Friday, December 16, 2016

The Water-bowls

I have always tried to provide plenty of water for my cats to drink, and I think I have an adequate number of bowls, and have placed them in the right locations. This seems to be borne out by the fact that each of my four beasts prefers a different one of the four water-bowls available.

Despite the fact that many cats do not care for water near their food, there is a bowl near the hard-food in my apartment. My roommates don’t seem ever to have been particular about the proximity, but it is Renn who chooses to drink from that bowl most often. He can frequently be seen staring, unmoving, into the depths of the liquid for minutes before he actually drinks. (In the photograph below, the food bowl had been removed for replenishment.)


Josie likes the little bowl in the bathroom. I think I may have written previously about how she will give a mild screech to remind me to re-charge the contents, even when there is plenty of water remaining. She enjoys the freshest of refreshment.


Cammie, meanwhile, seems still appreciative of the small bowl I place on the ledge of the bedroom wall. I will sometimes see her drinking from it early in the morning or late at night; even after I’ve gone to bed. I will hear a slapping, clicking sound that I usually misidentify initially, only to make out a small silhouette in the dark, crouched over the bowl, lapping up the water.


And lastly, Tucker drinks principally from the large bowl in the library. Now and then, Renn will study its water, forcing Tucker to wait until my big boy is finished - though I will move the latter on if he prolongs the roly poly’s thirst too much. Also, Tucker will tire of waiting and go to the bowl by the food, yet will return to his favourite as soon as it is free.


Perhaps there is something about having one’s own bowl that appeals to the beasts, perhaps a certain taste to the water, or a way of being able to drink it. Or maybe they like being left undisturbed. Each cat does drink from other bowls than his favourite, but each comes back to the one that suits him best. We humans have our preferred cups for tea or coffee, a glass that fits the hand better than others. There should be no surprise if an analogy may be applied to our cats, too.

17 comments:

  1. Wonderful post! Not something I thought about as for so many years we only had the one cat. Our first cat Linus would drink out of anything, anywhere. Our last cat Sam had a certain ceramic bowl she liked to drink out of in a certain spot. As you state we humans have favourite things so why not cats?

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  2. We think our comment disappeared. So we'll just say, have a very Merry and Blest Christmas. (mommys to lazy to retype our comment. MOL Big hugs

    Luv ya'

    Dezi and Raena

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  3. I so enjoy learning about your cats and their individual personalities and tastes. It's making me smile.

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  4. You've made me think about my cats' drinking habits. Neither boy seems to drink very much, at least not when I'm around. Mind you, their diet is predominantly canned food.

    They were using the water fountain, but now seem to prefer the bowl I keep near it, or, as in Nicki's case, the pail of stagnant water in the basement I keep on hand for any water emergency (I refill it weekly). I've seen Derry drink a bit from both the fountain and bowl, but I've never seen him drink from the pail.

    It's true, though: We have our favourite mugs and glasses, so it does make sense non-humans would have their preferences as well.

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    1. I have a four-gallon jug, of the sort used for camping. I keep that filled and refresh it once a month. It's a good idea to have something for emergencies.

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  5. Your observations regarding your cats' personalities and habits are wonderful. I have a fountain as well as a water bowl. Jessica and Danni prefer the fountain, while the others don't seem to care and will use either one.

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    1. I tried a fountain years ago, and the cats drank from the bowl, not the stream. I reverted to the bowls. Sigh.

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  6. And heaven forbid if my favorite mug breaks...it takes awhile for the coffee to taste the same.

    I've tried fountains (Saku will use it), bowls (the one in the bathroom sink is Sasha's favorite) but Sami prefers the toilet water. As a result I keep the bowl clean and flushed at all times.

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    1. I'd be afraid of one of mine tumbling in the toilet-bowl. A couple of mine explode the myth about agile cats.

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  7. Flynn has 2 bowls which as far as I know he never uses. He prefers to drink from the bath tap which is left very slowly trickling for him. If he is outdoors he prefers to drink rainwater from the bird bath, or better still a nice fresh rain puddle.

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    1. "...He never uses." But you know as soon as you remove them, he'll want them! I've seen photos of Flynn drinking from puddles. There probably isn't anything better for him than fresh English rain.

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  8. I enjoy hearing about your cats' and their unique individual ways and foibles. And I must say I love Josie's spots in her photo.
    Holly drinks from the water bowl in the kitchen. Maybe I should try a water fountain to see if she prefers it over standing water.

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    1. Mine never preferred a fountain, but a fountain is quite the personal preference among cats, I think.

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  9. My Ping is always waiting for me to give him fresh water. Then he will claw at the spot next to the water bowl. There must be a reason for that, but I've yet to figure it out.

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    1. When we first moved into the apartment, I had the water bowl on a mat, and Renn kept clawing at it and upsetting the water. It may be some instinctual thing, but I can't guess what.

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  10. That is nice that they all have their own bowl. My cats all like the stainless fountain and seem to avoid the glass bowls.

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