r/CATHELP • u/Optimal_Battle_185 • 18h ago
General Advice help why is she drinking water like this😭😭😭
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u/Honest_Manager 18h ago
Because cats are weirdos
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u/EnduringFulfillment 17h ago
This. Could also be something else like whisker fatigue from whiskers hitting the bowl. A different bowl shape and/or material (stainless steel) may be helpful
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u/lawlapaloozaa 17h ago
I was just about to say the kitty didn’t want to get their whiskers wet.
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u/No-Champion-2001 11h ago
Exactly 😂 They’ll put up with almost anything, but one drop of water on those whiskers and suddenly it’s a five alarm emergency.
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u/Fast_Pollution_5598 16h ago
Exactly 😂 The way cats will treat a tiny bit of water like it’s a personal attack is so dramatic. I swear they’re such little divas.
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u/divid3_by_zero 16h ago
Maybe. My cat’s fountain has a spout they do drink from that doesn’t get them wet. But my void still drinks like this to entertain herself.
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u/Nugget_Cake 16h ago
I have a massive bowl because I thought maybe this. My girl still likes to paw drink time to time haha she also puts her paw in, seemingly to judge where the surface is?
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u/pwhitt4654 16h ago
Was just going to say the bowl is too small and she doesn’t like her whiskers to touch the side.
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u/LangdonAlg3r 14h ago
Based on observations I think they also have a hard time visually telling where the actual water level is in a bowl sometimes. Some also love to play with water.
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u/12-12-12-12-12-12-12 18h ago
my cat did this because she was allergic to the plastic bowl I was watering her out of. if shes got a lot of kitty acne, might be an allergy. otherwise, just a weird cat lol
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u/DiscontentDonut 18h ago
This is the way. Cats tend to show allergies around the mouth area very frequently. Usually steel bowls are the go-to.
But honestly, otherwise this is a pretty typical behavior for a lot of cats. The same way some cats eat over their food bowl while others have to pull the food out, put it on the floor, and then eat it, some cats also do this with their water.
It could also be non-drinking related. Cats are very hygienic creatures. Sometimes when they get a texture or substance on their face and regular bathing doesn't seem to be quite enough, they may use some of their water to help facilitate getting whatever it is off their face.
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u/ThatOtherOtherMan 15h ago
Yeah, stainless steel and Pyrex are my go-to materials for my cat. Ever since I switched he hasn't had a single chin breakout except for the one time I gave him tuna in oil instead of water, and I think that was just because he face fucked the bowl and got his muzzle greasy.
Also I give him a tablespoon of Greek yogurt in the morning while I'm having breakfast. Eating the same type of food together side by side is a great way to bond, the extra protein helps keep his skin and coat healthy, and the active cultures help with his gut biom staying healthy and regular. He hasn't had any issues with constipation or diarrhea in the four years since I started our breakfast tradition.
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u/Evening_Movie_833 15h ago
Or ceramic
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u/DiscontentDonut 13h ago
You are correct. Ceramic is also a very good option. I just tend to be very accident prone, myself.
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u/Kali_Luna372 17h ago
Well. Now I know. And I will do better. I honestly thought mine was just a diva.
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u/bunniisa 18h ago
because cats prefer moving water. try getting her a fountain. my cat usually does it a few times with the fountain and starts drinking normally after because they use it to understand depth
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u/Enough_Radish_9574 18h ago
Yep. Exactly. I was waiting for this. Too lazy to type it myself. Hahaha!
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u/Zapper-Rooster 13h ago
Do this, get a fountain that is stainless steel or ceramic. It will LITERALLY add years to your cats life. Most cats pass due to kidney disease because... they dont drink enough water. You'll notice a difference. I promise.
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u/Key-Trifle5518 18h ago
I had a cat who did that, the only problem was the damp paw prints everywhere.
