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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Obsessed by taps!?!?!

8 replies

Tabbylady · 15/02/2017 22:10

My 14 month old cat has in recent weeks become obsessed by taps and running water. Is there something wrong with her? She has a water bowl that she doesn't really drink much from and gets wet sachets and dry biscuits. She's a housecat and her litter looks the same so I don't think she's dehydrated.

But seriously!! We trained her not to go on the kitchen counters so she just longingly looks at the kitchen sink, but in the bathroom she will dart in and climb in the sink, and if taps are on will wave her paws in the water! She sometimes goes in there and meows until someone runs the tap.

The main thing though is I have seen her licking around the tap head- yuck! I'm now cleaning it with antibac wipes when we want to brush teeth/drink from that tap as I'm not sure how I feel about cat-drool water....

How on earth do we stop her doing this, and why is she suddenly so interested?? Can't shut her out of bathroom as that's where litter is and it's the only place suitable.

Aaaargh. Cats are weirdos. But when she does the paw-waving it's pretty cute.

OP posts:
Knittedfrog · 15/02/2017 22:13

Mine love drinking from a running tap. They have their own drinking fountain now. Get him one those they're great.

beansbananas · 15/02/2017 22:14

My cats do this too. One of them pretty much only drinks from the tap! I think it's quite common behaviour. Obviously it's not ideal when they lick the taps to make it drip, but generally cats are such clean animals, that I can forgive them this!

beansbananas · 15/02/2017 22:15

My cats do this too. One of them pretty much only drinks from the tap! I think it's quite common behaviour. Obviously it's not ideal when they lick the taps to make it drip, but generally cats are such clean animals, that I can forgive them this!

Fruitcocktail6 · 15/02/2017 22:16

It's common behaviour, cats prefer to drink running water. Mine drink from the bath tap and hardly touch their water bowls.

PhoenixJasmine · 15/02/2017 22:17

It makes a lot of sense evolution-wise to prefer running water, as it's less likely to be contaminated than standing water (in nature I mean).

How have you trained her not to go on counter tops though?!?!?

Tabbylady · 15/02/2017 22:23

Phew I'm glad it's not just her!! I think it's because she didn't do this before I was a bit Confused - she's our first cat.

Phoenix we did clicker training like with dogs backed up with an air puff thing which we didn't have to use much. She is pretty smart though so god knows what she gets up to when we're all out...
When she was an outdoor cat we also trained her to come indoors at the sound of a jingly bell by jingling it every time we were going to feed her. Mind you I looked like a right weirdo leaning out the back door jingling at 10pm - but it was very effective! Blush

OP posts:
ashiningstar · 16/02/2017 15:33

my cats are exactly the same, you can buy cat water fountains that you leave pluggged in. My cats love it!

SecretWitch · 16/02/2017 15:37

My little black cat is obsessed with the bathroom taps. He will stand on counter and wail until someone kindly turns tap on for him.

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