Cats drinking water - what is it?

Question

Over the years, we've had five cats, plus various cats in the neighborhood who wander by. Given a choice of utterly fresh water in a bowl, and stale water - sunwarmed or winter-chilled - either in a bucket or in a watering can whose opening is near too small to admit a cat's head, cats will invariably chose the bucket or watering can???

Update:

Oh, and P.S. the stale water includes a fair amount of dust and grime in this neighborhood, too.

docsauntcc · Accepted Answer

Domesticated cats have some unique behaviors that can be traced to wild feline instinct...others just their cattitude.
My male cat will only drink from the bath tub faucets.  He will sit in the tub for hours waiting for it to be turned on to drip if the faucet has been left off (my visitors, cleaning lady and others have to be reminded).  I have tried to put a bowl of water under the faucet so the dripping isn't constant - but he will not drink from the bowl.  Just sits and waits for the drip.  (he has been caught drinking from the sink faucet when it was on and the tub was off, but if both are on he goes to the tub.  BTW - He also flushes the toilet and paws the swirl.  He does not drink from the toilet.  My female cat is a retrieves her toys when we play and drinks from a bowl.

Rosenoir · Answer

It goes back to their natural instinct and ancestor. Wild cats lived mostly in deserts or barren forests where sources of water are stagnant. Wether it's a oasis, a hole filled with water or a swap, the water is normally at outside temperature. They prefer not seeing their reflection or/and the bottom of the source. That's why they like bucket. Small openings is prefered becasue that way they can be sure that their predator, being too big, will not be able to smell their passage since water is an excellent odor conductor. 

Most stray cat love stagnant water while pure breed tends to like fresh water. The reason is simple. Pure breed are often the result of several genetic manipulations that take their instincts away.

sandylikeskorn · Answer

My cats are the same way.  I have a house kitty that would much rather drink out of a dirty dish sitting in the sink than out of her bowl of fresh water!  I don't get it either!

MaryS · Answer

Cats can smell the chlorine in fresh treated water. "Stale" water has a more appealing aroma as the chemicals have evaporated.

Cat · Answer

In the wild, cats eat in one place (wherever their kill happens to be) and drink in another. Cats prefer water that is not right next to their food bowl. 

I provide water bowls in a variety of locations (not near their food) and they seem to choose the oddest locations, furthest from their food.

Holly · Answer

cats prefere fresh puddle water than tap water because it stinks of people.

Trending News

Cats drinking water - what is it?

6 Answers