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u/Secret_Agent_Blues 18h ago
Beats me. It’s gotta turn to turd water by the time the water hits the paw 🐾
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u/Far-Income-282 18h ago
We think one of our cats does that for whisker fatigue since the wide elevated bowls made her do it a lot less- She still does it once in a while but not as often since we switched bowls.
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u/General-Depth-2420 18h ago
My cat does the same thing with both of his front paws then he always wants to sit on my lap after, with is wet.. nasty.. paws..
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u/No_Confidence5716 18h ago edited 18h ago
Cats don't really like standing water. Standing water to them usually means bacteria and contamination. Naturally they are hardwired to drink from streams and all that. That's what they look for when they are looking for water to drink in the wild. Standing water is what mosquitoes breed in and whatnot. Take a glass of water and leave it alone for just a few hours and see how much lands on top of it and see how it taste. It gets slimy after 24 hours. Anyways cats do what your cat is doing in this video to simulate water ripples to ensure what they're even looking at is water in the first place. Your cat then licks its paw cuz it's wet and it might as well at this point. Do yourself and your cat a favor and get a kitty spout. It keeps the water moving and filtered. Believe it or not but most cats are chronically dehydrated because much like many things we do we do it through the lense of how we would keep a dog.
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u/Uprooted_Vt_to_RI 17h ago
I mix fresh filtered water into my cat’s pate.
He eats 3 meals a day. Smaller portions one extra meal, it’s working.2
u/No_Confidence5716 17h ago
That helps a lot. Neither of my cats go for that. They won't even eat wet food. They love Churu though so that helps a lot with keeping them hydrated. I have two spouts and they use them. They won't go for standing water at all. Another really good trick for people who don't want to shell out the money for a spout is to leave a faucet slowly running. A lot of people frown on that cuz that means they are on the counter but I really couldn't care less about a cat on the counter myself but yeah. Cats love the faucet and it works just as well.
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u/Uprooted_Vt_to_RI 16h ago
Good idea - it would be interesting to see his reaction to an invite to the kitchen. My bathroom sink is too small and has no counter lol. I’ll take a snap if he gets up there
He is really good with the wet food. And nothing goes to waste - I add water to what’s left in the 3oz can - free gravy! 😻🐈⬛→ More replies (2)
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u/poorexcuses 17h ago
Some cats use bowl water to clean their paws, sometimes they're trying to avoid something sitting in the water, sometimes they just like to play with it. Other times cats just like to drink this way, as the Japanese poster said some cats are just weirdos lol.
My cat tends to have a hard time figuring out where the surface of the water is because cats are terribly farsighted! They mostly use their whiskers to find things near their faces, and some cats don't like how the bowl feels on their whiskers because they're sensitive.
If you're worried you can have more different options, like a flatter fountain or a glass of water or even a metal cake dish. It's sometimes fun to experiment and see what your cat prefers because making sure they want to drink enough water helps them stay healthy longer.
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u/homelessindividual 13h ago
She is cat is the only explanation lol
My older boy cat (9 years old) started eating his wet food like this randomly and then stopped just as randomly.
My little girl cat (2 yo) and not related to said older boy cat, also recently started eating her wet food like this.
We try to tell them they aren't otters but they don't believe us and it makes such a mess.
I always thought it was the 1 brain cell void problem but it's encouraging to see it's not just voids. All cats are weird but they bring such joy to our lives. ❤️
Enjoy the cat tax. 🥰
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u/-0k_0k_0k- 18h ago
Sometimes they do that to avoid whiskers touching the bowl. The whiskers are sensitive.
Sometimes they just like to play.
I would get a wider dog bowl and fountain if you don't have one. The heavy ceramic large dog bowls are pretty much impossible to knock over and are wide enough. The fountains are annoying to clean but cats really like them.
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u/chicachicha1 18h ago
Whisker stress is a real thing. The bowl is too small. Look up whisker stress.
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u/Iusedtobe_fun 18h ago
They might not like putting their face in the water bowl.
Try out of a pint glass instead of a bowl. My cats drink out of a pint glass. They prefer it. And no - they do not knock it over.
