Why does a cat touch water with its paws before drinking: there are four reasons

Cat owners often observe an interesting behavior in their pets: before drinking water, cats often touch it with their paws, as if testing it. It's advisable not to leave a filled glass in a place accessible to the cat.

Sometimes, in an attempt to "rinse their paws" in the owner's cup, cats may accidentally knock it over or splash water on the floor. OBOZREVATEL explored why cats exhibit this behavior before drinking water.

Reason 1.

If the cat is used to wetting its paw in its water bowl, likely, it is just playing. The cat's bowl is on the floor, so it usually gets small debris, dust, and crumbs. All this becomes a kind of entertainment for the animal. The cat can simply catch what floats in its bowl.

Reason 2.

Cats put their paws in the owner's glass or cup of water when they are thirsty, but the container is too narrow to reach the water with their muzzle. There is another reason: the cat doesn't want to get its whiskers wet, so it dips its paw in the glass and licks the water off. Some pets turn the cups over to drink the spilled liquid.

Reason 3.

By dipping its paw into the container, the cat may simply be checking to see if there is enough water in it. Veterinarians also say that in this way the animal can make sure that no predators are lurking in the water and that it is safe to drink.

Reason 4.

Cats instinctively avoid drinking stagnant water. In the wild, predatory animals prefer water from flowing sources as stagnant water poses a risk of hosting dangerous microbes.

While cats can drink from fresh rain puddles, they often touch the water with their paws first to assess its quality and safety.

Earlier, OBOZREVATEL told you which indoor plants are poisonous for cats.

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