Need to stop cat from drinking from toilet!

mishventurer

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Reiko is a 4 month old who I noticed began to sit inside the toilet bowl and drink the water there. It's a habit that greatly annoys me because toilet bowls are gross and she steps all over my bed all the time (can you imagine all the germs from the bowl on my bed?!!!) She has her own fresh water bowl changed daily.

Leaving the seat down isn't a solution because we are using a soft close seat which shouldn't be flipped open and close too many times or the mechanics will spoil quicker. I also have this quirk where I despise toilet bowl lids staying closed (even in public toilets is sometimes lift the lid up if I see a bowl that's closed) - maybe because I dislike the idea of germs festering under a closed lid.

Anyways, a friend of mine suggested putting those scented toilet fresheners in the bowl so it would deter the cat from drinking or going there. Another suggestion was using the blue Chlorox tabs but I heard horrors about it ruining the toilet. Anyone has any success stories with this issue?
 

SeventhHeaven

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Negative then you need to worry about her ingesting toxic chemicals!  

Close the bathroom door buy her a drinking fountain it stays fresh forever they love

running fresh water  
 

Kittens try everything when little, she will grow out of some habits. 
 
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arouetta

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Don't put chemicals in the water.  All you would do is poison your cat.

The water is not as nasty as you think, actually.  Your kitchen counters have more germs and have more nasty, make you really sick germs than your toilet.  The water itself is completely clean as it comes from the tank.

And that's the cat's view on it.  The water, from having been flushed repeatedly during the day, is fresher than the cat's water bowl.

Based on your post, something has to give at this point.  You want two completely contrary things and you can only have one.  Either keep the lid down or let the cat drink.  It sounds like you have a bit of a phobia over germs.  Neither option is going to result in illness or an exceptional number of germs.  But you do have to make a choice and learn to live with the choice you've made.
 

SeventhHeaven

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Reiko is a 4 month old who I noticed began to sit inside the toilet bowl and drink the water there. It's a habit that greatly annoys me because toilet bowls are gross and she steps all over my bed all the time (can you imagine all the germs from the bowl on my bed?!!!) She has her own fresh water bowl changed daily.

Leaving the seat down isn't a solution because we are using a soft close seat which shouldn't be flipped open and close too many times or the mechanics will spoil quicker. I also have this quirk where I despise toilet bowl lids staying closed (even in public toilets is sometimes lift the lid up if I see a bowl that's closed) - maybe because I dislike the idea of germs festering under a closed lid.

Anyways, a friend of mine suggested putting those scented toilet fresheners in the bowl so it would deter the cat from drinking or going there. Another suggestion was using the blue Chlorox tabs but I heard horrors about it ruining the toilet. Anyone has any success stories with this issue?
What you maybe hoping to hear is how cats aren't using the toilet due to sticky chemical cleansers...you can type search here:

   http://www.thecatsite.com/newsearch?search=toilet+bowl+cleaners+and+cats
 
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arouetta

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Oh, additional thought.  Everyone get ready to say "Ewwwww".

Mythbusters had an episode testing the theory that toilet water gets on toothbrushes during flushing.  It was true.  When the lid was left up for flushing the amount of poo germs found on toothbrushes went way up.  Toilet water went all over the test bathrooms, it was gross.
 

caseydoll

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Oh, additional thought.  Everyone get ready to say "Ewwwww".

Mythbusters had an episode testing the theory that toilet water gets on toothbrushes during flushing.  It was true.  When the lid was left up for flushing the amount of poo germs found on toothbrushes went way up.  Toilet water went all over the test bathrooms, it was gross.
I was going to bring that up too! It was so gross! You actually spread A LOT more germs and bacteria by flushing with the lid open than with it down (although there's no stopping it completely). 
 
 

golondrina

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I make sure that my Cucumella's water bowl is always full with fresh water. She loves it when I pour it down and tries to lap  it as it falls into the bowl and yet......................... I have to make sure that the main bathroom door is always closed otherwise she will try to drink from the toilet bowl and from the bathtub or the shower if any water remains at the bottom. I have to keep my flower vases on high furniture because if I place them on a table she will climb and try to drink from them tumbling them over.  She is 14 years old and has always been like this.

I have a  smaller bathroom without shower or bathtub usually used by my visitors. I leave its door open but l make sure the lid of the toilet bowl is always down.  A sticker on the tank asks my visitors to make sure they lower the lid before leaving.

Cucumella knows very well the bathrooms are out of bounds for her and if she ever trespasses and is caught in the act she will run at full speed and hide under a bed or other piece of furniture with her head down between her front paws. After a while she will come out and when I tell her off she will lie down on her back offering her tummy in repentance. She always does this when I scold her. I always wonder if this is a common cat reaction to scolding. Is it? I am puzzled because she also does this sometimes just asking for attention.

 
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arouetta

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I make sure that my Cucumella's water bowl is always full with fresh water. She loves it when I pour it down and tries to lap  it as it falls into the bowl and yet......................... I have to make sure that the main bathroom door is always closed otherwise she will try to drink from the toilet bowl and from the bathtub or the shower if any water remains at the bottom. I have to keep my flower vases on high furniture because if I place them on a table she will climb and try to drink from them tumbling them over.  She is 14 years old and has always been like this.
 