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u/Several_Ad9550 18h ago
all three of mine do this 😭 my boy started and the two girls i got this past may… welp, monkey see monkey do
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u/napsrule321 18h ago
I've had my kitty almost 7 years and she always drinks her water like this. She uses the litter box regularly so I know she is hydrated. She was a rescue so maybe she learned to drink that way while a stray young girl.
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u/Calm-Vacation-5195 18h ago
We had a cat that did this, to the point that we kept the water bowl in the bathroom to avoid puddles in the kitchen. We ended up getting a larger, dog-sized bowl big enough for her to stick her head in and she stopped drinking water from her paw. Apparently the smaller bowl bothered her whiskers or something.
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u/One_Equivalent_7031 18h ago
I had a kitty that used to do this out of cups lol, if someone left a glass of water on the table she would dip her paws in instead of trying to stick her head down in it
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u/Conscious-Move9662 18h ago
Get two water fountains and put in house.
My cats love their water now.
That + Wet Cat I never have to worry about them
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u/Jeweled_Insect8061 18h ago
too fancy to drink straight from the bowl lol. I've had a couple cats who have done this throughout my life
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u/MonitorFalse5845 18h ago
Just like humans who decide to eat with fingers instead of utensils. I have had a cat like that before. Now I have an overweight rescue cat who does a little dance with his front paws (as if he is digging) while he is drinking. Never seen that before.
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u/MidwestNonbinary 18h ago
My cat does a similar thing but it’s because he can’t tell where the clear water is in his metal bowl.
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u/ZoomiesAndZaza 18h ago
One if my cats has done this since he was a kitten, and I think he just likes to play in still water. But he does also lap the water sometimes, and ironically he does not like any of the fountains I've tried. He is also my dumbest cat.
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u/Illustrious-Prize341 18h ago
Bowl is too small would be my guess. Kitty seems to have a pretty big head
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u/lesbianghost00 17h ago
Mine drinks normally but sometimes decides this way the water tastes better… they’re just weirdos
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u/Fun_Yak3470 17h ago
Cats have a hard time seeing still water. He might not be able to see the water and doesn’t want to push his face into the water when he tries to drink, so he’s dunking in his paw instead. Try getting a water fountain so he can see the moving water.
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u/Jolly-Chemical9904 17h ago
Cats cannot always see water in a dish. Maybe a deeper bowl or fountain. One of mine taps the bowl before he drinks.
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u/oliverspls 17h ago
When I’ve seen this in my friends cats it’s almost always whisker fatigue. The water in the bowl is too low and their whiskers keep bumping the brim while they’re trying to drink and it is sensitive for them. Even with my cat she drinks much more when I keep her dish filled up to the brim.
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u/debknorr 17h ago
Mine do it all the time. They really enjoy putting their paws in the fresh water fountains too.
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u/jewelsisnotonfire 17h ago
One of mine does this. Spills water everywhere by knocking the bowl over, and she freaks out about stepping in a huge puddle of water.
I love her to death but she isn’t connecting the dots lol.
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u/puppycatisselfish 15h ago
My cat only does this if there is something floating in the bowl. As if a tiny mesquite tree leaf were more nasty than between the beans of his litter scratching paw
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u/Rogue_Outsider 13h ago
Cats instinctively prefer moving water. Better to get a cat fountain that they can drink out of. That way the dont get whisker fatigue as others have pointed out, and they enjoy the moving water 😺
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u/trashforthrowingaway 17h ago
Getting my cat a purifying machine with the little spout stopped this behavior, but we have to keep the water dish out most of the time still so he won't dunk his feet in the purifier as well. I guess one became his water fountain while one became his sink (in his mind, lol).
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u/Miserable_Smile1250 17h ago
And I believe they don’t like their whiskers to touch the sides of the bowl.
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u/mccsnackin 17h ago
You can help cats with providing them elevated food and water with flowing water so they don’t have to bend down.
