Cat drinks water from everywhere but water bowl

[flybear]

This made me smile ... I have 5 cats ... and I rarely see them drink but ... I know from litter box scooping that they must do so ... likely at night ... Some of my cats will sit by the sink and ask for water to be turned on , some like a huge water dish in the shower or ... lick water out of the shower tub, we have to remember to close the toilets because otherwise ... they are popular lol ... my cats LOVE water and we cannot have a drinking fountain ... they will literally jump in - play, wash their faces and paws and get the fountain water dirty much quicker than a water bowl, even take it apart, tip it over , drag it around, pull cords out of the wall - it is too hazardous with my cats- they need super heavy, large bowls that are sitting in splash proof areas like the shower lol and we turn the faucet on when they ask ... we feed dry food due to some food intolerances and the number of my cats ( they are used to free feed which works well for them - nobody is overweight and we have not had any health issues whatsoever) and still - they all get enough water somehow . My vet has many years of experience and always tells me that cats are no more likely to be thirsty by refusing to drink than other pets - as long as they have regular access to fresh water ... no worries ... he believes that most kidney issues are genetic, caused by cleaners or toxins around the house ( as cats like their paws to clean their faces - anything their paws come in contact with will end up ingested - including floor cleaners, laundry detergents, upholstery chemicals ...)
or even food related but that there are no good studies that prove that they are related to liquid intake through food or method of drinking water ...

 

[tarasgirl06]

I maintain one basic Drinkwell fountain and one huge bowl of water in the breakfast room, plus a small bowl in the hall "snack bar" and one small bowl in the master bedroom, where Baby Su and Elvis eat. They drink from all of them.

 

[vizibara]

I don't understand why you are so worried about your cat drinking water.

Cats don't normally drink from the same place where they eat. Many humans put the cat's water bowl next to the food bowl and expect them to drink from there but that's not the way cats think.

Remember, in the wild, a cat usually eats on the run. It kills its prey then finds a safe place to go eat it. That place will not necessarily be near a water source. When a cat wants to drink, it will seek out a water source, wherever that may be.

It's a fallacy for humans to think that cats "should" drink from whatever place we think they should.

Casper drinks from three different places around the house. He drinks from the bathtub faucet. (We leave it drip, slowly, for him.) He drinks from a fishbowl on a table next to a window. He also drinks from a watering can, under a plant stand. These places are located separately, all around the house. Casper does not have a water bowl near his food.

Except for your cat knocking things over, getting into trouble or making a mess, I don't think it should matter how or where she gets her water. I suggest that her knocking things over and getting into trouble are separate issues.

I think it's really good that your cat drinks a lot of water. It'll help keep her urinary tract healthy and it can also help prevent other problems.

I think you should let your cat drink whenever and wherever she wants. Just make sure that there is plenty of water available at all times.

Should I then let my feral cats drink from the pool? I am afraid they might fall and something terrible will happen. Therefore I bought a water fountain put it like 5 feet away from the food and they actually seem afraid from the fountain. If you think fountain is a better option then how far should I put it from the food source. I am sorry for all these questions . I am new to the cat world and my only experience is the last 2 months feeding and recent TNR. thanks

 

[FeebysOwner]

Should I then let my feral cats drink from the pool? I am afraid they might fall and something terrible will happen. Therefore I bought a water fountain put it like 5 feet away from the food and they actually seem afraid from the fountain. If you think fountain is a better option then how far should I put it from the food source. I am sorry for all these questions . I am new to the cat world and my only experience is the last 2 months feeding and recent TNR. thanks

I have a funny feeling that the feral cats will drink from the pool whether or not you want them to - if they want to - unless you have a gate around it to help discourage it. If the fountain makes noise, many cats are reluctant to use them. Can you just put some water dishes around the area and see if they will use those? Just keep the water fresh as that might make it more appealing than the pool water.
The whole thing about cats not drinking water near their food doesn't apply to all cats. My cats have all had water dishes right beside their food dishes and it never bothered any of them. But, I also have water dishes in other locations, and they end up drinking from all of them. It is possible that this theory could be more applicable to feral cats than domesticated cats, but I am still willing to bet that many ferals aren't all that bothered by it either.

 

[vizibara]

I have a funny feeling that the feral cats will drink from the pool whether or not you want them to - if they want to - unless you have a gate around it to help discourage it. If the fountain makes noise, many cats are reluctant to use them. Can you just put some water dishes around the area and see if they will use those? Just keep the water fresh as that might make it more appealing than the pool water.
The whole thing about cats not drinking water near their food doesn't apply to all cats. My cats have all had water dishes right beside their food dishes and it never bothered any of them. But, I also have water dishes in other locations, and they end up drinking from all of them. It is possible that this theory could be more applicable to feral cats than domesticated cats, but I am still willing to bet that many ferals aren't all that bothered by it either.

Oh my gosh thank you for the response. I am fine if they want to drink the entire pool water. I was just afraid they might fall and drown. I will be putting water in various containers around the area in case they want to drink from them and of course now the pool too. Will be returning this fountain that they did not seem to like.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Oh my gosh thank you for the response. I am fine if they want to drink the entire pool water. I was just afraid they might fall and drown. I will be putting water in various containers around the area in case they want to drink from them and of course now the pool too. Will be returning this fountain that they did not seem to like.

