Thread: Meowing for the Faucet

I've always loved encouraging my cat to drink from the faucet because it's so fun to watch! Also, Arthur seems to really love drinking that way. However, I didn't anticipate him developing problems drinking from his bowl. He doesn't seem to touch that water anymore, and I'm not sure why. What I am sure of is every morning, and multiple times throughout the day, he will come find me and meow and meow until I follow him. Then he runs straight up to the faucet and waits for the water to come. Almost without fail, I have to boot him from the bathroom in the mornings so I can use the place! I don't mind him drinking from the faucet, but what I do mind is the insistent meowing and him becoming more and more pushy about it. Also, I'm concerned that he's not drinking enough from his bowl. How can I encourage him to drink from his bowl again, and be less pushy about the faucet?

You've created a monster, lol! My guy likes to drink just a bit from the faucet, but I never encouraged it. When I fill up my dogbowl, which is kept in the bathroom, he'll jump up on the sink and usually just start drinking out of the bowl while it's filling up.

You could just try to ignore the meows, because in a way you're feeding into the behavior now, kind of like an 'enabler'. Or, try to get him to follow you to the water bowl when he meows. You might flick your finger in it to make it more enticing, or pick it up and add some fresh, then set it down and do the finger flick again.

I used to have a Lixit dog waterer attached to my outside faucet, where the water was on, but not coming out, until the dog licked at the little opening. The dog was not interested in that at all. If they had something like that for cats, you might attach it to a faucet, like a laundry room sink that was rarely used, and he could go there.

I know, grasping at straws here. Anyhoo, seems like you're the one that can break the cycle, by not rewarding him with a following and a drink from the faucet. It's just a habit now, and it can be broken if determined. Good luck, let us know how things are going.

have I got the video for you, this is a video of my friends dad's house. He has a lot of cats, but this is just one messing around on the faucet.

Hehe thanks for sharing that video princess-sprinkles. When that one ended, a whole bunch more of kitties drinking from faucets showed up on Youtube! It would appear that this is quite a common phenomenon, and I would have to conclude that cats prefer the moving water, or the freshness of it perhaps. It must be so much more exciting than drinking still water from a bowl! Although they don't seem to mind drinking out of toilets - thankfully that's one habit my Arthur does not have.

Today was officially Day One of attempting to ignore Arthur's pleas for faucet water. Oh what a little rascal! When he didn't get his faucet water he went straight to sniffing and pawing at all my bags and stuff in my room that he knows he's not allowed into, and usually he's good about it - but I guess he felt it was time to get back at mama for being so mean. I had to shut him out of my room, and he tried to bite me! Not a happy kitty, but I held my ground and did not turn the tap on today. We'll see how Day Two goes.

Originally Posted by skarlett88

Today was officially Day One of attempting to ignore Arthur's pleas for faucet water. Oh what a little rascal! When he didn't get his faucet water he went straight to sniffing and pawing at all my bags and stuff in my room that he knows he's not allowed into, and usually he's good about it - but I guess he felt it was time to get back at mama for being so mean. I had to shut him out of my room, and he tried to bite me! Not a happy kitty, but I held my ground and did not turn the tap on today. We'll see how Day Two goes.

Lol...be strong, a calm and confident leader is what they all need. They need to know someone is giving them boundaries, good luck on day 2, let us know.

It's so cute how he looks back at me to make sure I'm following as he races to the bathroom and jumps up onto the counter, preparing for his usual drink from the faucet. It's been several days now, and I've been "pretty" stubborn about not giving in. However, he always thinks I'm following, because there's really no other direction for me to go.

He must drink from his bowl when I'm not around because he doesn't seem to be lacking in hydration, and I don't think anyone else is turning the faucet on for him. I tried flicking my finger in his water when he asked for the faucet, but he didn't seem too interested. I had some small success when I placed the water dish INTO the sink. He actually stuck his paw in it that time, though he didn't drink.

I must admit that I have used the faucet once this week as a means to getting Arthur to come downstairs when we needed him to. Gave him a short drink.

I wonder how long it will take before he realizes that it just isn't going to happen several times every day like it used to. Darn spoiled kitty!

LOL, it's hard to tell them no, isn't it? Kittys are made for spoilin'.

Yup, I guess my fate is sealed, kitty meows for the faucet regardless of how many times I ignore, say NO, move him to his water bowl, fill the bowl in the sink then use that to lead him to the floor... nope, none of these tactics have worked one iota with Arthur. He's just lucky I don't really mind all that much, but darn is he ever pushy sometimes, lol.

Originally Posted by skarlett88

Yup, I guess my fate is sealed, kitty meows for the faucet regardless of how many times I ignore, say NO, move him to his water bowl, fill the bowl in the sink then use that to lead him to the floor... nope, none of these tactics have worked one iota with Arthur. He's just lucky I don't really mind all that much, but darn is he ever pushy sometimes, lol.

Demanding...but lovable, it's all good! Those are the special little things that make him...Arthur.

My Kyra does that!

Awww Arthur sounds like an adorable rascal.

My cat from St. Louis loved to curl up in the sink in the upstairs bathroom. The Vet told us that she probably liked the coolness of the porcelain on her fur. Ironically we never had her drink from the faucett because she was usually curled up in it. However, the faucet did drip a tiny bit. Not much. Just a few drops an hour. She would lean back and tilt her head and catch the drips in her mouth. Maybe to make sure the water didn't land on her. Or who knows?

Too bad you can't teach Arthur to turn the faucet off and on. That would solve the problem. Although maybe you be creating an even bigger monster. :-)

Good luck with keeping the faith and keeping Arthur on the path to his water bowl. :-)

Maybe your kitty would like a drinking fountain? My Sphynx cries for the faucet too but not as much now that he has constant flowing water.

A drinking fountain? I hadn't considered that there might actually be an alternative and you've piqued my curiosity. What do you use and where did you get it?

You can get them at most pet stores and even some department stores like Walmart. I'd start with a cheaper unit to see if he likes it first. I just use filtered/distilled water in it and it constantly filters and cycles through but gives kitty the running & fresh water feeling.

http://www.walmart.com/search/search...onstraint=5440