{"id":215,"date":"2020-09-24T10:31:13","date_gmt":"2020-09-24T10:31:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/?p=215"},"modified":"2021-03-04T20:49:27","modified_gmt":"2021-03-04T20:49:27","slug":"why-do-cats-not-drink-water-next-to-their-food-bowl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/why-do-cats-not-drink-water-next-to-their-food-bowl\/","title":{"rendered":"Why do cats not drink water next to their food bowl?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>When it comes to anything to do with water, cats are very particular. This is especially true about the water that they drink. There\u2019s such a reason why there are so many different kinds of water bowls for cats on the market \u2013 and the reason is their innate survival instincts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_17 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-grey\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"display: none;\"><i class=\"ez-toc-glyphicon ez-toc-icon-toggle\"><\/i><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class=\"ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1\"><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/why-do-cats-not-drink-water-next-to-their-food-bowl\/#Why_do_cats_not_like_their_water_next_to_their_food\" title=\"Why do cats not like their water next to their food?\">Why do cats not like their water next to their food?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/why-do-cats-not-drink-water-next-to-their-food-bowl\/#Should_a_cats_water_be_away_from_food\" title=\"Should a cat&#8217;s water be away from food?\">Should a cat&#8217;s water be away from food?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/why-do-cats-not-drink-water-next-to-their-food-bowl\/#A_cat_wants_fresh_water\" title=\"A cat wants fresh water\">A cat wants fresh water<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/why-do-cats-not-drink-water-next-to-their-food-bowl\/#Try_changing_the_temperature_of_the_water\" title=\"Try changing the temperature of the water\">Try changing the temperature of the water<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/why-do-cats-not-drink-water-next-to-their-food-bowl\/#More_questions_related_to_water_and_cats\" title=\"More questions related to water and cats\">More questions related to water and cats<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/why-do-cats-not-drink-water-next-to-their-food-bowl\/#How_many_times_should_I_refill_my_cats_water_bowl\" title=\"How many times should I refill my cat\u2019s water bowl?\">How many times should I refill my cat\u2019s water bowl?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/why-do-cats-not-drink-water-next-to-their-food-bowl\/#What_else_can_my_cat_drink_to_keep_hydrated\" title=\"What else can my cat drink to keep hydrated?\">What else can my cat drink to keep hydrated?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/why-do-cats-not-drink-water-next-to-their-food-bowl\/#Whats_an_easy_way_to_keep_my_cat_well_hydrated\" title=\"What\u2019s an easy way to keep my cat well hydrated?\">What\u2019s an easy way to keep my cat well hydrated?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_do_cats_not_like_their_water_next_to_their_food\"><\/span>Why do cats not like their water next to their food?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The main reason why cats don&#8217;t like their water next to their food is that they don&#8217;t like the smell of the food when they are drinking water, and are turned off by food particles in the water. If the water doesn&#8217;t smell fresh the risk of getting sick is bigger. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Should_a_cats_water_be_away_from_food\"><\/span>Should a cat&#8217;s water be away from food?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Some <a href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/why-do-cats-scratch-around-their-water-bowl\/\">cats will not touch their water if their water bowl<\/a> is too near their food bowls. That\u2019s because in the wild when their ancestral wild cats used to hunt, they\u2019d keep their kill as far away from their water source as possible as to not contaminate it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At home, when you place their food bowls and water bowls close to each other, you run the risk of your cat\u2019s food falling into the water. Their strong sense of smell may make them dislike smelling their food while they are drinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes it\u2019s actually what type of water bowl you\u2019re using. Do you know those twin bowls dog owners seem to always get their dogs? They don\u2019t work for cats. It&#8217;s possible that your particular cat just doesn\u2019t like stagnant water and prefers running water instead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>No more <a href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/best-cat-food-for-indoor-cats\/\">cat food<\/a>! <a href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/what-can-i-feed-my-cat-if-i-run-out-of-food\/\">What to feed them instead<\/a>. <\/li><li>Senior cat? <a href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/how-often-should-you-feed-your-senior-cat\/\">This is how often you should feed a senior cat.<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/what-foods-are-cats-not-allowed-to-eat\/\">Don&#8217;t give your cat these foods!<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_cat_wants_fresh_water\"><\/span>A cat wants fresh water<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In the wild, if you drink stagnant water, you run a bigger chance of getting sick. Cats know this. That\u2019s why fountain bowls are so common. Cats can taste when the water is stale. Another benefit for fountain bowls is that they give your cats that extra height.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p>When your feline friend is hunched over their water dish, they might feel more vulnerable than if they were to drink from a taller fountain.