Kitty Compulsion

In the last couple of weeks, our 10 year old tabby, Katie, has gotten absolutely compulsive about drinking water from the bathroom faucet. (Actually, she just gets her paw wet and then licks her paw). She's done it occasionally before, but now it's all the time and she gets very vocally demanding about it. Also, it doesn't look like she's drinking much from her bowl. Amount of urination seems normal.

The bowl has not changed, but lots of other stuff has been going on. We're in the middle of a two stage move. My wife and Katie's sister moved about a month ago, we have strange humans coming in the house (it's on the market), and now when I'm at work (I'm out of town a week at a time) she's home alone with a sitter coming once a day.

Could this just be stress? I normally wouldn't worry, but if she's not drinking much from her bowl I'm afraid she might get a urinary tract infection.

Maybe she's just decided she likes running water? Maybe look into a fountain? Like a petmate or a drinkwell, or whathaveyou?

Originally Posted by Forensic

Maybe she's just decided she likes running water? Maybe look into a fountain? Like a petmate or a drinkwell, or whathaveyou?

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I agree. It could be a "senior cat" thing too. My 13+ Joji prefers the tap in my bathroom or one particular bowl in the kitchen. She's also quite vocal when she wants it.

Two of my crew are like that with running water. The drinkwell fountain most mimicks the running water from a faucet. Their favorite.
http://www.vetventures.com/original.asp

If you suspect stress then that may very well be true. Hope a fountain helps and keep a routine as much as possible. Best of luck.

I think a fountain is a good idea. Two of mine is prone to UTI, they are not big water drinkers at all, I only wish they would drink from a faucet at least they'd be getting some water. Right now I dilute their wet food with a little bit of distilled water.

Well, I tried the drinking fountain idea. A Drinkwell. It's a bust - she won't touch it. Still fusses for water from the faucet. Guess I'll have to live with it.

Mine won't drink out of a fountain either. The only thing I can do is have a few more water bowls around the house, and mix a little extra water in their wet food. 2 of them are UTI so I'm trying. I'm at the point where I wish mine would drink from the faucet.