Kitten drinks water from dog bowl

[snowkitten]

Hello! So funny situation, my 3 month old kitten likes to drink from my dog's water bowl, and he actually started drinking water bc he saw my dog drink water. before he would refuse to even look at his water bowl! Lol I'm not a cat behavior expert and I've never had a kitten before so I was just curious as to why he does that, is it a territory thing? Or is he just wanting to copy everything my dog does ? He does tend to follow her around and will want to lay next to her (but my dog is being a douchebag and moves away. I think its bc she used to be the only one and is barely starting to get used to him, he's also a lot of energy for her and I think she gets tired of him lol). So should I be worried that this a territorial thing and that it'll become a problem when he grows up? Or is it just harmless? My dog doesn't seem to mind.

 

[susanm9006]

I think it’s just a demonstration thing. Dog thinks this bowl is a good source of water so kitten does too.

 

[Kflowers]

This is a good thing. Kittens, as puppies, look to the older animals to learn. Our current cat who was grudgingly raised by our elderly dog, drinks water in the same way -- often and a lot of it -- as a dog does. She always has. Now, before anyone says, she must have diabetes, she does not. She was tested for it at her annual exam and the vet was pleased with her numbers. She drinks this way because her role model did. Better than a fountain at tempting kitty, but a lot harder to organize.

 

[game misconduct]

keep an eye on your dogs food to during feeding dog could /might snap at the kitten for trying to steal/share its food during meal times aside from the mess you get to deal with if doggy food upsets the kittens tummy

 

[Kflowers]

Dogs have always let the cats have what they want. Some slept in the big dish pan we used for the dogs never empty bowl. They didn't eat it, they were just doing a cat thing. The dogs just ate around them. Current dog has learned, finally, to eat her food when it's put out for her. Now cat just needs to lose 2 pounds gained from eating the dog's food.

Should mention the dogs weren't that jazzed by their food.

 

[Caspers Human]

Put some other sources of water out for both the dog and the cat.

Cats don't normally drink water from one place and they almost never drink from the same place where their food comes from.
It's just a human convention to place the cat's water and food next to each other.

Casper has three places to drink from, around the house, and none of them are near his food.
One is a glass fish bowl near the window sill in the kitchen. The second is a watering can on the shelf beneath the plant stand in the living room. The third is the bathtub in the upstairs bathroom. We let the tub faucet drip, slowly, just for him. We always know when he's been drinking from the tub faucet because, when we go to pet him, his head is all wet.

Casper drinks from all three places, in rotation, throughout the day.

Maybe a pet fountain might work for you since you have both a cat and a dog who seem to like sharing. Get one suitable for both if you like.

 

[Kflowers]

We have six water bowls including one giant one. After all doors can get accidentally shut.

 

[di and bob]

Yes, remember to set out extra water bowls, especially when you are gone for any length of time. I remember coming home after being gone overnight to find one of them had thrown up in the water dish! From that time on I always set out extra bowls of food and water!

 

[snowkitten]

Put some other sources of water out for both the dog and the cat.

Cats don't normally drink water from one place and they almost never drink from the same place where their food comes from.
It's just a human convention to place the cat's water and food next to each other.

Casper has three places to drink from, around the house, and none of them are near his food.
One is a glass fish bowl near the window sill in the kitchen. The second is a watering can on the shelf beneath the plant stand in the living room. The third is the bathtub in the upstairs bathroom. We let the tub faucet drip, slowly, just for him. We always know when he's been drinking from the tub faucet because, when we go to pet him, his head is all wet.

Casper drinks from all three places, in rotation, throughout the day.

Maybe a pet fountain might work for you since you have both a cat and a dog who seem to like sharing. Get one suitable for both if you like.

Yeah I'm definitely going to get a water fountain! My cousin's cat used to have one and it was the only way he drank water lol definitely gonna get one for my kitten.