Have you ever wondered what your cat will think when he puts his paw in the bowl to drink water? Some cats dip their paw in the water and then lick it instead of drinking it directly. It is a mania? For this curious feline behavior there are several perfectly logical reasons for the cat, ranging from instinct to boredom and even possible symptoms of illness. But don't worry, there's usually no reason to worry when a cat engages in this behavior.
Why does your cat drink water with its paw? Why does he stir it before drinking? Keep reading this article on our site to find out and know what to do in each case.
Why do cats move water?
Cats dip their paws in water Instinctively The wild ancestors of domestic cats are the key to the mystery revealed by the reasons why they drink water with their paw. Cats are predators, but they can also fall prey to larger predators. Therefore, they have to watch very carefully where they step, where they eat or drink because an unpleasant surprise can lurk under the surface of the water.
Because of all of the above, wild cats first touch the water with their paws and then smell and lick them to check if the water is drinkable. In turn, they know if there are enemies in the water, since they would move when they introduce their paw into it. So why does your cat stir the water before drinking? It is possible that he follows his instincts unconsciously.
But there is another answer to the question: why do cats put their paws in water? Cats, especially older cats, don't see details, but they do see movements. That's why they are such good hunters, because they see the prey when it runs. Thus, they submerge their legs in the water to check its depth and to check how far away it is. They move the water with their paws so they don't accidentally get their noses and whiskers wet. If in doubt, especially for older cats, a visit to the vet to check their eyes and vision is recommended, as your elderly kitty could be suffering from eye disease.
Causes why cats drink water with their paw
Instinct leads you to protect yourself by checking everything mentioned in the previous section with your paw, however, it does not justify why your cat always drinks water with his paw. In this sense, the main causes are usually the following:
The water bowl is small
Does your cat drink water with its paw? Maybe the water bowl is too small, so that his furry nose whiskers touch the edge of it, which is really unpleasant for him. Therefore, to avoid this unpleasant sensation, he prefers to put his paw in the water and then lick it. If you notice that the feline does drink from buckets, the pot or even the toilet, it is possible that he simply prefers a wider bowl. In this case, he changes the bowl to a bigger one.
Doesn't like stagnant water
Although some cats do drink water from the bowl by inserting their tongue, most prefer moving water. It is fresh, clean and new, factors that cats value highly and reason enough not to want to drink water from their bowl, or at least not directly. Therefore, if in addition to drinking water with its paw you notice that your cat drinks tap water, this is probably the reason. For more details, don't miss this other article: "Why do cats drink tap water?".
Have fun
Another reason that may explain why your cat drinks water with its paw is simply because it seems like a fun game In this case, her environment may not be as enriched as it should be, and your kitty feels the need to find activities that stimulate her. Do you have enough scratchers and assorted toys? If the answer is no, here is the reason for the behavior.
You feel insecure or stressed
If your cat seems nervous or anxious as he puts his paw in the water to drink, it could be because he feels insecure. Observe your cat, after wetting his paw does he look around frantically? He may be stressed, for example, after a move,changes in the home,new catsor other animals in the family.
On the other hand, perhaps the place for the bowl is unfavorable because there is a lot of traffic and they bother the cat. Try another place so your kitty feels safer and can drink in peace.
He is sick
Solutions to prevent the cat from putting its paw in the water bowl
When drinking water with its paw, the most common thing is that the whole area around it ends up soaked, that the kitten steps on the water and fills the whole house with footprints, something that we usually don't like. Therefore, it is totally normal to want to understand this behavior and, as far as possible, adapt it to improve coexistence. Since most causes indicate that the cat's well-being is being disturbed, it is best to find a solution that suits your particular case. Thus, depending on the reason, we can apply one solution or another so that the cat does not put the potato in the water bowl:
Cat Water Fountain
Let's remember that drinking plain water is too boring for most. Cats are naturally playful and curious, as well as neat. Some cats love water and have fun with it, so they may not only look for moving water to be cooler and cleaner, as long as they don't it's about taking a bath.
Our kittens are very happy and spend their time watching the moving water and playing or splashing around with it in a dish. If you've noticed that your kitty is curious about water, it might be a good idea to get her a cat water fountain. With this you will be entertained and also you will have fun drinking while hydrating Another good reason to opt for a fountain for cats is that these animals do not they like stagnant water, as we have mentioned. They prefer to drink it when the surface is circling, as would be natural in a stream.
Proper size and height bowl
If the problem is the bowl is too small or is at a very low height, the solution in these cases is to acquire a larger bowl and place it at a certain height, although you should bear in mind that it is possible let some water fall. In this other article we talk about the Advantages of raising the cat feeder.
Enriched and calm environment
Finally, if your cat drinks water with his paw because he feels stressed, insecure or nervous and thinks he can't lose sight of his surroundings, the solution is clear: you should move the bowl water or enrich its environment. If the bowl is in a busy area of the home, change it to a quieter space Now if the bowl is already in a quiet area, perhaps the The problem is that your kitten is stressed for another reason, such as a sudden change or lack of stimulation, or bored. In any case, you must find the cause of your stress/boredom and treat it, as well as check that you enjoy a properly enriched environment To do this, do not miss this article: "Environmental enrichment for cats".
In this video, we also focus on cats that drink tap water.
