Wall Water Features

My cat will not drink water from a bowl. I have tried all the fancy water fountains no luck..any ideas?

My cat will not drink water from anything, I have tried everything I can think of and read on line none of them worked...thoughtt i would try here for any new ideas. The only place he will drink from is the bathtub walls (not with the water running) I am starting to worry he is not getting enough, and also is it safe for him to be licking the bathtub walls with the left over soaps ect. any ideas would be appreciated. thank you! and my cat thanks you :-) :-)

Public Comments

1. give it milk
2. the cat needs to go outside ... it will have everything it needs then ...
3. Cats normally become lactose intolerant once weaned, so if you want to try milk, you need to try lactose free milk. If you are feeding canned food, it already has a lot of water. Since you have a fountain, unless you can monitor it during the night, he may be getting more than you think. Also, cats are from desert creatures, so they don't drink as much water as, say a dog. You could see if he responds to an ice cube in his water bowl. Sometimes that is inviting for cats. To check your cat's hydration, gently grasp the skin between his shoulder blades, pull up slightly, and open your fingers to let go. If the skin snaps back into place immediately, your cat is well hydrated.
4. i had a few cats that did this.leave the water in your tub trickling.it will give the cat the fresh water it is looking for,or it will stop it.you can also give it fresh water,and put an ice cube in its bowl of water.this will cool the water,and the moving ice will catch the cats attention.it worked really good for me
5. My cats like drinking from a normal fountain where the water flows over a rock, no water trickling sound. Also, I have a big watering can (plastic) that I fill to the top. Don't have water or fountain near the food and or litter box. Put water in several locations, cats are lazy. If your cat only eats wet food the water intake is pretty high, if your cat eats mostly dry food put a water bowl in every room. change water every day, rinsing the bowls with hot water, no soap. Put a water bowl in the bath tub. If the cat drinks out of it try to slowly move the water bowl out of the bath tub. If it works I would just keep a water bowl in there.
6. I wonder if he isn't picking up nutrients from the buthtub... calcium maybe? Cats don't drink a ton of water - if you've got a large bowl, he may be drinking out of it without you noticing. If you are feeding canned food, he is probably getting a good portion of his fluids from that. Some ideas: 1. Measure water in to his bowl with a syringe. After 24 hrs, measure what is left with the syringe - see if you come up with the same number. 2. Try bottled water - see if he prefers the minerals i that. 3. Play with bowls, plates, and glasses. I have a cat that will only drink out of my MY glass, no matter how far she has to wedge her head in to it. I ended up giving her her own glass, which is kept on the bathroom sink - I fill it every time I brush my teeth (talk about my cat training me!) Other cats prefer saucers for the shallow container. 4. Dripping faucets. If he doesn't appear to be dehydrated (skin turgor should return to normal in less than 2 seconds), I honestly wouldn't worry about it. What I would be concerned about, is if he has suddenly started this behavior. Older gentlemen could be subject to various disease with increased drinking as a symptom, such as diabetes, hyperthyroid, and kidney disease. These can all be adressed with a blood sample at your you-know-who.
7. When I switched my cat to wet food I saw a dramatic decrease in the amount of water she drank. Is your cat on wet food? Cats originated from very dry climates, their bodies can do with very little water. (unless they have other issues...i.e. kidney ect.) As long as your cat is urinating daily, don't worry.
8. Try putting ice cubes on a plate. Maybe as they start to melt, he will lick the water off.
9. I have this concern with my cat, also. I let her come up on the sink, kitchen or bathroom, and leave the faucet on just for a slow stream. I also use a drinking glass and fill it with cold water and set it down on the coffee table or floor by me when I'm spending time with her, making sure I get this in front of her and pointing it out to her when I set it down so she knows it;s ok for her to drink. Also, the toilet bowl water is a good source as long as there are no chemicals added.