Mary Allen
Is your cat drinking from the toilet? Then your fur nose is not alone in this curious preference. Many cats prefer the water from the toilet bowl to the water from their drinking bowl. But why is that and what can be done about it?
First, you should find out why your cat likes to drink from the toilet. She may not like the water in her bowl, or she may be bored. If you know why your fur nose enjoys the water from the toilet bowl, you can take countermeasures. Because toilet water is not healthy.
Cat Drinks From the Toilet: Why?
For us humans, the water in a cat’s drinking bowl may seem fresh if we just put it in a few hours ago. But after just a few hours, the sensitive fur noses no longer taste the water and they find it stale and stale. In fact, germs can form after a relatively short time in standing water, especially if the bowl is in the sun. The water from the toilet, on the other hand, is flushed and renewed regularly, so your cat will find it fresher and tastier than the water from her bowl.
Another possibility: your cat is drinking from the toilet because she is bored. It may have seen the water whirl merrily when the flush is pulled and that piqued it curiosity. In search of something to do, it then looks in the toilet bowl to see what is going on. And while it’s already there, it can take a sip of water right away.
Is Toilet Water Bad For Cats?
The water itself is only harmful to cats if it contains chemicals from toilet blocks, cleaning agents, and the like. But in the toilet bowl, there are all sorts of germs, bacteria, and pathogens that can actually be hazardous to your cat’s health. It is therefore advisable to wean your cat from drinking from the toilet bowl so as not to take any risks.
Additionally, young kittens or disabled cats may have difficulty balancing while drinking from the toilet. You could slip and fall face down in the water. If they then panic, it is possible that they will drown. This is another reason your cat is better off not drinking from the toilet.
Offer Alternatives: Cat No Longer Drinks From the Toilet
As an immediate measure, you can always keep the toilet lid closed in the future. However, this does not change the causes and your cat still lacks freshwater or something to do. So offer them enough alternatives so she doesn’t miss drinking the toilet water. Change the water in your water bowl – especially in summer – about every two to three hours and make sure that the drinking bowl is not too close to the food bowl. Cats don’t like to drink where they eat.
Try whether your cat drinks more water if you distribute several bowls in the apartment. Your cat may prefer a drinking fountain to a bowl because the water moves and flows so it’s always fresh. More hours of play together with your favorite person, a great scratching post and toys, and possibly a fellow cat help against boredom.