Since pool water has heavy chlorine and maybe other chemicals (I'm not a pool person so I don't know) it is NOT good for cats to drink. As for them falling in, I wouldn't think they would and if they do, they would probably shoot out of that pool like they were expelled from a cannon! as most cats do not like water. I would have bowls of fresh water available for them at all times. We have the basic Drinkwell cat fountain -- our cats love it! and I keep three bowls of water at various locations as well.

 

[vizibara]

Oh my gosh I just laughed so hard thinking they would be able to shoot themselves out like a cannon ball. I will leave the fountain for now and place water in 2 more areas. Thanks a lot

 

[tarasgirl06]

Oh my gosh I just laughed so hard thinking they would be able to shoot themselves out like a cannon ball. I will leave the fountain for now and place water in 2 more areas. Thanks a lot

One time my beloved angel Samuda jumped in the tub when I was bathing. This is what he did. He shot out of there so fast he levitated and I had to quickly dry off and chase him through the house to towel him dry. He was quite shocked!

 

[Caspers Human]

Since pool water has heavy chlorine and maybe other chemicals (I'm not a pool person so I don't know) it is NOT good for cats to drink.

Water from a properly cared for swimming pool should not be harmful to a cat that drinks it.
If a swimming pool is safe for children to swim in and, potentially, swallow the water, logic would say that it's safe for a cat, too.

Municipal tap water has approximately the same amount of chlorine in it as swimming pool water.
If tap water is safe for humans and cats to drink and swimming pools have the same amount of chlorine as tap water then it is safe to drink swimming pool water.

The only thing dangerous about a swimming pool is that a cat might fall in but not be able to get out again. If you keep your swimming pool fenced and locked like you are supposed to, that danger is minimized. However, if you have pets living near a swimming pool, I suggest having a way that a pet that falls in can get out. Float something in the pool that a cat or dog can climb onto or else make sure that there are steps, a ladder or some other structure that your pet can use to climb out of the pool, all together.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Water from a properly cared for swimming pool should not be harmful to a cat that drinks it.
If a swimming pool is safe for children to swim in and, potentially, swallow the water, logic would say that it's safe for a cat, too.

Municipal tap water has approximately the same amount of chlorine in it as swimming pool water.
If tap water is safe for humans and cats to drink and swimming pools have the same amount of chlorine as tap water then it is safe to drink swimming pool water.

The only thing dangerous about a swimming pool is that a cat might fall in but not be able to get out again. If you keep your swimming pool fenced and locked like you are supposed to, that danger is minimized. However, if you have pets living near a swimming pool, I suggest having a way that a pet that falls in can get out. Float something in the pool that a cat or dog can climb onto or else make sure that there are steps, a ladder or some other structure that your pet can use to climb out of the pool, all together.

Cats and humans do not share the same physical systems. Many substances safe for humans are lethal to cats. And cats are a lot smaller, with smaller, more sensitive systems than humans. The floating thing and the ladder are very good suggestions.

 

[danteshuman]

I have a water obsessed senior cat that drives my mom nuts (he didn’t want to move with me!) So she has banned him drinking out of the faucet. He likes his fountain ok but he prefers it fresh out of the faucet. The kind of fountain I got him had like 5 different nozes/spouts so there was plenty of choose on how the water flow will go.

What worked great for him was I had one of those large mug bowls. Every time I used the restroom I dumped & refilled his water mug & left it on the bathroom counter for him. Perhaps a similar system might work for you?

Also my current cat gets a little constipated so I add a teaspoon of water to each of his 4 wet food meals of a half can of fancy feast. I would try adding more water to your cats wet food (start slowly & add more over the days.) However some cats just are obsessed with water..... like the water obsessed old man I mentioned.

Don’t give your cat water from the sink unless you want to do that for the rest of the cat’s life! So stop kitty cold turkey & never ever do it for your cat again (or give up & do it for as long as kitty lives! ) Rewarding behaviors randomly is the hardest behavior to break!

 

[Caspers Human]

Tap water contains from 1.0 to 4.0 mg/L (ppm) of chlorine. It also contains up to 1 ppm. of fluoride.

Recommended chlorination levels for swimming pools is from 0.5 to 3.0 ppm. with no fluoride.
Tap water could contain MORE chlorine than a swimming pool and a pool doesn't contain any fluorine.

If it is safe to drink tap water than it would be safe to drink water from a properly maintained swimming pool.

I've been caring for swimming pools since I was about ten years old when my father told me that, if I wanted to have a pool, I would have to learn how to take care of it.

Human or cat, if you can swim in a swimming pool, you can drink the water. If you can't drink the water in a pool, it's not safe to swim in.

 

[vizibara]

Water from a properly cared for swimming pool should not be harmful to a cat that drinks it.
If a swimming pool is safe for children to swim in and, potentially, swallow the water, logic would say that it's safe for a cat, too.

