Drinking from Paw?

This is a place to gain some understanding of cat behavior and to assist people in training their cats and dealing with common behavior problems, regardless of the method(s) used. Keep in mind that you may be receiving advice from other cat owners and lovers...not professionals. If you have a major problem, always seek the advice of a trainer or behaviorist!

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Charlie

1149035

Purred: Fri Jun 15, '12 7:31pm PST


	My 6 year old cat has always drank from his bowl the "normal" way, but he just recently started dipping his paw in the bowl and licking the water off of it instead. Why is he doing this and should I be worried? The cat I had growing up always drank like that from the day we got him, but Charlie (my cat now) just started doing it and has been doing it for a few days now.

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Cricket

Leap Year Cat

Purred: Sat Jun 16, '12 10:32am PST


	My cat has done this forever! She taught my other cat how to drink like that too. A behaviorist I met several years ago said she had seen seval cats that did that but didn't really know why. Don't really ssee an issue with it since it has been years!

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Stella

Stella- Felinis--Queen- of All Kitties!

Purred: Sun Jun 17, '12 11:01am PST


	It's Stella. I started doing that too, around the age of six. Our person doesn't know why. She thinks it is just another trick I have taught myself because I am bored and clever. She had a previous cat who had something wrong with her mouth and could not make her tongue lap water up and she drank from her paw all the time. She did not get enough water that way and had kidney trouble all her life. But I never knew that cat so I didn't learn from her. You might check to see that all the teeth are okay and not hurting. If you have a very sore tooth, the lapping of water with the tongue might hurt. Giant purrs to you!

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Emily

1243958

Purred: Sun Jun 17, '12 11:09am PST


	Emily drank from her paw most of her life. I know some other cats do that too and it is called "being silly." There are two causes I know about: 1. She hates the taste of water. 2. She wants to make sure water is there.

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Stella

Stella- Felinis--Queen- of All Kitties!

Purred: Sun Jun 17, '12 1:46pm PST


	It's Stella. Emily, there is another reason--it's fun!!!!!

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Coopurr

I still suck my- thumb...

Purred: Mon Jun 18, '12 9:03am PST


	My Bridge baby Felix used to take his paw, dip it in his water dish and wash his face with it! Purrs, Coop's Mom

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Scooter ~- Our Angel

It's all about- 'The Scootster'

Purred: Mon Jun 18, '12 5:07pm PST


	Besides a tooth/mouth issue which might change the way a cat drinks water, cats with kidney disease will sometimes play in their water. http://www.felinecrf.org/nausea_vomiting_stomach_acid.htm#water_playing That doesn't mean a health issue caused the change for Charlie, and I would not necessarily classify what Charlie's doing as playing with water, but it's always a good idea to stay alert for changes, like you've been doing.

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Emily

1243958

Purred: Mon Jun 18, '12 7:04pm PST


	Scooter, what does kidney disease have to do with playing with water? I had 2 cats euthanized for that reason and neither of them ever played with water as they quit drinking it.

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Scooter ~- Our Angel

It's all about- 'The Scootster'

Purred: Mon Jun 18, '12 8:51pm PST


	Emily, I remembered that as something that cats with chronic kidney disease might do. I had kidney disease but I never played with water, either. The link I gave above, from the website TANYA'S COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO FELINE CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE, says this: "Some cats like to play with their water bowls from an early age, but some CKD [chronic kidney disease] cats develop a bit of an obsession with water, and may play with their water bowl or paw at the water. You may see other new behaviours, such as drinking from showers or gutters, or hanging around sinks and begging for fresh running water from the tap. All these types of behaviour may indicate stomach acid. Other possible causes include dehydration or diabetes." That's a reliable website, so I trust that it's accurate, but I can't explain why it makes them play with water. I can understand the "obsession" with water and why they might play with water then, but I'm not sure I understand why stomach acid would cause some cats to play with water. Maybe they want to drink, but their stomach is so upset that even the thought of actually drinking the water makes them nauseous, so they just play with it instead? I really don't know.

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Charlie

1149035

Purred: Tue Jun 19, '12 12:01pm PST


	Thanks for the info. This morning he was drinking "normally". My other cat plays more with the water- he will scratch the ground while he drinks, grab the lip of the bowl with his paw and slosh the water around. Both seem to be very happy and healthy. I'll look at Charlie's teeth today if he'll let me, but he is eating fine.

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