Why are cats so picky about their water?

@TheHorse (238275)

Walnut Creek, California

March 8, 2021 11:03am CST

When I went toward the throne this morning for my daily dose of Calvin and Hobbes, I busted kitty drinking from the bowl. She jumped off and let me take case of business. I then found her next to her own water bowl, by the sliding glass door that leads to my balcony. The bowl was full, but the rising sun revealed small dust particles floating on the surface. You'd think that an animal that spends half of its waking hours licking itself could tolerate a little dust. But no. Are all cats picky about their water? Is there a reason why?

17 people like this

15 responses

@FourWalls (86575)

• United States

8 Mar 21

As Gallagher said, “This is no connoisseur. Look where he licks.”

4 people like this

@TheHorse (238275)

• Walnut Creek, California

8 Mar 21

The classic response to "I wish I could do that" when a dog licks his privates is "I'm sure he'd let you." But I've heard it too many times now.

4 people like this

Arthur Chappell

@arthurchappell (44941)

• Preston, England

8 Mar 21

cats are fussy about just about everything

3 people like this

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Arthur Chappell

@arthurchappell (44941)

• Preston, England

13 Mar 21

@TheHorse they like winding up their pet humans

@TheHorse (238275)

• Walnut Creek, California

8 Mar 21

So it seems. My kitty regularly changes her favorite sleeping spot, just to keep me off balance.

2 people like this

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@vandana7 (102698)

• India

8 Mar 21

She likes flavored water?

2 people like this

@TheHorse (238275)

• Walnut Creek, California

8 Mar 21

Maybe she wants her own butt smells (with which she is overly familiar) and mine to "be one." Does that mean she really loves me?

2 people like this

@vandana7 (102698)

• India

9 Mar 21

@TheHorse You might want to give it a try!!! Evil Grin

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (238275)

• Walnut Creek, California

9 Mar 21

@vandana7 I will not drink from her bowl or a toilet.

@moffittjc (128827)

• Gainesville, Florida

8 Mar 21

I've seen cats in my neighborhood drink out of oil-stained puddles in the roadway, and completely ignored their water bowls by their food. Completely baffles me why they do stuff like that.

2 people like this

@TheHorse (238275)

• Walnut Creek, California

8 Mar 21

And they won't tell us a thing.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (381810)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Mar 21

I don't have any answers. Who knows what's what when it comes to cats?

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (238275)

• Walnut Creek, California

9 Mar 21

Is that why the Egyptians thought they were so "special"?

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (238275)

• Walnut Creek, California

9 Mar 21

@JudyEv I just sat here and analyzed how kitty trains me using B.F. Skinner's operant conditioning paradigm. I didn't know cats could read.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (381810)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Mar 21

@TheHorse Probably.

1 person likes this

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@Lucky15 (37391)

• Philippines

8 Mar 21

no idea, lol maybe someone will explain it to you and.. really?

2 people like this

@TheHorse (238275)

• Walnut Creek, California

9 Mar 21

Maybe she likes odd smells.

1 person likes this

@BarBaraPrz (51811)

• St. Catharines, Ontario

9 Mar 21

Because you (assumedly) flush the toilet after every use, the water is fresh. Would you rather drink water fresh from the tap or from a bowl that's been sitting out for who knows how long?

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (238275)

• Walnut Creek, California

9 Mar 21

I am a good boy and flush after using.

@May2k8 (19788)

• Indonesia

9 Mar 21

Cats like water that tastes sweet and has no floating objects.

1 person likes this

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@May2k8 (19788)

• Indonesia

9 Mar 21

@TheHorse They usually lick it a little but if they like they will finish it.

@TheHorse (238275)

• Walnut Creek, California

9 Mar 21

Would they like a little added sugar?

1 person likes this

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@LadyDuck (502177)

• Italy

9 Mar 21

The cat of my neighbors ignore his clean water and he comes to drink from our pond.

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@LadyDuck (502177)

• Italy

9 Mar 21

@TheHorse I call him every time offering clean water from the fountain, he is attracted by that pond.

@TheHorse (238275)

• Walnut Creek, California

9 Mar 21

Maybe bird poop is like "a hint of lemon" to cats.

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@wolfgirl569 (135582)

• Marion, Ohio

9 Mar 21

Mine are not too bad. But they like to drink from strange places. Like a just emptied sink or tub.

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (238275)

• Walnut Creek, California

9 Mar 21

Is the water cleaner there?

1 person likes this

@wolfgirl569 (135582)

• Marion, Ohio

9 Mar 21

@TheHorse I am not sure. The cats can get water from 2 different places. But usually got to the sink. I have one that likes the dish water too

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (238275)

• Walnut Creek, California

9 Mar 21

@wolfgirl569 With soap in it???

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@NJChicaa (127117)

• United States

8 Mar 21

My cat SoCo used to smack the water in the bowl before he would drink it. Charlie the cat likes to drink it straight from the faucet.

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (238275)

• Walnut Creek, California

8 Mar 21

I haven't seen Kitty drinking from the faucet. Maybe I'll try to teach her to smack the water to move those dust particlse to the side.

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (238275)

• Walnut Creek, California

9 Mar 21

@xander6464 Did you just make that up?

@LindaOHio (222286)

• United States

9 Mar 21

Eww Never having cats I can't answer this one.

www.

1 person likes this

@CarolDM (203396)

• Nashville, Tennessee

9 Mar 21

I have a fountain mine used to use, they like the sound of the water running. But now I use a regular bowl, which I change daily. Also, cats can't see as well up close — because their eyes are designed for focusing far away for hunting.

https://www.treehugger.com/why-are-cats-so-quirky-about-drinking-4863949

www.treehugger.com

https://www.treehugger.com/why-are-cats-so-quirky-about-drinking-4863949

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (238275)

• Walnut Creek, California

10 Mar 21

I'm not even going to say what I wanted to say. About water running. Kitty and I are in domestic squabble mode this evening.May the falling rain dampen her hubris and...wait...let me open the front door and make sure she's OK.

1 person likes this

@CarolDM (203396)

• Nashville, Tennessee

10 Mar 21

@TheHorse Good luck. Being owned by a cat is a process.

@DocAndersen (54399)

• United States

9 Mar 21

C O N T R O L its a simple word. it involves getting the human to feed you indoors, and make sure your water is pristine!

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (238275)

• Walnut Creek, California

9 Mar 21

Well, she ain't gettin' no cat box!

1 person likes this

@DocAndersen (54399)

• United States

9 Mar 21

@TheHorse i recall you saying she wouldn't eat inside. She would like you to put some of your old clothes in the bottom of her new cat box!

@Chellezhere (6421)

• United States

27 Mar 21

Henry has a metal bowl full of water in the kitchen, and a plastic kitty drinking fountain by the balcony door, and even he has been caught drinking from the toilet bowl. But, he never did that in Roanoke, Virginia or Orange Park, Florida. He's only done it up here in the Finger Lakes region of New York.