Why Is My Cat Drinking Out Of The Toilet?

A surprising lot of people ask ‘Why is my cat drinking out of the toilet’ and the answer is really simple. Your toilet exhibits moving water, which translates to an animal as fresh, safe water. Pet owners should understand this as this craving for moving water creates many a strange cat behavior, like tipping or moving the water bowl, jumping on the sink for the faucet or getting into the bathtub. 

Wild Cats

In the wild all animals seek flowing water because stagnant water can be lethal. Animals in the wild are aware of this. Water attracts living organisms of all kinds and many of those organisms die in that water.

Their remains become part of that body of water, along with the waste products of living organisms. This is what makes standing water dangerous. It is filled with bacteria that naturally occur where there are decaying organisms and organic waste.

Cats are smart and this is why cats drink out of toilets, if they don’t have access to another source of moving water, such as a cat fountain.

toilet
why does my cat drink out of the toilet

Cats Need Moving Water

And a high quality ceramic cat fountain is the best, safest, cleanest possible way to give it to them.

So, is this ok for your cat to be drinking out of the toilet? Generally it is considered not unsafe so long as the toilet is kept clean and flushed regularly but it is offputting and not really a good idea, if only because of the cleaning agents your cat may be consuming along with the water. So, what to do?

Two things are all that will be required. Close the lid on the toilet and get your cat a healthful, ceramic cat fountain.

The information provided by this link tells some of the story but by no means all. The solution is not to put down fresh water when you feed your cat, because for one thing you shouldn’t place your cats’ water with their food (which this implies doing). Veterinarians say that having a cat’s food near his water can put him off drinking due to the food smells.

Daily Cleaning Not Needed

Your cats’ water source doesn’t need cleaning every day if the water is constantly being circulated through a filtration system, as is the case with most cat water fountains – and if it is made of quality materials without a lot of crevices, which is not the case with most cat fountains.

The real reason not to put our cats’ food and water together is very similar to why our cats crave moving water – ingrained habit – genetics. In the wild, cats don’t keep their food and water together because the food can contaminate the water. Cats are hard-wired to seek moving water and to keep their food and water separate.

Cat Fountain Placement

So where then, to be apart from all food sources and to keep your cat from drinking out of the toilet? Most commercial cat fountains (we of Thirstycats Fountains are a small shop offering handmade, one-of-a-kind cat fountains and do not consider ourselves to be a commercial brand), are too unattractive to be placed anywhere but on the floor, out of the way. Not so for ThirstyCat Fountains.

Because we make our fountains by hand and intend them to be beautiful pieces suitable for home decor, and in many cases works of art, you are not just getting a functional cat fountain from Thirstycats, you’re purchasing something that will give you unfading beauty for a lifetime. That said, functionality is our first and our last concern and we strive in every way to make sure every fountain not only is a pleasure to see but that it works perfectly and delivers the water in a completely appealing and satisfying  manner.

ThirstyCat Fountains