Many of you are familiar with the image of finding a big fluffy ball sitting inside the bathroom sink when you are going to wash your hands. Yes, it is your cat who once again chose the sink to take a nap! The question is why do cats love so much to sleep on the surface of the sink?
As we do for most questions since we have not yet managed to make cats talk in order to tell us why the love sleeping in the sink, we can only formulate our own theories that are of great interest! Behaviorists who are experts in cats have developed their own theories, which we will describe below:
Why does your cat love sleeping in the bathroom sink?
1. The shape of the sink snuggles the cat
Many scientists speculate that cats are attracted by the sink because its curves embrace the kitten and gently push it from many sides, which reminds them of the exceptionally happy time of when they were newborns and crammed with their siblings close to their mom!
2. It cools it down
On hot summer days, when the cat may have accumulated a lot of heat, because it may be laying on the window sill where the sun rays are falling, choosing a smooth and cool surface, such as that of the sink, seems to be an excellent solution for the cat to cool down!
3. It appreciates its strategic position
The cat usually visits the bathroom sink when it wants to take a nap. And tell me who wouldn’t want a quiet place to sleep? The bathroom is such a place because there usually there is nobody there, there is no kitchen or TV noise etc.
In addition, the sink is elevated, suitable for supervision of the surrounding area and so there the cat feels clearly safer and is willing to relax enough to take one of its well-known light sleeps.
4. It is near a running water source
We all know how much a cat values running water (compared to the boring, still water in its bowl). So the cat appreciates being next to a running water source such as the sink. So, when its human sees it there, they may open the tap and offer it some cool running water. It’s even better if the sink is dripping here and there, because it will be able to take a few sips without the help of its human.
Is sleeping in the sink a worrying sign?
In general, no! It is just a strange (in the eyes of humans) cat behavior that satisfies the great needs for sleep, coolness, running water but also the psychological search for security!
Now if your cat seems to prefer the sink because it is in a constant search of water (constant thirst), there may be a chance of it being an indication of a medical issue such as diabetes or kidney problems and it would be good to investigate it with your vet!
How to prevent your cat from sleeping in the sink
Assuming you do not want your cat to sleep in the sink (why not?) there are solutions. The first step would be to block its access by closing the bathroom door.
It is also good to use a positive way at the same time to “break” this habit, such as offering it a crib with a shape similar to the sink’s, in a high, cool and quiet place and suggesting it to sleep there! At the same time make sure you provide your cat with a bowl of circulating water to keep its water running.
