans as "big, dumb cats without any fur." Once they acclimate to a particular human or group of humans, they see us as part of their clan.

It is quite reasonable to imagine that, when we go into the bathroom to use the toilet (the "human litter box") or go into the tub to wash up, our cats are actually looking out for us.

 

[RussellsMom]

A few years ago, a starling set up camp on our front doorstep. He’d whistle and sing and kiss (lightly peck at) the front door all day long while hopping around the front step. I realized after a while that he was interacting with the reflection of himself in the shiny brass kick plate on the bottom of the front door. This went on all summer—he had really bonded with the bird he saw in the door.

He seemed calm and happy with the arrangement (though it was a little sad to me that he hadn’t bonded with a real bird—maybe he did later), unlike your cat who seems pretty distressed by the cat in the mirror. I definitely would second the idea of covering the bottom part of the mirror and adding lots of scritches and kisses and sweet words when he jumps onto the sink to help him feel safe. Hopefully he’ll get used the the idea that the cat in the mirror has gone away and he’ll relax.

 

[Kwik]

So I have a 2 year old cat who has a lot of quirks (NEEDS to be hard patted on his butt, tries to eat lotion and safety pins, etc.) but I cannot figure out where this quirk comes from. Whenever I enter the half bath that is on the main floor of my condo and am in there for more then 2 minutes (with the door open) he hops onto the sink and starts yelling/fighting? his reflection. He doesn’t do this in any other mirrors in the house. It’s not an issue except I rent this condo and don’t want to have to replace a damaged mirror and I occasionally have to get ready for work in this bathroom while he’s yelling/fighting? his reflection. Is this just another quirk or is trying to get my attention?

Ps I have 2 other cats who do not do this so idk where he learned to do it.

Since this is the only mirror where your cat is triggered by ' the other cat's( his own reflection) this prompts me to ask the height of the other mirrors in the home and whether they are full length mirrors and how far away is he from his own reflection in the other mirrors....I'll explain

Most cats follow their humans into the bathroom,it is a very safe space plus they have their humans right where they want them- humans go in there and sit and sit and sit in this little safe space ,can relax on a vanity or on a lap - it's their territory BUT you are at their disposal- very SAFE.....

Now,the vanity mirror issue- vertical spaces are where cats go to overlook their territory,rarely would they ever be bothered or surprised by an intruder while on a vertical space- his little territory has an uninvited intruder on his vertical (safe space) and this intruder is confrontational,up close and when your boy warns him he does not leave- he wants him out and he is standing his ground

I suspect the other mirrors in the house are either low to the ground or in larger spaces- the tiny half bathroom is like being cornered by an unfamiliar cat with no scent to boot......

Most cats become well acquainted with mirrors,they'll even figure out it's something they can ignore and they do because they see your reflection as well,other cats are very triggered instinctually( not so much because of the images but because of movement)......

My most recent addition to the clowder was an older outdoor feral, way too distracted by the mirrors( wall to wall) so I have the bottom halves covered as I slowly peel away sections---- on vertical space it's more difficult ( like your vanity mirror) it would take alot of your time standing in front of it with him distracting him from fixating and petting and praising) probably too much time required,I do pick my battles so Id simply cover where he sees that intrusive cat-lol

 

[Alldara]

Can attest to bathtime horrors. This is a photo of Nobel's reaction to my bath.

 

[Kwik]

Can attest to bathtime horrors. This is a photo of Nobel's reaction to my bath.

Thsts the most adorable little face- he looks horrified,just want to kiss that puss