Cat Paddles Water Everywhere

[Alpha Crow]

Like, gallons of it. The cat does this weird one-armed swim stroke on anything flat and slick (polished wood table, glass table, tile floor). He's not scratching. He has a baffled look on his face the entire time.

So when he gets in the dog's giant water bowl, he will sling a gallon of water out onto the floor (tile, thankfully). He'll do it for 30 minutes if left alone (as I have found out the hard way).

He knows it's bad, he will run when I come toward him. Yet, when he's drinking out of it, he is not bothered by anyone approaching. He has his own little fountain, but he uses this one time to time.

Other than this weird Michael Phelps freestyle stroke he's doing in the water, he's a wonderful kitty that loves people and is friendly.

Any advice?

 

[Furballsmom]

I would ease up on him if you can. Put a folded up towel underneath the bowl, the Big Guy does this (sort of) although in his case he's dunking his mice and scaring my partner with the ensuing snorting that accompanies him dipping his whole muzzle in as he's working to retrieve a sunken one. I on the other hand am laughing while I'm trying to get a video of it - never works because he knows and stops, and I'm shaking the camera too much.

 

[danteshuman]

Buy him a fountain and/or put the dog bowl in the tub? One my cats just likes to play with water (though not that badly.) There is no cure that I know of.

 

[Alpha Crow]

He has a fountain. And a folded towel does nothing, lol. It took 5 towels last time. Big, plush towels. He paddles like 1-2 gallons of water on the floor non-stop until he's caught.

Trying to teach him not to, but he has some weird fetish with smooth, glassy surfaces and trying to swim

 

[Furballsmom]

LOL oh dear, I actually was afraid you'd say that about the towel requirement.
What happens if you put him in a shallow amount of water in the sink or in the tub? Can you give him a specific time where 'swimming' would be allowed?

 

[danteshuman]

Put rocks in his water bowl so he only has an inch of smooth water?

 

[danteshuman]

My cat has figured out how to push the water bowl with his arm on my plastic pet mats (with the rim.) So I took the stones from one of my fountains that are about half the size of my palm & put 4 around the bowl. If that doesn't stop my water fascinated cat from spilling puddles of water on my pergo floors, I'm buying 4 bricks!!!! (In all fairness Salem is usually the good one.) Sometimes you have to get creative with your pets. Worst case scenario they do sell giant water bottles gerbil style:
Lixit Dog Water Bottle, 64-oz bottle

If the rocks/bricks don't work I will buying one.

 

[Furballsmom]

Why Do Cats Paw At The Water Dish?
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