Where should towels live if a Turkish Van treats the bathroom like a personal lake?

With a Turkish Van who treats the bathroom like a personal water park, towels are safest stored in a closed cabinet or a lidded basket outside the bathroom entirely. These cats are famous for their love of water, and a wet towel left hanging is just an invitation for them to knead, roll, or even try to "help" you dry off.

I'd recommend a dedicated towel rack in a nearby hallway or bedroom, or a moisture-proof linen closet with a childproof latch if your Van is particularly determined. That way, you keep your towels dry and your cat happy-no one wants a soggy bath mat draped over the sofa.

A good rule is to store towels in a linen closet or hall cabinet outside the bathroom entirely, not just out of reach but in a room the cat doesn't associate with water. Turkish Vans are drawn to moisture, so even a closed bathroom cabinet isn't always safe-they learn to paw at doors.

For everyday use, keep a single towel on a heated towel rack or a high, wall-mounted hook well away from the sink or tub. The warmth and elevation reduce the appeal. If you must store a few in the bathroom, use a lidded hamper or a sturdy wicker basket with a heavy lid that the cat can't tip over. The goal is to prevent them from kneading wet towels into a soggy mess or dragging them around the house.

Keep them in a closed hall closet. Turkish Vans don’t just splash-they’ll drag a damp towel around the house like a prized kill. I learned that the hard way when mine stole a hand towel from the rack and left a trail of soggy paw prints to the living room.

For daily use, hang a single towel on a high hook over the door, not near the sink or tub. If you leave one low, expect it to become a soggy nest within minutes. My gut says any towel you actually want dry needs to be behind a solid door.

Tuck them inside a kitchen cabinet, not near any sink. I hang my daily towel on a peg behind a door in the hallway, far from any faucet. My Van once learned to open a louvered closet door in the bathroom-came home to a pile of soaked towels and a very proud cat sitting in the tub. Now I keep a spare set in a sealed plastic bin under the bed. Works like a charm, and she’s never figured out the lid.

A vertical over-the-door towel rack in a hallway works best-mount it high enough that the cat can’t reach even when standing on hind legs. My own Van figured out how to open a louvered cabinet door by hooking a paw under the slat, so now all spare towels go into a metal trash can with a step lid. It’s ugly, but it’s the only thing she hasn’t managed to crack. For the towel you actually use daily, install a hook on the back of the bedroom door; that room tends to stay dry, and the cat will lose interest once the bathroom door is closed.

I stash towels inside a plastic storage tote with a snap-tight lid, kept in the laundry room. My Van figured out how to push open a sliding closet door, but the tote defeated her completely. For the one towel I use daily, I hang it on a retractable clothesline across the shower rod-she can’t reach it without soaking herself first, which actually discourages her.