Municipal tap water has approximately the same amount of chlorine in it as swimming pool water.
If tap water is safe for humans and cats to drink and swimming pools have the same amount of chlorine as tap water then it is safe to drink swimming pool water.

The only thing dangerous about a swimming pool is that a cat might fall in but not be able to get out again. If you keep your swimming pool fenced and locked like you are supposed to, that danger is minimized. However, if you have pets living near a swimming pool, I suggest having a way that a pet that falls in can get out. Float something in the pool that a cat or dog can climb onto or else make sure that there are steps, a ladder or some other structure that your pet can use to climb out of the pool, all together.

My pool is not fenced. These are my feral cats so no much control as to when they come or when they leave. I have set 2 outdoor cameras to keep an eye when they come to eat. See picture of my pool. It has some sort of stairs on each side. I hope they can jump out. Just tested the pool ith chlorine it seems high compared to my tap water . Ill try to fix this while leaving tons of water for them out there.

 

[Caspers Human]

Nice pool!

If the top step (seen in the lower corner of the picture) is shallow enough that a dog or cat can climb up and have its head out of the water it's probably safe enough. It'd be better if the distance from the top of the step to the ledge of the deck was small enough that a cat could climb out.

Without going into detail, I think your pool is "safe enough." You've got cameras to help keep watch with. If you go out to the pool, every so often, to check on things I'd say that you've got your bases covered. It's not possible to cover every possible way that something could go wrong, all of the time, but if you keep due diligence I don't think you've got anything to worry about.

If you wanted to be extra sure, you might think about putting something on the top step, sturdy enough that a cat could use it as an extra step to climb out of the water.

The standard for home swimming pools is between 0.5 and 3.0 ppm of chlorine. I kept my pool between 1.0 and 2.0 ppm.
If it rained, I would keep it a little bit high because the rain would dilute the chlorine. If the pool was used heavily, like a pool party, I would over chlorinate, afterward, by just a little then let the level coast back down to normal.

If your pool is anywhere in that range, it's probably okay.

Don't forget that municipal tap water might have different additives than swimming pool water. Most municipalities add fluorine as well as chlorine. Chlorine and fluorine are chemically similar. They are both classed as "halogens" because they are both in the same column on the Periodic Table of Elements.

That means a swimming pool test kit might not give an accurate reading when used to test tap water. The same thing goes for the reverse. Tap water test kits might not work for swimming pools. The readings might be off. Some test kits can work for both but you have to know that beforehand.

 

[tarasgirl06]

My pool is not fenced. These are my feral cats so no much control as to when they come or when they leave. I have set 2 outdoor cameras to keep an eye when they come to eat. See picture of my pool. It has some sort of stairs on each side. I hope they can jump out. Just tested the pool ith chlorine it seems high compared to my tap water . Ill try to fix this while leaving tons of water for them out there.

Nice pool area! The steps are good. Hopefully they are enough for any who might fall in.

 

[vizibara]

Nice pool!

If the top step (seen in the lower corner of the picture) is shallow enough that a dog or cat can climb up and have its head out of the water it's probably safe enough. It'd be better if the distance from the top of the step to the ledge of the deck was small enough that a cat could climb out.

Without going into detail, I think your pool is "safe enough." You've got cameras to help keep watch with. If you go out to the pool, every so often, to check on things I'd say that you've got your bases covered. It's not possible to cover every possible way that something could go wrong, all of the time, but if you keep due diligence I don't think you've got anything to worry about.

If you wanted to be extra sure, you might think about putting something on the top step, sturdy enough that a cat could use it as an extra step to climb out of the water.

The standard for home swimming pools is between 0.5 and 3.0 ppm of chlorine. I kept my pool between 1.0 and 2.0 ppm.
If it rained, I would keep it a little bit high because the rain would dilute the chlorine. If the pool was used heavily, like a pool party, I would over chlorinate, afterward, by just a little then let the level coast back down to normal.

If your pool is anywhere in that range, it's probably okay.

Don't forget that municipal tap water might have different additives than swimming pool water. Most municipalities add fluorine as well as chlorine. Chlorine and fluorine are chemically similar. They are both classed as "halogens" because they are both in the same column on the Periodic Table of Elements.

That means a swimming pool test kit might not give an accurate reading when used to test tap water. The same thing goes for the reverse. Tap water test kits might not work for swimming pools. The readings might be off. Some test kits can work for both but you have to know that beforehand.

awesome thanks a lot

 

[Kflowers]

For the pool, you could get runner rugs, the long thin ones and put one in the pool at either end, securing it to the deck. this would give the cats something easy to climb if they fall in and with one at each end easy to get to.

flybear just be sure to keep the toilet lid down whenever the door is open. If a kitten or even a grown cat falls in and the lid falls down it can be tragic. There is no traction to let them push up against the lid and escape. And, there are a few cats who love to watch the water go down the drain. These cats can even figure out how to flush the toilet. A certain cat who I knew personally, sat on the sink and flushed, apparently, flush after flush for 4 hours.

 

[vizibara]

thanks for the advice