Why Do Cats Scratch The Floor Before They Drink Water

I have 4 cats and they all do the same thing.

Why do cats scratch the floor before they drink water.

A common mistake cat owners make is that when their cat swipes their paw on the floor around their food dish they think that they are covering up the food like they would their poop in a litter box. They walk over to the water bowl lower their faces near the surface of the water and stick out their tongues to get a little drink. A cat sits and screams at her water bowl for several minutes before taking a drink and the behavior has been going on for four years. For other cats though a front paw becomes a vital tool when thirst strikes.

Many cat owners assume this is a clear sign that the cat isn t interested in the food. Gracie has always scratched and clawed on and around the bowl before she drinks. For many cats drinking water is a simple process. Sometimes i would go through 3 or 4 cans of cat food being scratched at before the cat would eat someth.

Why does my cat yowl at the water dish before drinking. In fact your pet is demonstrating an instinct shared even by the big cats and it is a very positive sign that it is feeling at home in your house. It took me years to understand why my cat gracie does that. Why do these cats dip a paw in the water and then use it almost as if they re licking a popsicle.

Cats who splish their water before drinking may in fact be attempting to achieve a similar effect. If you cat engages in this oddly cute behavior consider getting her one of those recirculating water fountains now commercially available for cats. She makes a mess. This is not an unusual behavior.

In the wild cats don t come back to a meal they ve stored for several days. They have a water dish on the floor by their food and also have a 4 cup measuring cup in the bathroom and before they have a drink they do some sort of scratching with one or sometimes both of their paws in front of the dish or cup before they drink. If you re feline pal has taken the time to physically cover his food rather than just pawing on the floor he s just going the extra mile. As was mentioned below they usually scratch around their food bowl either after eating or before if they don t like what you are feeding them.

Before or after your kitten or cat eats or drinks it may paw scratch or knead the floor as if it is digging or burying something. There s nothing wrong with your cat.