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond that, cats can be very meticulous about the shape of their bowls. Cats can be prone to having what is called whisker fatigue. That\u2019s when their highly sensitive whiskers get information overload, causing your cat to be slightly too stressed to drink water. To combat this, let your cat try out an array of different pet bowls and sizes and materials. Your safe bets are shallow glass, ceramic or stainless steel bowls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The water level is also very important to keep your furry little feline friend sufficiently hydrated. Cats are creatures of habit \u2013 more so than we will ever be.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They like to keep everything as consistent as possible. If the water level of their bowls is too high or too low for their usual preferences, they might opt to not drink at all. Pay close attention and notice if your cat is putting their paws in and licking it when the water level is getting exceptionally low.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Try_changing_the_temperature_of_the_water\"><\/span>Try changing the temperature of the water<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If your cat is still not drinking up, consider changing up the temperature \u2013 just be mindful of the extremes, you don\u2019t want to hurt your cat. If it\u2019s a particularly hot day, or your cat just enjoys drinking cold, refreshing water, add a couple of ice cups in their bowls!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hydration is super important in cats. All these little tricks help to keep your kitty at their best. Keep an eye out to weather your cat is <a href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/what-ingredient-in-cat-food-causes-crystals-in-urine\/\">drinking enough water<\/a> \u2013 especially if your cat does not eat wet cat food most of the time. The magic number you are looking for is 1 ounce of water per pound of their weight every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"More_questions_related_to_water_and_cats\"><\/span>More questions related to water and cats<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_many_times_should_I_refill_my_cats_water_bowl\"><\/span>How many times should I refill my cat\u2019s water bowl?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Cats have a very sensitive sense of taste. They\u2019ll taste it if their water has been out too long and has become dirty. Food and dirt can accumulate in their water bowls making it highly unpleasant to taste, and full of bacteria \u2013 especially if your cat has the habit of playing with their water. It is recommended that you refill your cat\u2019s bowl water daily as to keep it fresh-tasting \u2013 how many times in the day depends on your cat\u2019s drinking behavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By the way, be sure to wash your pet\u2019s bowl with soap and water daily just to ensure that no bacteria multiplying in there. Rinse it out thoroughly because not only will your cat taste the soap residue, what\u2019s worse is it could burn their tongue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_else_can_my_cat_drink_to_keep_hydrated\"><\/span>What else can my cat drink to keep hydrated?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Not <a href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/is-milk-good-for-cats\/\">milk because cats<\/a> are lactose intolerant. Your cat should only really be drinking water \u2013 but if you\u2019re dealing with a very picky drinker, once in a while, you can add a little bit of chicken or beef broth to your cat\u2019s water bowl. Keep the fat and sodium levels very low for this tempting treat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Whats_an_easy_way_to_keep_my_cat_well_hydrated\"><\/span>What\u2019s an easy way to keep my cat well hydrated?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Two words: wet food. What cat does not love the taste of wet food? No one. Wet food tastes so good to your cat\u2019s tongue that they will go gaga over it, any day.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/what-cat-food-do-vets-recommend\/\" class=\"\">amazing about wet cat food<\/a> is that they have higher concertation of water \u2013 making it so easy to increase your cat\u2019s water intake. If you notice that you have a picky drinker of a cat, there are a lot of things to consider. Mainly is if their water bowl is too close to their food bowl. While it\u2019s true that if your cat will get thirsty enough, they might start drinking from the bowl next to the food, they\u2019ll much prefer it that they drink somewhere further. A well-hydrated kitty is a happy and healthy kitty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img src=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Why-do-cats-not-drink-water-next-to-their-food_-pinterest-cover-01-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Why do cats not drink water next to their food\" class=\"wp-image-217\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When it comes to anything to do with water, cats are very particular. This is especially true about the water that they drink. There\u2019s such a reason why there are<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":216,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[28,8],"tags":[23],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v16.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Why do cats not drink water next to their food bowl? [ Detailed Answer ]<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/why-do-cats-not-drink-water-next-to-their-food-bowl\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why do cats not drink water next to their food bowl? 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