Mary Allen
Cats are creatures of habit and there are many habits – including when it comes to drinking. However, if Miez drinks from the flower pot, you should put a stop to it. The irrigation water can be harmful or toxic to your velvet paw.
As a cat owner, you may be familiar with it: the fresh, clear water from the bowl is strictly ignored and instead your cat drinks stagnant water from the toilet, the aquarium, or even the flower pot or flower vase. This is usually not particularly bad but can be quite dangerous for the cat’s health.
Water From the Flower Pot Can Be Poisonous
If your cat drinks from the flower pot, for example when you have watered your flower and the water in the saucer is left behind, this can be dangerous for a number of reasons. If necessary, the fertilizer from irrigation water or plant soil gets into the body with the water via the cat‘s tongue – where there is an acute risk of poisoning. If poisoning is present, you will usually recognize this from symptoms such as salivation, vomiting, or cramps.
Cats can also get sick from watering plants that have not been fertilized, as the flowers emit substances harmful to the cat as they wither or rot. For the cat household, it is, therefore, better to choose flower tubs and flower pots without saucers and those from which no water escapes underneath.
Cats Should Drink Fresh Water
It can be difficult for cat owners to keep track of what, when, and how much the velvet paw is drinking – cats are very creative in drinking from other water sources in the home without being noticed. The water level in the bowl does not always provide information about the amount actually drunk. Even if your cat, like many others, prefers stale water, you should always offer your cat fresh water. If water stands longer, it can become a bacterial trap. Food leftovers, sunlight and the like can make the water go bad.
However, if you suspect your cat is not drinking enough, you should have it checked out by the vet. Dehydration can be dangerous and must be avoided at all costs. Diseases such as urine stones and cystitis are usually the result. Even if your cat suddenly drinks a lot, you should have this checked by the vet.