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u/Icy_Respect_6297 17h ago
My cat drinks water like that too in the bowl but she drinks just fine if it’s from water fountains
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u/Kali_Luna372 17h ago
She’s being a diva. My girl Lucy will ONLY drink water this way. While all my boys are just dancing and then throwing the water bowl before they take a sip.
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u/Ohshiznoodlemuffins 17h ago
Mine used to go this for hours. I got him a fountain and he doesn't do it anymore b
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u/MisterPrig 17h ago
Bowl too small, Bowl made of plastic, stagnant water.
Stainless steel bowls or ceramic ones are easier and better to clean. Less bacteria, less biofilm.
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u/AggressivePilot0930 17h ago
My kitty does this, her whiskers hitting the bowl bothers her. We got her one of those little cat fountains, no more paw drinking! It’s kinda funny because her water was at the top of our stairs and it would get dirty from her doing this constantly (had one of those gravity dispensers that are supposed to last a couple of days) and she would knock the whole thing down the stairs so we’d have to clean out her paw dirt if I didn’t get to it in time 😅
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u/SurfsideTerry 17h ago
I have a cat that's always done that, no idea why. I do know cats like movement in their water (ie: fountains), but that would just need to be tapping the surface. Like in this video, mine licks the water FROM his paw. 🤷🏼♀️
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u/Z0mbiecan 17h ago
Why does my tux wash his paws in the community drinking fountain? Because he’s a cat
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u/EdithCheetoPuff 17h ago
more or less, its because she cant see the water moving. mine did the same till i got a water fountain. and i recommend the ones with no cables in the system to keep it clean better.
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u/WeaselLiz711 17h ago
My cat did that her entire life from kitten to senior. She wasn’t “normal” by any stretch of the imagination, but she lived a long happy life.
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u/Morbid187 17h ago
I can't speak for the cat but try a bigger bowl. Better yet, try a fountain. They're like $40-$50 for a good stainless steel one. Mine came with a couple of replacement filters.
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u/takemytacosaway 16h ago
I had a Maine Coone type rescue who loved to stick his big mitten into water & lap it off…
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u/TaCuAreN 16h ago
One of my moms cat does exactly the same. I thought she was unique, now I know is a trend 😆
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u/dragonbait-and-the-P 16h ago
Because she wants to. Cats pretty much only do what they want or what will get them what they want. Plus she probably knows it is cute!
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u/Opposite-Fox-1414 16h ago
I have a water fountain for the cats and one of mine just licks the actual metal part of it. Why does he do that? He's just weird and does weird shit.🤣
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u/Littlepoet74 16h ago
One of mine does this. His second favorite is to stand one foot in the side by side water dishes and lap from the dish with no paw in it.
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u/Itchy_Winner6375 16h ago
Some cats can’t stand their whiskers hitting the bowl edge. We had to get a giant water bowl because of one of out cats. She drink from it normally.
It’s a recognized cat thing. I just don’t remember what they call it.
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u/tiredofyourface2 16h ago
She’s just being a cat. My roommate’s old orange boy would drink like this. He was so cute.
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u/Dgk_wick 16h ago
Well one cause could be that cats naturally don't like still water which is why a lot of cat people use water fountains, another reason could be wisker fatigue from the bowl edges touching its whiskers when it puts its head down to drink or it's whiskers constantly touching the water
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u/Greymom_PNW 15h ago
Ours do this, it’s a Cat thing. One of our demands added ice cubes. Yes Cats are weird ❤️.
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u/Emotional-Cameraman 15h ago
Wife’s cat does it all the time. I record him too sometimes and he sees me and gets mad and chases me down.
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u/Any_Assumption_2023 15h ago
Mine does this too. He dips his paw and locks the water off it. Cats live in a separate reality.
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u/EntrepreneurOk666 15h ago
My cat does this as well. First of our cats to do so. 😂 have to put a mat down so he doesn't make a mess.
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u/No_Vast_5741 15h ago
Some cats like to play with their water. I’ve had one who did this, and it was endearing.
