kitty drinking water

I recently adopted a kitten (6 mos) from the local Animal Shelter. She is spayed and uses the litter box. The problem I am having is that she puts her front paws in her water bowl while she drinks. I can't seem to break this habit....any suggestions?

thanks

jeri

Hi

You can put the water bowl a little bit to a higher place ( you can put a book or something under it ) so that her paws won't reach in to the bowl.

I am sure she will grow out of this by herself by time

I hear that most cats cannot see the surface of still water. It's apparently common for them to tap the dish, the floor near it, or the surface of the water because they can see the ripples. Maybe standing in the dish is a variation of this?

We have always used metal bowls, and our cats have always drunk from the far side of the bowl. I think they don't like to see their distorted reflection.

When Clementine was a tiny baby (our only one we had as a baby kitten), she had to step in the bowl in order to reach across to drink from the far side. Now that they are all grown-up cats, they just lean over, but still insist on drinking from the far side.

An amusing related story: when Clem realized that her paw was wet after stepping in the bowl, she started using this method to wash her face, instead of licking her paw and rubbing. She would just dip her paw in the bowl and rub. She is almost 5 and still does this, the lazy bum...

Try a smaller bowl or I guess just wait until she grows big enough to reach. I wouldn't worry too much.

Julie

Both my kittens did this. It was almost like they were checking to make sure there was water in the bowl. They are several months old now and no longer drink out of a bowl. We have to leave the bathtub dribbling and they drink the fresh water.

smiles,
sue

I have a great suggestion: buy the drinkwell water fountain. We have 2 of them and they are great! We used to have a problem with Gizmo dumping or turning over their bowl of water every single day. Now, he doesn't do it anymore. Yes, he still kind of scoops water out, but he can't turn it over. Very good investment! I bought both of mine thru Ebay.

My cats, Angus and Pepper, won't drink out of the bowl either - even through I refill it with fresh water several times a day (why I still do that, I don't know). They like to drink out of the sink, water dripping off their heads like some bizarre cat waterfall.

Sounds like she is trying to drink from the other side. Try placing the bowl in an area which she get get to from either side and place it higher [like the other post said].

One of my cats [now gone] wouldn't drink any water unless it was a Brita filtered water.

One kitty likes dropping her dry food into the water bowl before she drinks.

And I just noticed this today. I found my kitten [8 mos] drinking out of the toilet -- which I'd like to stop. Any ideas? I don't use any of those cleaning things in the bowl so it is clean water but ick.

Dorina

You think your cats are wierd!!! My cat Ebony has recently started drinking out of the toilet. I thought only dogs did this! He gets fresh water in his bowl twice a day too. Needless to say, all toilet lids are now kept down in our house.

Regina

It's best not to let cats drink out of toilets. You never know what's in there and you may just want to use some sort of detertgent sometimes. Just keep the lids down or the doors closed.

I also recommend the drinkwell fountain for cats that prefer dripping water. It makes them take in more water which is important. Of course leaving the tap dripping 24/7 is also an option

You can also get the drinkwell fountain at Pertsmart.com. There's a link to them at the main page of the site and there you can search for the words drinkwell fountain.

I know I try to remember to keep the lids down - hubby doesn't always remember to do it though.

Luckily, I don't use any detergents in the toilet. I clean it w/bleach but flush several times after I clean it.

I will check into that water fountain. I tried to show her the faucet dripping but she got afraid and ran. I wasn't forcing her, I just showed the dripping water and wet my finger, putting the watered finger near her mouth to wet her fur a bit. Maybe she will try on her own.

Trying not to be mortified, it is funny to see.