Cats are known for their water conservation characteristics through the highly-cooled stools and very concentrated urine. The cats from the past mostly rely on water collected from the rain and other places filled with tap water.
Up to this day, domesticated cats still love drinking tap water even if they are already served with stagnant cat water purchased from the supermarket. In this article, various questions like “Can cats drink tap water?”, “Is it safe for cats to drink from the tap?” will be answered.
Why Do Cats Like Drinking From the Tap?
Let’s find out more the possible reasons why do some cats like drinking from the water instead:
Sound of Running Water
Your feline friends at home have sensitive ears and they are always distracted by almost every noise that they can hear. The sound of running water attracts every cat and will draw them to go drink from the same. You should invest in a tap water fountain to get your cat hydrated every single day.
More Refreshing
Human logic will not comprehend this but to animals, tap water is more refreshing than the store-bought stagnant water in their bowls. This is true especially to cats who love playing with everything they see including running water. They feel like when the water is continuously flowing from the faucet, it is fresh and clean.
Safer to Drink Than Stagnant Water
Another thing observed by experts on cats drinking from tap water is that they feel safer with it. A lot of times, felines are very sensitive to all sorts of things especially with the source of the water they drink.
Animal Instincts
Cats, even if domesticated for a very long time, still have animal instincts regarding how they will survive. They feel like predators are lurking around them and when they drink from a water bowl facing the wall, cats will feel danger from their backs. To aid this, try to put the water bowls in an open space for cats to feel safer.
Tap Water Tastes Better
Store-bought cat water tends to have flavors that are too much for the palates of felines. They want to drink freshwater that is tasteless and will refresh their body from all the things they did that day. Make sure that your tap water at home is clean for you and your pets.
Whisker Sensitivity
Sometimes, cats have sensitive whiskers and a lot of them do not want them to get wet. They will feel a different sensation or irritation when those whiskers touch the water. This being said, cats will tend to find tap water or running water where they can just drink freely.
Cats Love to Play With Water
Overall, cats are playful creatures and they will always find a way to play and have fun. To prevent your felines from going to your sink or bathroom to drink tap water, give them entertaining toys that they can play with. This will lessen the probability of them trying to drink from every tap water available in your house.
Is Tap Water Safe for Cats to Drink?
Tap water is safe for cats but this will solely depend on where did the tap water come from and what did your furry friends have in their mouths when drinking. The basic knowledge that pet owners should have is that when the tap water at their homes is safe for humans, then the same will be safe for cats.
On top of this, make sure that your cats have clean mouths and paws because the dirt may contaminate the tap water that they are drinking. This being said, dry your sink and always close your bathroom so they will not drink unclean tap water.
How Tap Water Can Be Harmful to Cats to Drink?
The consensus of experts and pet owners is that tap water is not harmful to cats to drink. However, depending on the water itself, there are still danger that we should prevent cats from experiencing:
Minerals Can Stain Fur
This kind of water has minerals and many other nutrients that may be safe for humans but not for cats. This is not a harmful thing perse but untreated tap water may stain the fur of your feline friends at home. It will look very dirty especially when cats have light-colored furs.
May Contain Lead
Lead is a very toxic thing for cats to consume regularly. Tap water may sometimes contain lead depending on where they are coming from. You need to make sure that your cats only drink fresh or treated tap water so they will not experience getting sick.
Parasites
Cats tend to drink from any collected water source and sometimes, parasites can be ingested by them. This will cause your furry friend to vomit and experience different kinds of medical situations. Bring them to the nearest veterinary clinic when you notice them feeling sick and non-energetic.
E.coli
Not all variants of e.coli can harm your cats and may cause them death. However, when you are so unlucky and your cat acquired this kind of virus in their bodies, they may vomit and feel sick every single day. The only remedy to this is to get them vaccinated against a variety of viruses.
May Cause Urinary Tract Infection
Cats have highly-concentrated urine and with this being said, they can easily have Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) when they don’t drink enough fresh water. Unmonitored tap water may contain contaminants that are harmful to pets like cats.
Will Lead To an Upset Stomach
Last but not least, cats, when they drink tap water that is untreated and has an unknown source, will lead to an upset stomach. Make sure to be proactive when feeding your cats with food and water to ensure that they will not experience the pain of having their insides penetrated with bacteria.
How Do I Get My Cat to Stop Drinking From the Tap?
Below are some of the ways may stop your cat from drinking from the tap.
Make Their Water Bowl Attractive
Cats get easily attracted to all kinds of things and to make them feel like drinking from their water bowl, you need to make the same very attractive. A cat drinking tap water is nice but to make them drink from their respective feeding areas is the next best thing.
Place the Bowl in the Perfect Spot
Sometimes, cats love to drink from higher spots like the kitchen sink or kitchen counter. This being said, you can place the water bowl in the spot where they always go to. You need to make sure that the bowl is spill-proof to not create a mess on your tables and kitchen counters.
Put Drinking Stations in Multiple Areas
If your feline friends love roaming around the house just to eat or drink water, place multiple drinking stations. This will entertain them to drink enough water to hydrate their bodies. You will be able to observe after a few days of doing this that your cats are not going to your sink anymore because fresh drinking water is everywhere.
Isolate Their Bowls
Cats are known for their anti-social behaviors and to utilize this, isolate their bowls from the rest of your pet’s feeding areas. Try to create a spot for each of your pets to ensure that they don’t feel dangerous and awkward around each other. Don’t forget to put rugs or pieces of cloth under the bowls to prevent them from slipping.
Where Should I Put My Cat’s Water?
Usually, cat owners put their cat’s water in a bowl beside their food bowl. Some cats are used to drinking from this kind of setup but the majority are not.
It is not too obvious but cats can also see whether the water they are drinking looks contaminated with dirt or not. This being said, make sure to separate the water of your felines and purchase an interesting-looking container that will make it look more appetizing for them.
Can My Cat Drink Water From a Cat Fountain?
Your cat can drink water from a cat fountain. According to various studies, cats are more drawn to drinking lots of water when their water bowl looks different. This is where cat fountains come in. This kind of drinking setup for domesticated pets like cats is very useful to give them the water they need to live healthily.
When talking about drinking fountains, it is a piece of new simple machinery nowadays that has evolved throughout the years. You will be able to see different kinds of cat fountains online that are helpful for cats and at the same time, entertaining for them.
Final Thoughts
Can cats drink tap water? Yes! Tap water is safe for cats if the same is safe for humans. There are a lot of factors to consider when deciding whether to feed the water in your house or apartment to your fur kids at home.
But, the main thing that you should always remember is that being clean with your surroundings will be helpful for them. Having fresh water at home for your feline friends to drink will bring them away from getting sick easily because of hydration and many other things.
