Found Water

I have four cats and all of them seem happy with the water bowl except one, our old yellow tabby, Mr. C.  Oftentimes I'll find Mr. C with his head down in the toilet and his ass in the air.  This can be very disturbing especially when you don't expect to find a cat upside down in your commode.  It really sucks if it is in the middle of the night, you are half asleep, and you go to sit down, and find a tail sticking up between your legs and a startled cat trying to scramble out of the toilet.


Other times Mr. C. will drink out of a glass of water that Marcy or I have left sitting on a chair, table or in the sink.  Mr. C and our former Jack Frost waited at the sink every day for us to turn the water on. We would let it trickle down and the two of them would sit there and lap at it for 20 minutes.  


When cats drink water other then what's in their water bowls it's called "Found Water".  


There are a few different schools of thought on why cats prefer found water over their water bowls.  The first thought is that when water in their bowls become old or stagnant, cats can taste chemicals in the water that were used to treat it.  This chemicals may be stronger in plastic bowls than glass or ceramic, because the chemicals attach themselves to plastic more easily. 


Another theory on Found Water is that water running from the sink is aerated and tastes better than sitting in a bowl. Running water simply tastes better!  The toilet water is also cleaner and colder then their water bowl as long as it has been flushed from use. Don't worry about your pets if they drink from the toilet.  It won't hurt them. 


Finally, some experts say that cats prefer running water because of instinct.  However, I don't understand this because why do only a couple of my cats enjoy the sink and toilet while everyone else do ok with their water bowl?
One idea for your cat if they prefer running water is the  Drinkwell® Platinum Pet Fountain.  This is a cool device which aerates the water and always provides a trickle of running water. 


So that's all I have to share about found water.  Have a great day and remember to always look before sitting down on your toilet to make sure your cat isn't there first.


Have a purrable day.


Nick