Only wants toilet water

[Black Cats Abundant]

I have a cat who only ever wants to drink toilet water even if there is a fresh bowl available. When I shut the bathroom door though she will still cry for me to let her in to drink from the toilet instead of taking the fresh water a few feet away. I read that this may indicate that my cat prefers running water (because flushing a toilet refills it) and so I bought a cat fountain. I read also that cats may be sensitive to the plasticy taste of new bowls though so I washed it first and tasted the water myself. My other cats seem to love it, they enjoy the fountain and drink it happily so I know there must not be any bad taste. But the cat who prefers toilet water still wants nothing to do with it unless shes just that thirsty. I can't figure out why she wants the toilet water so badly still or why its so appealing to her. It's pretty annoying though because she'll cry at bathroom doors and want to be let inside.

 

[FeebysOwner]

It could be due to the cold water. Toilets are mostly made of porcelain and that also helps the water retain coolness. Try porcelain water dishes and set them around the toilet, and other locations, to start off with and see if she will try them. You can also add ice cubes to the water periodically during the day.

I also keep a pitcher of water in my fridge that I use for my cat's water dishes. That also helps with 'airing out' the water from any chemical smells/tastes, like chlorine used to kill bacteria in the water. Since water sits in the toilet bowl between flushes, it is constantly 'aired out'. So, it could be the chlorine in drinking water that your cat does not like.

Toilet water is, by nature of its function, dirty water and can contain smells/tastes of its own. Let's hope that is not what is attracting your cat to want to drink it!!

 

[Kris107]

I agree that the porcelain could be part of it. They make porcelain cat fountains too. Cats have more sensitive tasters than we do, so they might be picking something up that we can't. As for drinking from the toilet, I would really try to not let her do that. Toilets have a lot of bacteria and if not then chemicals.

 

[Alldara]

Hey! Is your water fountain one with a filter in it? You can try removing the filter and seeing if they'll use it.

None of my 3 cats would use the Catit fountain with the filter in it. As an experiment, I set up the fountain with some folded cheesecloth in the filter area to just catch big particles instead. Now they've all been using it. Obviously I can't speak to the general safety of this but cheesecloth is food safe and I haven't had any issue with it floating around to potentially block the filter but it is a do at your own risk situation.

 

[Margot Lane]

My cat had whisker sensitivity so only certain bowls at a certain height would do

 

[Black Cats Abundant]

My cat had whisker sensitivity so only certain bowls at a certain height would do

I considered that but the fountain is open and mostly flat with little to no rim, her whiskers would not touch anything.

 

[Black Cats Abundant]

It could be due to the cold water. Toilets are mostly made of porcelain and that also helps the water retain coolness. Try porcelain water dishes and set them around the toilet, and other locations, to start off with and see if she will try them. You can also add ice cubes to the water periodically during the day.

I also keep a pitcher of water in my fridge that I use for my cat's water dishes. That also helps with 'airing out' the water from any chemical smells/tastes, like chlorine used to kill bacteria in the water. Since water sits in the toilet bowl between flushes, it is constantly 'aired out'. So, it could be the chlorine in drinking water that your cat does not like.

Toilet water is, by nature of its function, dirty water and can contain smells/tastes of its own. Let's hope that is not what is attracting your cat to want to drink it!!

I always fill with cold water but I could try that anyway to see if it makes any difference. There is only one water bowl in the house that she shows interest in, and its a large clear glass mixing bowl. Can't figure out what makes it so appealing in any comparison but apparently it is lol.

 

[Black Cats Abundant]

Hey! Is your water fountain one with a filter in it? You can try removing the filter and seeing if they'll use it.

None of my 3 cats would use the Catit fountain with the filter in it. As an experiment, I set up the fountain with some folded cheesecloth in the filter area to just catch big particles instead. Now they've all been using it. Obviously I can't speak to the general safety of this but cheesecloth is food safe and I haven't had any issue with it floating around to potentially block the filter but it is a do at your own risk situation.

It does have a filter, I have heard that the filter can be repelling but neither of my other cats show anything but interest in the fountain. I'll try taking it out anyway and see what happens.

 

[maggie101]

Amazon.com

Who knows if this will help. I bought an elevated food bowl. You can take off the top and fill with water. Warning: first time I did that I forgot that it is elevated so water spilled everywhere

 

[maggie101]

My cats only eat wet food so they do not drink much. Only peaches drinks because she eats cooked meat with nutrition,not canned

 

[DeesCats]

My indoor cats will only drink out of white or clear bowls that are glass or china. I do change the water and bowls daily, more often if they get dirty.

What is strange is that when they were outdoors before I adopted them, they would drink out of the plastic green heated bowl in winter and the white/cream colored plastic bird bath.

 

[maggie101]

I had strays that used the bird bath. Maybe it's the shape? It was round very big but not high.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

DO try chilled water. God knows, that's all Hek would drink! I still have her pitcher of filtered, chilled water in the fridge, and always will.

 

[neely]

We had a cat that would only drink cold water from the bathroom faucet. He'd climb in the sink and drink water on a slow drip, drip, drip. Plus he'd only drink from that one bathroom. Long story short, we let the faucet drip for him. Do you think your cat might do the same? Our bathroom was adjacent to our bedroom so we'd go to sleep at night hearing the faucet drip. When he passed away I told my husband I couldn't go to sleep without the faucet dripping because I missed him so much.