Margo shut off the tap at 7:50 a.m. in her Boston railroad flat and heard the familiar rasp. Soot, a 12-lb gray tabby, was already on the tub rim, tongue working the lower third of the plastic curtain. The liner still dripped. The bathroom mirror was fogged. Soot did not want a drink from her stainless bowl six feet away. She wanted the curtain.
Margo had wiped the vinyl twice that week. Soot returned anyway. A roommate joked that cats love chemicals. Margo read the bottle: keep pets off until dry. She started rinsing the curtain with plain water after every shower and hanging it fully spread. Soot still sampled the hem. Water and mineral film tasted like a moving creek to a cat who never goes outside. Soap scum was the part that had to stop.
Key points at a glance
- Post-bath licking is often leftover humidity and mineral taste, not a random fetish.
- Wipe the curtain after you towel off; keep bathroom cleaners off the liner.
- Do not let the cat lick soap scum, shampoo film, or moldy folds.
- Chewing or swallowing plastic is pica territory and needs a vet, not a scolding.
- A dripping faucet or a pet fountain can steal some of the “wet curtain” appeal.
Why the vinyl tastes like a stream
Hard water leaves a faint mineral film. Steam leaves droplets. A cat’s tongue is built to wick both. Soot’s bowl water sat still. The curtain moved, cooled, and tasted slightly different every morning. That novelty is half the sport. Indoor cats also chase humidity the way they chase a dripping sink.
None of that makes cleaner residue safe. Surfactants, mildew washes, and leftover shampoo can upset a stomach. If Soot ever chewed a hole in the liner, that would jump from taste-testing to ingesting plastic. Pica can ride along with diet gaps, nausea, or stress. A 12-lb cat who only licks droplets is a hygiene job. A cat who eats vinyl is a clinic job.
Wipe, rinse, block the scum
Margo’s rule after 7:50 a.m.: squeegee or wipe the lower two feet of curtain, then leave the liner open so it dries. She moved the spray bottle to a high shelf. She ran the bath fan for 15 minutes. She set a fountain in the hall so Soot had moving water that was not coated in soap. On days she used a mildew wash, Soot stayed out until the liner was dry and odorless.
If licking turns into chewing, or if vomit, diarrhea, or a sudden plastic craving shows up, call the vet. Do not treat a mouthful of curtain as a cute clip. Margo kept the liner clean and the cleaners out of tongue range. Soot still visits the hem. She gets a wipe, not a chemical buffet.
| What is on the curtain | Cat licking it |
|---|---|
| Plain water droplets | Low risk; wipe so it does not linger |
| Soap scum or shampoo film | Block access; rinse liner after baths |
| Mildew wash residue | Pets out until fully dry |
| Mold in the folds | Wash or replace liner; run the fan 15 min |
| Chewed plastic bits | Vet for pica; swap to a fabric curtain |
Margo still hears Soot on the tub rim some mornings. She wipes first, then lets the cat sniff a dry hem. This article is general cat-care information, not a veterinary diagnosis; call your vet if your cat chews plastic or licks cleaners.