Why does my cat prefer to drink water from places other than her bowl?

The close up vision of cats is much weaker than their long distance vision and so, when they are right at their water dish, they can’t see the water level. In order to check where the water starts – or if there is even any water in the dish – they will move it to cause the water to ripple and splash. Once they are satisfied they know where the water is, then they will commence their drinking. That is my best guess. If you are not happy with this change in behavior you could always get her a drinking fountain to drink from. Most cats prefer to drink from running water so this may help. ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/cat/cat-feeding-supplies/cat-waterers-fountains-and-accessories/catit-flower-cat-water-fountain )

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Some cats do prefer to drink from running water so a pet fountain may be a good idea. But if she is drinking more than usual a visit to the vet is needed for possible bloodwork to rule out things like kidney disease.

Cats really prefer to dring from a water fountain or running water. Some (and I have two of those) will only drink from a running tap. He may be always thirsty because the tap is not running constantly and he thinks he needs to drink every time you turn it on for him. Make sure you put his water away from his food bowl (at least 6 feet) as cats do not like to drink water that was next to their food. If you think he is still drinking way too much I suggest you take him to your vet for a blood test checking kidney, liver and glucose parameters to rule out diabetes, kidney and liver disease.

I'd feed Cupquake canned food, or add some low sodium gently warmed chicken broth to her dry food. I'd also recommend getting her a pet water fountain. It provides a continuous source of fresh water, and encourages the cat to drink. I have one for my cats, and they love it. You can get one at a pet store. I hope this helps.

Sweetie is doing something that is extremely common in cats. Some cats (and dogs) simply prefer to drink water that is in motion versus stagnant in a bowl. If you prefer that your cat does not drink from a dripping faucet but she refuses to drink from the regular bowl, many pet stores sell water fountains that continually cycle the water. This is often the best solution for cases like one you are describing. In terms of the safety of the water, this is hard for me to speculate about. If the water is safe enough for you or your family to drink, it is almost certainly safe enough for Sweetie. If your water source is coming from a well or spring and is not routinely tested, use of a bottled or distilled water may be a safer option.

This is concerning, and while it's good she will drink the water mixed with the food, you do want her to drink from the water bowl. Give her canned food and add water to it to get more water in her. I'd try getting her a pet water fountain. It provides a constant source of fresh water, and cats tend to love drinking from it. I have one for my cats, and they love it. I hope this helps!

You can try some other type of canned food. Sometimes their tastes change and they decided they don't like what they had before. Cats can be picky. The other way to increase water consumption is to get a drinking fountain. Many cats like to drink from running water and will actually drink more if running water is constantly available. I would suggest you try this. Petco (or any large pet store) has a wide variety or drinking fountains: https://www.petco.com/shop/SearchDisplay?categoryId=&storeId=10151&catalogId=10051&langId=-1&sType=SimpleSearch&resultCatEntryType=2&showResultsPage=true&searchSource=Q&pageView=&beginIndex=0&pageSize=24&fromPageValue=search&searchTerm=drinking+fountain Hope this helps. Best wishes!