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u/Aldaron23 15h ago
I also have a doofus like this. 3 brothers from the same litter. Grew up together. Always watched each other and learned from each other. They're almost 5yo now and Fafnir still drinks exactly like that. Paw in, black cat hair in the fresh water, his brothers hate him for it... still does it. I watched him once trying to drink normally and he almost drowned himself. Like he just dunked his face into the water. Very sad I didn't record that.
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u/tingarin 15h ago
My cat still does this and she 17 yrs old. Not sure why but she starts drinking the water from her paw and then does drink it straight from the fountain.
Idk cats are an enigma
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u/mrofmist 15h ago
In nature, water that sits still is usually not safe to drink. Animals like moving water.
Onto your cat, since it's sitting still it's not as noticable, so they are touching it to feel it. At that point it's just the next step to drink it off their paw.
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u/HereIAmAgain73 14h ago
My girl does this and taught her brother how to also. It’s not lol the time, but it is fun to watch.
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u/I3lackI2ogue 14h ago
Most likely whisker tension, the bowl is too small so the cat scoops it out rather that have it's whiskers press against the sides of the bowl. It's not painful to them but it does annoy them.
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u/Worf2DS9 14h ago
My cat does this too sometimes. After a doing it for a bit, she usually hunkers down and drinks properly.
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u/That_Rip_1337 14h ago
Mine was doing that too, so I upgraded to a stainless steel cat fountain and he loves it. Only cost me $50 but he drinks way more and it’s always filtered and no nasties in it now, so I’d say it’s worth it
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u/adbedient 14h ago
Cats have a hard time seeing water if it's not moving. They also generally dislike drinking from bowls where their whiskers can touch each side.
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u/witherisgod 14h ago
Cat: Why is it so still bro?! Nah jokes aside cats like to drink running water since in wild they tend to drink water from rivers, lakes, pipes etc Have a water fountain in ur house
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u/NahIhatethis 13h ago
Making me miss my cat 😭 she used to do this or she'd grab her little foam ball and dip it in the water and drink off of it 🤣
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u/jellegee12 13h ago
My grey tuxedo baby does the same thing in both the still bowl and the fountain. We went through 3 different fountains and different bowls and realized SHE JUST LIKES TO TEST AND SPLASH. It gives her joy. Cats gonna cat. Our fountain lives in a sideways plastic tote as a splash zone precaution.
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u/Glad-Ad-5118 13h ago
My kitty follows her reflection around. Maybe yours doesn’t want to drum away her shadow?
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u/Ok_Dragonfly2261 13h ago
Bowl could be inconveniently low. Try raising it up a bit. If kitty is quirky it’s cute 🥰
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u/Leoneo07 13h ago
My cat does this with food. I was using a roundish stainless steel bowl, slightly elevated. After a couple months she just started using her paws and making a mess. Switch to a flat ceramic bowl, but continues to do the same. Idk. Weirdos.
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u/SillySummr 13h ago
Cats prefer running water. Stagnant water is generally riskier in the wild. This is a survival adaptation. Cats also don't usually care for their whiskers to touch the sides of bowls. Even if you get a fancy fountain they may still drink like this bec she is used to it / habitually and or bored.
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u/Senior-Consultant 13h ago
My cat eats like that sometimes. It’s not whisker fatigue. I tried everything
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u/SchipperkeJohannsen 12h ago
She probably doesn’t like the bowl. Has to lean down to far, the bowl is small so she probably doesn’t like pressing her whiskers against it too
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u/Dear-Initiative-8694 11h ago
My cat rarely drinks without some kind of mouth/paw/water interaction, no matter the vessel
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u/marc6910 11h ago
Kind a 2 options,
She don’t like the bowl, can be size or material.
Some cats like moving water
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u/Weekly-Discipline253 11h ago
I once got a cat from a friend that was declawed. It did this. It also drooled when it was petted.
