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

Original poster

What is wrong with her? Water bowl related!

25 replies

LittleTabby · 13/10/2021 20:16

5 month old kitten, so settled, happy, neutered, healthy, good as gold, eating fine etc.

This week, all of a sudden she is having a water fight with herself at every opportunity! Every single time I refil her bowl she turns it over entirely, splashes it up the wall, wrestles it until it is empty and all over the carpet. Why? She has been here since mid August and I haven't changed anything! She has always drank fine and been no problem until this week.

I need to leave her for 6 hours on Saturday and am worried she won't have access to anything to drink 😕

OP posts:
Want2beme · 13/10/2021 22:30

Who knows why cats do the things they do. It could be that she's suddenly decided she likes playing with water and wants to splash around a bit. It could be health related. Is her water beside her food? Cats don't like this, as they associate where they eat their food with being contaminated and prefer to drink in a clean area away from food. Maybe try placing her water away from her eating station. Does she eat wet food? This will keep her hydrated during those hours she's on her own. Get her a water fountain, so she can splash away to her hearts contentGrin

TheSpottedZebra · 13/10/2021 22:46

I put my cat's water dish on a tray. He still splashes it, but it contains the mess (a bit), and he can still drink from the tray if he's thirsty.

He is a twat though, and he just likes playing Fatty Splash.

SinoohXaenaHide · 13/10/2021 22:57

What breed is she? I have heard that some varieties love splashing in water. Many cats only like drinking flowing water - if your water isn't metered could you leave a tap dripping into a clean bowl in the sink?

Original poster
LittleTabby · 14/10/2021 07:10

@Want2beme her water is near her food, but entirely separate bowls, she has always been happy with this! What sort of healthy issue? She will tolerate 1 wet food pouch a day, the rest is dry and she would only have that left down when we are out for hygiene reasons. I will look into fountains!

@TheSpottedZebra bless him! I fear she may just be a splashy twit too! Tray is a good suggestion!

@SinoohXaenaHide just a BSH nothing exotic! She doesn't like water and hates the taps running, being washed in any form (which is wonderful when she steps in poo) and terrified of the toilet flushing! There isn't a tap/sink in the part of the house we leave her when not here/overnight, so I couldn't do that.

Thank you all for ideas and replies 😁

OP posts:
icedcoffees · 14/10/2021 08:21

I would move her water away from her food. Lots of cats get fussier as they get older and many don't like their bowls being too close.

Original poster
LittleTabby · 14/10/2021 08:26

@icedcoffees thank you, I will try that. It was the original intention anyway but trued them together and she seemed to eat a bit, drink a bit, eat a bit more, stop for another drink.... so I thought nearby was best! She obviously has grander ideas now she is growing up a bit!

OP posts:
Ariela · 14/10/2021 09:00

When we got current rescue dog, she did this. We figured it was her chosen method of cooling down (and if outside would do similar having jumped into the water trough). Indoors, rather than 1 bowl filled to the top with water, we gave 3 bowls each with less than an inch. Cured the problem indoors.

icedcoffees · 14/10/2021 09:06

You could always add extra bowls further away as well to see if Madam prefers it that way Grin

Welcome to being owned by your own furry little dictator Wink

catblanket · 14/10/2021 09:11

It’s a thing with cats - it’s to do them with them only trusting moving water. They won’t touch stagnant water. So if still water is the only thing available, they will nudge it to make it move.

You can get a water fountain and that will solve the issue.

Original poster
LittleTabby · 14/10/2021 12:34

Well we bought a heavy based ceramic, shallow wide dish. She cannot move it, but appears to be having a bath! Saw the fountains but they had filters for one sort abd the fountain for another not a full set so left for now! She cannot tip this at least.

The carpet is soaked. As is she. Little monkey!

OP posts:
Davros · 14/10/2021 12:39

Our cat likes running water and she loves her water fountain

Mabelface · 14/10/2021 12:50

My old man brian used to put one paw in the water bowl when he drank and leave wet footprints everywhere. He was doing this up until he died aged 17.

Shehasadiamondinthesky · 14/10/2021 12:53

My 20 year cat (RIP) loved turning over her water all her life it used to drive me potty. She'd also turn over glasses of water, cups of tea for the heck of it.
Get a water fountain.

Shehasadiamondinthesky · 14/10/2021 12:54

@TheSpottedZebra

I put my cat's water dish on a tray. He still splashes it, but it contains the mess (a bit), and he can still drink from the tray if he's thirsty.

He is a twat though, and he just likes playing Fatty Splash.

Grin Grin Grin
ponygirlcurtis · 14/10/2021 13:13

Don't be so sure she can't move it, OP! One of my cats started doing this, I ended up filling a huge copperbottomed saucepan with water so he couldn't move it and spill it. He managed!

I now put their water bowl in a washing up basket.

Original poster
LittleTabby · 14/10/2021 19:03

Thanks all! Well the water dish is empty and she didn't drink it 😅

So the new dish is relegated to the dishwasher for human use instead as she doesn't need a posh serving dish as a bath (aka carpet supersoaker!) We will be getting a fountain I think. What to do in the meantime though?!

She goes to the cattery next Friday fir 7 nights, they are going to have great fun with her 🤪

OP posts:
Judystilldreamsofhorses · 15/10/2021 00:53

Our cat has fresh clean water in her dish at least once every day, yet will only ever drink from the bird bath, or puddles on the top of the garden waste bin.

Our vet said she gets plenty of liquid from wet food, and in hot weather we add water to that and mash it in with a fork.

justbackfrombangkok · 15/10/2021 01:15

My mum's friend couldn't understand why her cat wrestled with her water bowl every time she went for a drink.
They had fitted a cat flap that required a magnetic collar. The water bowl was metal. The poor cat was getting bashed in the face every time she tried to drink.

TheSpottedZebra · 15/10/2021 14:47

@justbackfrombangkok

My mum's friend couldn't understand why her cat wrestled with her water bowl every time she went for a drink. They had fitted a cat flap that required a magnetic collar. The water bowl was metal. The poor cat was getting bashed in the face every time she tried to drink.
Poor cat! Grin
Beamur · 15/10/2021 14:52

My friend has BSH. and they favour a fountain. It's in a different room to their food.
I leave a water bowl down for my cats in the same room as their food. So, they drink out of the dogs bowl, the pond, anything they can scrounge up from the sink or bath and ideally anything a human is also using.

Original poster
LittleTabby · 15/10/2021 20:18

All these stories make me sure she needs a fountain..... however today she has begun flipping over her food dish too. She is being a right handful generally (just as she appeared to have got so easy) so wonder if it's a behaviour phase!

OP posts:
TroysMammy · 15/10/2021 20:22

Haribo swishes the water around with his paw. It's a large Pet Mate fountain so it can't be tipped over but he doesn't like the fountain which swishes the water for him so I've taken that out!

meala · 15/10/2021 20:33

My cat will only drink out of a mug Grin doesn’t like bowls with water in.

UtterlyUnimaginativeUsername · 15/10/2021 20:36

We have a fountain for ours; one of them has taken to shoving her arm down into the tank and relocating all the water onto the kitchen floor. She's about the same age as yours, OP - I think they've just discovered the joys of divilment. Get used to it Grin

Mumdiva99 · 16/10/2021 06:45

Can you play with her more so she has used up her energy and then might drink and eat for thirst and hunger and not to play. Maybe time for a new toy?

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