Why do cats like drinking water from the tap?

In the latest video in the Simon’s Cat Logic series, animator Simon Tofield and Cats Protection’s Behaviour Manager Nicky Trevorrow have teamed up to explore cats’ relationship with water.

“My cats are always curled up in my sink, fast asleep,” says Simon. “Another thing they do is lick from the tap when they’re thirsty, even if there’s a water bowl below, they’ll always go for the dripping water!”

Nicky explains why cats are fascinated by running water.

“In the home environment, some cats prefer a running tap, for example or maybe a drinking fountain,” she says. “This makes sense from an African wildcat perspective, where they would naturally drink from fresh running streams rather than a stagnant pool.”

Photo by Lisa Zins via flickr / Creative Commons

Cats also prefer to have their food bowl and their water bowl separated from each other. In an evolutionary sense this allows them to avoid water that may be contaminated with waste from prey.

If you want to learn more about your cat’s behaviour and why they act the way they do, visit our online behaviour hub.

Does your cat love running water? Let us know on Twitter @catsprotection and use the hashtag #SimonsCatLogic.