Why does my cat spill her water bowl and how can I stop it?

Oh dear it sounds like your kitten is quite the rascal. Could you try training her to use a water bottle instead with a sipper? It also sounds like she is quite playful and needs a lot to keep her stimulated. You can look into cat toys that she has to chase. You can also find treat-dispensing toys at your local pet store, that require her to bat it around to get the kibbles out. I'm a big fan of these because they mimic a cat's natural hunting instinct. Laser pointers are a tried and true favourite as well. In the meantime, I'm afraid you may have to kitten-proof your home, at least for now. Take away any access to your clothes, etc. Only put out cat-friendly toys that you don't mind getting wet. And you can always try a lesser amount of water in her dish if the water bottle doesn't work out. I hope this helps! Good luck with your kitten!

There are several reasons cats like to "knock over water dishes" or play in their water bowls, including (1) it's fun - they enjoy splashing the water and making it move, seeing the reflective surface, (2) they prefer to drink from a moving water source (because moving water is more aerated and generally tastes better/fresher), (3) the bowl isn't to their liking - too big, too small, too deep, etc., so they splash water out and drink from the floor, (4) you give them fresh water whenever they knock the dish over so they have learned that this a successful method of getting your attention. Some things you can do include: (1) purchase a water fountain for cats (water moves continuosly); (2) get a heavy cermic bowl or a bowl with a wider base than top, (3) put a placement or plastic tray under the bowl, (4) offer more shiny, sparkly toys, like Mylar balls, to catch your cat's attention, (5) changed the water at least twice per day so your cat doesn't need to ask you for clean water.

I am sorry to hear about Tacoma! This sounds very frustrating but likely is just playful behavior that she enjoys. I would consider getting a drinking fountain (there are a variety of options out there, here is one example: VIP-_-92700027187667238&kwid=p27187667238&device=c&gclid=Cj0KCQjwprbPBRCHARIsAF_7gDZb6i7jNAiD_JnordFjYzNc9esC_Zf8j5_rWnASopxsGeJuDUBT2IsaAnWfEALw_wcB) as they are difficult to tip over and many cats find them enjoyable. I would also consider some toys or a climbing tower for enrichment to try to provide Tacoma with something else to play with! You can try to find something that dispenses food or treats if that is more enticing, such as this one:

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 )

I see that Missy is 2 months old now. The activities that Missy is doing sound normal, but their teeth and nails are certainly sharp at that age. First, I would make sure to learn how to trim her nails and keep them short. I normally recommend trimming kittens' nails weekly because they grow so quickly. That will help quite a bit. Next, I would work on environmental enrichment for her to keep her mentally and physically busy. This website has a number of good ideas for that. https://indoorpet.osu.edu/cats One of my favorite things for cats is a no bowl feeding system like Doc & Phoebe ( https://docandphoebe.com/ ) that requires them to "hunt" for their food. You could also try a feeding ball. I also recommend using laser pointers and interactive cat toys like a Cat Dancer ( http://www.catdancer.com/ ) to get cats to play with you more appropriately. They key is to teach Missy new ways of playing with you that get her energy out, but do not hurt you! Good luck! I hope that was helpful and gives you some ideas. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This may be just playful behavior. You can consider securing it to the cage with some type of material or just getting a new water bowl of a different color she may prefer. Best of luck!

There are a large number of reasons that a cat will inappropriately urinate (urinate outside the litter box). I am attaching a handout below which discusses this in detail. https://www.vin.com/veterinarypartner/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951508 The first step in figuring out why a cat is urinating outside the litter box is to have your veterinarian do an examination and get a urine sample to evaluate for a medical reason. This is a little challenging since you're not sure which cat is doing it. There are some options to determine which cat is the problem, so it is worth speaking to your vet about that or you can get urine samples on both cats. If that is normal, then we need to look at other possibilities. The handout above discusses litter box issues that can play a role. Make sure you have at least 3 litter boxes (since the "correct" number of boxes is the number of cats plus one), they are not covered or lined, and are cleaned daily. You may also want to try products like Cat Attract Litter (https://www.drelseys.com/shop/cat-attract/). You should also look at decreasing stress in case that is playing a role. One option for decreasing stress is to add a Feliway Diffuser ( https://www.feliway.com ) to your house. This is a calming pheromone that will work for a month. I have also had luck with Rescue Remedy ( http://www.bachflower.com/rescue-remedy-pet/ ) which can be added to the water. You could also consider calming music specifically for cats ( http://throughadogsear.com/tace/through-a-cats-ear-1-music-for-calming/ ). All of these products are safe for both cats. If your veterinarian cannot find a medical reason and all litter box issues have been dealt with, then it may be time to discuss medication with your veterinarian. Medications are also discussed in the handout above. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that you can figure out what is going on. Thanks for using PetCoach.