A vet has revealed why cats often ignore the water bowls provided for them at home, opting to drink outdoors instead.
Cat, a UK-based vet uses her social media platforms to share her insights on pet care and informative videos. She has amassed a following of 325,200 on TikTok and received an impressive 11.8 million likes.
In a recent TikTok video, Cat explained the logical reason behind your feline friend’s preference for outdoor drinking. She said: “One of the biggest reasons is all to do with the kind of prey our cats hunt in the wild. They’ll often catch mice or rats like this and if there’s any water nearby it’s likely that those mice and rats have been using that as a toilet and if the cat drinks it they might get sick.”
She further added: “So, they are absolutely hardwired to never, ever drink close to where they eat.” This instinctive behaviour renders double feeders, which feature a food bowl next to a water bowl, “completely pointless”.
According to Cat, even two separate bowls placed on the same mat will be perceived similarly by cats. Her advice for encouraging indoor drinking is to place the water bowl well away from the food, potentially on the opposite side of the room or even in a different room altogether.
The UK-based vet suggested that this instinctive behaviour is why cats “often like to drink from dripping taps or showers” as rapidly moving water is “less likely to be contaminated.” Encore Pet Food has offered some advice on the best placement of cat food and water.
Echoing the vet’s guidance, it recommends separating your pet’s food and water. The company’s website explains: “Whilst popping fresh water and food bowls together might seem convenient, some cats might not like the smell of food while drinking. This behaviour can be deeply rooted in their instincts, as wild cats tend to keep food and water sources apart.”
Encore also advises choosing a quiet, pet-friendly spot for feeding, as cats are “more prone to eating and drinking in calm areas.” Busy family areas, such as kitchens or living rooms, can cause stress for some cats.
The pet food brand further suggests keeping a good distance between food and water bowls and litter boxes. The company elaborates: “Cats are sensitive creatures with finely tuned senses – as such, they don’t like to dine near their litter boxes.
“In addition to your pet’s preferences, ensuring their food and litter is kept separate prevents contamination. Try to place their food and water bowls in a different room from your kitty’s litter box.”
The vet’s TikTok video, captioned “everything our cats do is logical…to them”, has garnered an impressive 12.5 million views, 2.1 million likes and 21,300 comments. One viewer commented: “Years of owning cats and never put this together. Thank you, love your videos.”
A second commented: “I did wonder why my two will never drink the water next to their food in the kitchen but happily drink the water in the lounge! Thanks for this.”
Another person revealed: “My daughter did a science project about this. Our cat drank TWICE as much water when it was far from the food.”