Pets Information

Why Does My Cat Drink Dirty Water?


You know that cats should always have a supply of water, especially if you are feeding them dried food. There on your nice clean kitchen floor is a bowl of nice clean fresh water, in a nice clean bowl.

What does your cat do? Maybe gives the bowl a sniff and walks away from it, or just ignores the bowl completely, as if water were the last thing a self respecting cat would consider drinking.

"Okay", you think to yourself, "Kitty just isn't thirsty at the moment". But then later, you happen to spy your cat busily lapping up stale water from a puddle in your garden as if it was nectar.

Cats are self-reliant, independent creatures, but surely your cat is not going to turn its nose up at the nice clean water you provide, just to let you know it can survive without you? After all, kitty does not reject the food you provide even though it is perfectly capable of catching mice.

No, the answer is not your mouser's independence. Tap water is usually treated with chemicals, often chlorinated strongly enough for a cat to smell it. Cats noses are far more sensitive than human noses and many cats find this chemical odor very offensive. Stale water in puddles and pools has a far more attractive smell are far as a cat is concerned. Puddles may be full of rotten vegetation and microbes, but cats find this organic soup very tasty.

As well as the off-putting odor of chemicals in tap water, cats find the smell of detergents repugnant. So, because you diligently clean your cat's water bowl in the interest of hygiene, the detergent that you use deters your cat from drinking from it. You use the same detergent to wash your cat's food bowl, why then, does your feline friend eat heartily from the bowl, and not be repelled by the smell of the detergent? This is because the aroma of the fish or meat is stronger than the smell of the detergent.

With the water bowl, the combination of the two unpleasant smells, the chemicals in the tap water and the detergent, means that your cat will only quench its thirst from the water bowl if there is no better smelling option to be had.

So, what can you do? You need to rinse your cat's bowl more thoroughly than you would a plate for a human. Remember feline noses are far more sensitive than ours, every trace of detergent needs to be rinsed off. Secondly, let the water from the tap stand for a while before putting the bowl down for your cat, this will allow the chemicals to dissipate.

These two things should have kitty drinking happily from the dish, unless, of course, kitty has got so used to drinking from puddles it just can't kick the organic water habit!

About The Author

Larry Chamberlain

If you have a pet related web site and you wish to reproduce the above article you are welcome to do so, provided the article is reproduced in its entirety, including this resource box and live link to http://www.best-cat-art.com.

Cat art posters, art prints, cat calendars and cat collectibles. Great cat gifts for yourself or your cat loving friends.


MORE RESOURCES:

YNN, Your News Now

February Marks Pet Dental Health Month
KTUL (blog)
According to the American Veterinary Medical Foundation, an estimated 80 percent of people brush their teeth every day, but far fewer pet owners do the same for their pets. Pet Dental Health Month, celebrated every February, teaches pet owners proper ...
February is National Pet Dental Health MonthMarketWatch (press release)
Time to Brush Up! Petplan Pet Insurance Provides Toothy Tips Just in Time for ...San Francisco Chronicle (press release)
Pets Need Dental Care TooEast Peoria Times-Courier (blog)
Wall Street Journal -Cosmetic Dentistry Guide (press release)
all 45 news articles »


VetPracticeNews.com

Pet Obesity Rate Rises
VetPracticeNews.com
The percentage of pet cats and dogs classified as overweight remained relatively constant over the past year, but the rate of obesity increased, especially among cats, according to the fifth annual veterinary survey conducted by the Association for Pet ...
Pet Owners May Be In Denial But Study Says Rover Isn't Big-Boned, He's FatThe Consumerist
Alison Sweeney Backs 'Million Pound Pledge' for PetsZootoo.com
Pampered Pet Business Booms in USVoice of America
First Coast News -KPHO Phoenix -MarketWatch (press release)
all 28 news articles »


Fracking's Toll on Pets, Livestock Chills Farmers: Commentary
San Francisco Chronicle
A new study by veterinarian Michelle Bamberger and Robert Oswald, a professor of veterinary medicine at Cornell University, chronicles case studies of dozens of farmers and pet owners in six states over the Marcellus Shale. Their findings, published in ...

and more »


MassLive.com

Northampton pet hoarder who surrendered 20 Irish Setters had past troubles
MassLive.com
15 Rescued Irish Setters Brought to Springfield gallery (6 photos) NORTHAMPTON – A Nonotuck Street woman who had some 30 pets removed from her home on Friday has been in trouble for pet hoarding in the past. Carol Soltys, 59, had more than 100 animals ...
City woman gives up 30 dogs, catsGazetteNET

all 2 news articles »


Proposed Bill Protects Pets of Domestic Abuse Victims
Patch.com
Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, who's district also falls partly into Clearwater, extends legal protection to pets of an abuse victim and makes beating or abusing the victim's pet grounds for violating a court-ordered domestic violence injunction.

and more »


MyFox Detroit

Michigan Humane Society Pets for Patriots Program
MyFox Detroit
The Michigan Humane Society (MHS), is teaming up with Pets for Patriots to give back to the men and women in uniform who inspire us all. The partnership will give active duty personnel and military veterans the opportunity to save even more lives by ...
Pets eat the weirdest things; pet proof your homeDaily Camera
Bad pet owners might be causing fee hikes for everyone elseKFOX El Paso
Meridian Valley Humane Society joins forces with Pets for PatriotsKIVI-TV
13abc Action News -Western Front
all 5 news articles »


Pet oxygen masks can save animals' lives in fires
San Jose Mercury News
23, 2007 file photo, Nancee Schaffner of the Rutland Area Disaster Animal Response Team demonstrates an oxygen mask for pets on Maple, a sheperd mix dog, at the fire station in Clarendon, Vt. While pet oxygen masks have been used for decades by ...

and more »


Meet Your Match boosts puppy love (and kitty love) by matching people and pets ...
Washington Post
The color-coded program evaluates shelter pets and the people looking to adopt them in an effort to match personalities, energy levels and needs. Playing Cupid with Meet Your Match helped workers at the Richmond Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to ...

and more »


Pet Photo Friday is almost here - submit your photos now!
AnnArbor.com
Knowing that there are many fun-loving pets that live in and around our area, we're anxious to see what you've been up to. Why not submit a favorite photo of your pet? What fun activities did your pets get to enjoy this week — a hike, perhaps, ...
Animal Planet Asks America to Elect Its Favorite Pet with 'Decision 2012TVbytheNumbers
Delta Society® Is Now Pet Partners®EON: Enhanced Online News (press release)
Delta Society(R) Is Now Pet Partners(R)MarketWatch (press release)
The Augusta Chronicle
all 7 news articles »


USA TODAY

With a few rules, dogs and offices can mix well
USA TODAY
There's something about having a dog there to pet." Dogs in the workplace are "a growing phenomenon," said Rebecca Johnson, director of the Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction at the University of Missouri's College of Veterinary Medicine, ...

and more »

Google News

home | site map | First Rate Hosting
© 2006 First Rate Hosting

Powered By First Rate Hosting