Thirsty Cats

As a cat owner I have noticed over the years that cats frequently try to steal my water any time I leave a fresh glass unattended and yet they ignore the water placed out for them in a drinking bowl. Different cats have different techniques for water theft, but there seem to be two main approaches, either they stick their entire head into the glass and lap away or worse they stick a paw in and just pull the glass over spilling the contents all over the place. The reason for this is fairly obvious, just like us; they prefer fresh water to water that has been lying around for any length of time. If your cat eats wet food then they will be getting a fair amount of moisture from that but they still need a source of fresh drinking water. If your cat is on a dry cat food diet then fresh water is absolutely essential. Other factors such as the heat and amount of exercise they get will also have an impact on how much water they need. A lack of water can lead to health problems for your pet so this is something you need to provide. Dehydration is bad for any animal and cats can develop bladder infections and kidney problems if they aren’t getting enough to drink. Water bowls frequently get dirty and can become a breeding ground for bacteria. Since they sit next to the food bowls if your cat is a messy eater they will also often end up with bits of food and stray hairs floating in them. You need to change the water as frequently as possible and ensure that you disinfect the bowl regularly. You may notice that cats will often try to drink from the tap when it is running. They seem to have a preference for running water however you can’t really leave your taps running all day long. One solution is to invest in a cat fountain. There are various different types available on the market, some are stand alone products which just hold water and others have separate compartments for their food as well. They have a motor inside which re-circulates the water ensuring it is oxygenated and filtered. With cat fountains your pet can drink fresh and cool water with ease. There are various designs but many spread the water over a surface as it runs out to make drinking it easier and your cat can choose to drink from the running surface or the pool at the bottom. The fountains can be filled with tap water and any debris or impurities are filtered out as the motor runs. You will have to leave the fountain plugged in all day but the majority of them are quiet and they don’t use a great deal of electricity. So if you are fed up with your cat muscling in to drink from the tap or sticking their head into your glass of water this could be the right solution. You may also find that you are surprised how much water your cat drinks once they have access to a fresh supply.