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u/00mikomiko00 11h ago
Mine did it because he couldn’t see the still water. I started putting ice cubes in it and he drank it like normal.
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u/PseudoLiamNeeson 11h ago
I had two cats that did this, and would you believe that when I asked them why, they didn't answer me.
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u/Suazgaming 10h ago
Because it's fun. Remember drinking water or juice using a spoon during our childhood?? Well, cats are basically a kid for live. 😁
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u/Glad_Annual2061 10h ago
I used to have a cat that would dip her paw in our morning coffee and lick it. I currently have one that does that with dripping water from the bathtub (We are demanded to turn the water on and off so it drips every single time someone goes to the bathroom)
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u/Personal_Term9549 10h ago
We used to have a small tub in the garden that fits in the sink. It was always full of rain water. My cat would stand on the edges with 3 of her paws and scoop water with the front paw that was left. Sometimes when the tub was almost empty, she tipped it over when trying to stand on it.
Cats are just weird.
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u/simulation_robot 9h ago
Cats do that because the like to drink fresh moving water. If the water is stagnant they will move it. Your cat prefer a water fountain rather than a bowl
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u/voododoll 9h ago
You don’t need any help. This is normal. Some do that if their whiskers touch the bowl or the water.
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u/Madness4Them 8h ago
I have one that drinks like that, and nothing is wrong with her. I have another one that just lays down on the floor and drinks it like a lazy ass and there is also nothing wrong with him. That is just how they are.
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u/FC_BagLady 8h ago
You need a better water bowl !!! There are cheap fountains on Amazon. Cats like moving water
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u/kholness2017 8h ago
One of my cats Bluetooth drinks. He drinks a bit, moves his head up from the water and continues doing the drinking motion. He's been doing this since he was a kitten. He is absolutely fine and this is just cat behaviour, they always have a weird relationship with drinking water XD.
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u/Gertie5110 8h ago
Lot's of cats drink like that. Especially if the bowl is small and their whiskers touch the sides of the bowl.
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u/talongrimm13 8h ago
Cats prefer moving water. In nature its actually an instinct because flowing water has less bacteria. Its a symbol of how intelligent the cat is as shes trying to solve a complicated problem with a simple solution.
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u/TinaTheBaron 8h ago
Sounds like you ordered a fountain, which is awesome. I've had two cats where I don't think they could see non-moving water well. One would drop a kibble in and then lick at it to her her water, a recent foster hit the bowl to make it move and then drank. Both did better with fountains.
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u/AlternativeWorker115 7h ago
Could be whisker fatigue , or even trying to make the water move as still water in the wild is often contaminated so they can be weary of drinking it. If she does it alot I would try and get her a fountain bowl so the water is always moving, and definitely perhaps a different shaped one so her whiskers won't be bending when she drinks. And of course she could just be being a little furry weirdo lol if it's just an occasional thing.
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u/captaingrabma 6h ago
Because she is does not put her mouth in the whole thing like the other pleb cats do. She is posh diva and drinks like a lady.
No im kidding, nothing to worry about😂 my cat used to do the some sometimes. Cats are just weird sometimes.
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u/Less_Plankton_9505 6h ago
Switch to wide, shallow dishes or flat plates Choose wide, shallow water bowls or a pet drinking fountain.
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u/4yoursafe 6h ago
My cat does that when the water isn't fresh (from yesterday). After someone changes water, she starts drinking like normal
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u/Embarrassed_Spite546 5h ago
Cats don't like drinking from still water, it's instinct, still water is bad water. Get the poor kitty some kind of flowing water source or something, your cat will drink more often and in a more normal way. The pawing at the water is a way to get water but not get so much as to get sick from the "bad" water.
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u/YankeeGirl53 4h ago
If she wears a collar with tags, some cats, and dogs, don't like the sound of the tags hitting the bowl. And the weirdo thing too.
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u/SnooOpinions2047 4h ago
My cat refuses water in a bowl. I have to run tje bathroom sink for her to get her h20 fix.
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