10 Reasons Cats Don’t Like To Drink From Water Bowls

You are a loving cat Mom but your cat’s water habits are something that you do not love at all. Is that because your kitty keeps ignoring the freshly filled water bowl and howling at the sink or in the tub for you to turn on the faucet? There are actually good reasons behind these behaviours, so its worth checking out the whys, and perhaps finding a solution.

1. Cats Can Hear Running Water

Hearing for a cat is far superior than their sight and wild cats rely on their hearing to locate fresh water sources. So, still water in a bowl may be invisible to a cat and they might not realize that there is water readily available for them.

2. Cats Are Picky

Just like a fussy child your cat can be pretty picky about the water freshness and presentation or bowl that it prefers to drink from. The water in the bowl may not be enough or it may be too much. Since they cannot lay down on the floor and throw a temper tantrum they’ll do the one thing cats are known for; haughtily ignoring it and meow at you to turn on the faucet instead.

3. The Bowl Is Too Close To The Food

Placing the bowl too close to the food can cause the water to smell like food. It may also allow bits of food to fall in the water causing contamination. Your neat freak cat will definitely ignore it if that’s the case.

4. Stagnant Water Is Not Safe

Cats are said to follow the instincts of their ancestors in the wild and ignore stagnant water because still water is not safe to drink in the wild. Thus the still water in the bowl will be ignored. The solution is to simply invest in a smart water fountain that will keep the water moving, filtered and fresh.

5. Shape Of The Bowl May Not Be Right

The shape of the bowl may affect your kitty’s sensitive whiskers , by causing them to bend uncomfortably or to get wet which is not a sensation many cats enjoy or like. There is actually such a condition as whisker fatigue. Selecting a flat and wide water bowl or dish for your kitty is considered the right choice in such cases.

6. They Like It Fresh

Just imagine what feels more appealing? A refreshing glass of fresh water, or tepid, stale, room temperature fluid that has been sitting out for a while getting contaminated by the bacteria & particles in the air. This is exactly how your cats feels; can’t blame them for ignoring the water bowl can you now?

7. Placement Of The Bowl Is Not Right

Cats do not like to hunch over a bowl as it exposes them to possible attack. Specially if you have a multi cat household; this may be the reason your feline keeps ignoring the water bowl. The simple solution is to place the bowl in a surrounding that protects them from a possible attack. Like near a corner or in a covered area.

8. Fluoride In The Tap Water

The fluoride in tap water may not bother humans but may be unpleasant on the taste buds of your kitty. Try bottled or purified water to fill your kitty’s bowl or simply order a water fountain from Cat Evolution that uses activated carbon to filter out the impurities, odors and tastes from the water.

9. Sometimes You’ll Never Know

Yes, that is the downside of not speaking your kitty’s language. They are moody and picky; so you may never know why they choose to ignore their water bowl. However, it may be related to their inherent nature because wild cats consume most of their moisture from their food, which is why their thirst centres are not as enhanced as dogs or humans. This maybe what is responsible for making it less likely for cats to drink enough water to stay adequately hydrated.

Part of the solution can be to feed your cat wet food to help with hydration, and always ensure that fresh tasty water is available.

10. Dripping Water Is Fun To Play With

This is kind of a paradox because cats hate water but no one can resist a splashy fountain and faucet. That is exactly why the internet is filled with videos of cats playing with water from a faucet and having apparent fun.