Why Do Some Cats Drink Water From The Faucet?

[Daisy6]

Daisy does this. It all started with putting mice in her water bowl. They were fabric catnip mice. I had to let them air dry on the vanity counter in my bathroom because they were too small to go in the dryer. Daisy loves to knock things off, so she jumped on the toilet seat and then the vanity counter to do put wet mice in the sink. At some point she decided to lick the faucet where water comes out, so I turned it on for her. It scared her at first, but she learned to like drinking water in the bathroom.

For months she continued to drink from the bowl. No problem there. But now even when it's full, she goes to the bathroom sink. I was not planning on this. Sometimes Daisy licks the faucet, but jumps down to leave when I turn the water on. Water bills are obviously going to skyrocket now as I keep going in the bathroom only to see Daisy does not want a drink despite acting like she's thirsty. Can someone explain this?

 

[KarenKat]

Cat's like having a fresh source of running water, which they view as cleaner. That's why they drink from faucets and even toilet bowls since the water is refreshed so often. I suggest buying a kitty water fountain for her. They are cheaper than your water bill will be, and the behavior tends to stop when they have their own fountain.

Gohan likes to put his mice in his water bowl too. It's super cute!

 

[Daisy6]

I thought a fountain would make water bills even higher because they operate 24/7 and certainly don't want to change the filter every month, which adds to the cost of nourishing my silly cat. If it was as cheap and low-maintenance as a regular bowl an electric fountain would be a good idea.

 

[Furballsmom]

You could try putting a water filter on the kitchen faucet, those filters are better and less expensive (if you're near a Costco even better, they carry pur) than the bowl filters.

Also you could try an ice cube or two in the bowl.

 

[Daisy6]

Why would it make a difference if I put a filter on the kitchen sink?

 

[Furballsmom]

You'd be getting the benefits of better water for you and the cat.
I ran an electric water bowl without filters a few years ago, but they still have to be cleaned.
I'm not sure what else to suggest.....well, actually you could put the water bowl in a different location, add a couple more bowls, and elevate one or two off the floor a little, see what she likes.

 

[KarenKat]

Our fountain is a closed loop ... so you fill it once and it recycles the same water so all you use is electricity. It’s no more water than filling a large bowl and refreshing or washing that bowl periodically in my opinion.

 

[Daisy6]

OK thanks Karen. Somebody who has one said she needs to change the filter every month, which is a big turn-off for me. What kind of fountain does your cat use?

 

[KarenKat]

We use a Petsafe fountain (I think our specific model is discontinued) but there are lots of similar brands. We probably do change the filter every month, but they are about $10 on amazon for a pack of 6. I find it’s actually less work than checking the water levels all the time, but that’s my personal preference.

 

[Daisy6]

I odn't worry too much about checking water levels. Daisy lets me know if it is too low by dipping her paw in to check the amount and licking it off. Smart cat.