I've got cats that are convinced that human water is tastier than cat water.  It all comes out of the same faucet, but you can't leave a glass of water without a cover out around here, unless you want to turn to grab it and see a pair of cat ears sticking out of the glass as the entire face is in the glass.
 

sargon

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Like others have said, don't add chemicals to your toilet (though the chlorine/bromine tabs ( ie kaboom) are probably okay if your cat doesn't normally  drink from it). The best way to make cats stop drinking from a toilet is to provide a more appealing water source. You can try using filtered water in her bowl/fountain (changed twice daily if a bowl), but what I really suggest is to use a a cat water fountain, many ( mine included) cats really like them.  I and a lot of people have good results with the pioneer pet brand stainless steel ones, but any stainless or ceramic fountain probably will do.
 

moorspede

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Change your toilet seat and leave it down.

Consider getting a pet fountain or changing the cat's water in the bowl a couple of times a day.

I set some water from the tap aside in a jug for 24 hours to allow the chemicals in the water to dissipate.
 

LTS3

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It seems like the only option is to keep the bathroom door closed at all time since changing the toilet lid is not an option and the OP hates the sight of a closed toilet lid (don't we all have odd quirks?). Yes, it's a big pain to keep the door closed especially if there are other people who live in the home but your cat's safety and health depends on it. Have a discussion with all members of the home so that everyone is aware of the "keep the bathroom door closed" rule and why it has to be done. Stick a large note on both sides of the door to remind people to keep the door closed and to knock before  entering.

Do not add chemicals to the toilet water in an attempt to discourage the cat from drinking in there. All you will do is poison the cat.

Giving your cat a pet water fountain is a good idea. She may decide that she likes that better than the toilet.
 

artiemom

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Artie used to do this.. I do not know how he managed to stop.. 

I also think the best and only thing to do is to keep the toilet cover down...constantly .. or keep the door closed..

I would never put any chemicals in there...

Remembering what I did to try to break him of this habit. I got a pet fountain.. he did not care for that.. kept the seat cover down.. shooed him away by telling him he was a bad boy- each time I saw him drinking..telling him it was boo-boo water...

and he would get sick...

I know I stopped feeding him dry.. and added extra water to his food.. Artie does not drink water now... he has enough in his food...
 

lily paddy

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Hi

My friends kitty used to do this too she couldn't keep the door closed.. his litter box was in there and the condensation if you kept the door closed made her walls wet.. anyway.. she got a piece of screen..  cut it to size..heavy screen from home depot.. went around the edges with duct tape... it sits under the open lid part.. with the lid holding it in place. it worked for her.. we just slide it out when we use the toilet. 

 the things we gotta do.. hahaha 
 
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ginny

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I wonder if there is such thing as a ceramic water fountain in the shape of a toilet? Lol. Don't know if that would help or not but it would be an option that was easier to get to than the toilet. And in the meantime use that screen thing Lily Paddy suggested.

@arouetta I heard about germs getting on your tooth brush when you flush! Yuck! I always close my lid now.
 
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mishventurer

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Hey everyone thanks for the replies! The toilet bowl water fountain is really hilarious!

We actually do not have enough plug points for a water fountain which was why I didn't get that in the first place (looking for rechargeable ones)

Anyways we tried something today and it kinda worked. I wasn't so keen on using chemicals in the bowl so I thought I'd try cutting a lemon into 4 wedges and place them in our tank. The lemon sort of tinged the toilet water and Reiko absolutely hated the smell of it. I caught her peeking her head in to drink but she immediately recoiled from the lemony smell/taste.

I probably need to replace a lemon every 4 days or so but it seemed to have worked quite well so far!
 

golondrina

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Good for you Mishventurer, I'm going to try your lemon idea in the toilet  in my visitors bathroom.  

Regarding the fountain in the shape of a toilet....................wont  this encourage the cats/dogs to drink from the real toilet?? I don't think they exists here but I'm not inclined to try.
 

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Pumpkin face used to drink out of the toilet at camp=we keep our toilet super clean. I scrub it daily with vinegar/baking soda. men make such a mess. So in my world if she drinks it's not the end of the world. The water comes in from the pipes then into the tank then drains into the bowl after flushing. Obviously some people are more let's say delicate when it comes to this thing. Some dogs drink out of the bowl. It is a personal preference. just don't use chemicals in the bowl/tank. and the lemon is a good idea..maybe I will try that...maybe helps the bathroom smell fresher...that's a really good idea with the lemon!
 

SeventhHeaven

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Hey everyone thanks for the replies! The toilet bowl water fountain is really hilarious!

We actually do not have enough plug points for a water fountain which was why I didn't get that in the first place (looking for rechargeable ones)

Anyways we tried something today and it kinda worked. I wasn't so keen on using chemicals in the bowl so I thought I'd try cutting a lemon into 4 wedges and place them in our tank. The lemon sort of tinged the toilet water and Reiko absolutely hated the smell of it. I caught her peeking her head in to drink but she immediately recoiled from the lemony smell/taste.

I probably need to replace a lemon every 4 days or so but it seemed to have worked quite well so far!
 Good for you for finding you're own solution to predicament 
  Cats do hate citrus

just a little extra work.... perhaps a natural tank-bowl cleaner to boot!  
  
 
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