Why do cats like running water?
Perhaps you know it, the drinking bowl is filled on the floor and yet your cat is more interested in the water that flows from the tap. Or leaking rainwater is preferable.
But why do cats love running water so much? First, flowing water is more attractive to cats because it moves, so it attracts attention more quickly. A drinking fountain for your cat is an excellent alternative for this.
Originally, the larger cats come from arid regions such as northern Africa. So it is not in their nature to drink a lot. They passed this on to our house cat through their genes. The cat absorbs a large part of their moisture through their food, but more about that later.
Our cats must therefore be stimulated to drink. A drinking fountain can help with that.
Why does a cat like running water more than still water?
- In nature, a cat prefers not to drink from standing water
- Standing water is more likely to contain germs such as algae or bacteria
- Flowing water contains more oxygen
- It tastes better and is cooler
- Sometimes it's also a game to knock over the drinking trough and drink the water from the floor
- Cats don't like to feel the edge of a bowl with their whiskers
As mentioned, cats get the most moisture from their food. It goes without saying that kibble and dry food do not contain much liquid, but even if your cat is fed wet food, he will need to be stimulated to take in extra moisture.
Why is extra drinking important for a cat?
Urine that is too concentrated can cause urine crystals and problems such as:
- Bladder grit
- Kidney stones
- Blockage of the urethra
- Cystitis
All of these conditions can prevent the urinary system from working properly. As a result, the kidneys can no longer filter the blood from toxic substances properly. This can have all kinds of serious consequences for other organs and even be fatal.
It is therefore important for cat lovers to ensure that their cat gets enough fluids. We can encourage this in various ways. We'll give you a few tips.
How can we encourage cats to drink more?
- Provide running water through a drinking fountain
- Do not place the drinking trough or drinking fountain right next to the food bowl
- Always provide fresh water and a clean drinking trough or drinking fountain
- Place a drinking trough or drinking fountain on every floor of your house
- If possible, position the water fountain slightly away from the wall. A cat likes to keep an overview and therefore prefers to drink with its back to the wall
- Add a taste to the drinking water
You will see that a drinking fountain will quickly attract the attention of the cat. It moves, makes a rippling sound and they don't have to put their head down. Sometimes a cat will still use its paw, but the point is that your cat gets more fluids and so the cat actually has its own tap and can drink running water whenever it wants.
Moreover, it is also a lot more hygienic than when your cat comes to drink on the counter where you are just making your sandwich!
