Pet owner's clever hack taps into quirky instinct to get cats drinking more water

Every cat owner knows the pain of trying to get their cat to drink enough water by topping up their own water bowl, only to discover them trying to take a sip from coffee mugs, sink taps and buckets.

One pet owner on TikTok has discovered a hilarious yet effective way to get her cats to stay hydrated, while still catering to what seems like an innate need to "steal" water.

The video, which has been viewed 2.4 million times, shows the owner's two orange cats drinking from a makeshift water container, made by cutting a hole into a big plastic container of water.

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"The water container I made for the cats with a bucket of water makes them think they're stealing my water again. They all rush to drink from it," said the owner.

Other cat owners shared their cat's stories in the comments.

"I have special cup on my bedside table which I keep for cats, but they think that is my cup and drink from it more often than from their water bowl - flawless crime," one commenter remarked.

"I used to leave random cups of water on the floor for my cats. The taste of theft was their favorite flavor," another joked.

Other's shared their cat's favourite vessel.

"My cats wouldn't drink water in their little bowls but would drink from dirty buckets outside. So I bought a big red bucket and put it on my counter and they love it!" said one.

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"Ours is goldfish bowl with a floating ceramic fish. They tap the fish and causes the water to ripple. It also shows them the water level. Started from a coffee table decoration. Works!" another added.

Others gave an explanation as to why this happens.

"Cats like to drink from our cups because they find it suspicious that we never drink from theirs and assume there may be something bad about it," said one.

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They "steal" your water cause they know it's safe to drink.

"My cats (mostly) stopped drinking from my cups when I got them a water fountain bowl. They naturally prefer flowing or 'fresh' water," added another.

9honey's resident vet Dr Katrina Warren confirms this is true.

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"Many cats prefer to drink running water. You might have witnessed your feline friend drinking from a dripping faucet, running tap, or pawing at the surface of their water bowl," she shared.

"This trait has persisted through generations, and many domestic cats are fascinated with running water. Flowing water is often fresher and less likely to harbour contaminants – water left standing in a bowl for extended periods can become a breeding ground for bacteria."

Warren shared that to combat this, cat owners can provide fresh water, multiple sources of water in safe locations, using shallow, wide bowls so that their whisker's don't get oversensitive, and giving them wet food to up their hydration.

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