Cats drink water "as if they're doing the equations in their head."
October 2, 2014 8:07 AM Subscribe
NPR's 2010 story about "the conclusive study of how cats drink." With videos.
They describe it this way: "First, they move the tip of their tongue onto the surface of the water to flick the water up so that a little jet of liquid flies into the air. Then, in a flash, they catch the jet in their mouth."
Dogs, on the other hand "simply scoop up the water with their tongues."
One of the scientists also completed an exhaustive study of how dogs shake themselves dry.
They describe it this way: "First, they move the tip of their tongue onto the surface of the water to flick the water up so that a little jet of liquid flies into the air. Then, in a flash, they catch the jet in their mouth."
Dogs, on the other hand "simply scoop up the water with their tongues."
One of the scientists also completed an exhaustive study of how dogs shake themselves dry.
My white fluffy cat (RIP) would stick his paw in the glass and then lick his paw.
posted by Sticherbeast at 8:12 AM on October 2, 2014 [11 favorites]
posted by Sticherbeast at 8:12 AM on October 2, 2014 [11 favorites]
I guess my cat's defective then because she has some weird complex about having her head touched by anything, so she sits at her water bowl, dunks both paws in at once, and drinks from her soaked toes instead.
She is currently dripping water all over my feet as I type this. Thanks, cat.
posted by Hermione Granger at 8:12 AM on October 2, 2014 [9 favorites]
She is currently dripping water all over my feet as I type this. Thanks, cat.
posted by Hermione Granger at 8:12 AM on October 2, 2014 [9 favorites]
You don't induce the cat to drink; you just wait until the cat decides to drink
I have no idea why cats don't just do it the ordinary way
These two quotes basically sum up all cat behavior.
posted by desjardins at 8:12 AM on October 2, 2014 [19 favorites]
I have no idea why cats don't just do it the ordinary way
These two quotes basically sum up all cat behavior.
posted by desjardins at 8:12 AM on October 2, 2014 [19 favorites]
also, I have one cat who generally won't drink if he's being watched.
posted by desjardins at 8:13 AM on October 2, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by desjardins at 8:13 AM on October 2, 2014 [3 favorites]
Two fingers of scotch, neat. Of course.
Dogs, on the other hand, chug beer.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 8:13 AM on October 2, 2014 [4 favorites]
Dogs, on the other hand, chug beer.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 8:13 AM on October 2, 2014 [4 favorites]
My white fluffy cat (RIP) would stick his paw in the glass and then lick his paw.
My cat does this if he sees anything on or in the water, including a few of his own hairs. I have tried to convey that his paws have more hair on them than the water, but he doesn't listen.
posted by almostmanda at 8:18 AM on October 2, 2014 [8 favorites]
My cat does this if he sees anything on or in the water, including a few of his own hairs. I have tried to convey that his paws have more hair on them than the water, but he doesn't listen.
posted by almostmanda at 8:18 AM on October 2, 2014 [8 favorites]
My white fluffy cat (RIP) would stick his paw in the glass and then lick his paw
And of course you wouldn't hesitate to drink out of that glass afterward, you cat lover.
posted by waving at 8:21 AM on October 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
And of course you wouldn't hesitate to drink out of that glass afterward, you cat lover.
posted by waving at 8:21 AM on October 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
My cat must make a digging motion with his paws prior to drinking his water. One time, when the water dried up overnight (so he was thirstier than normal when I refilled the water bowl), he skipped this step. But then after a few moments of drinking, he realized his oversight, stopped, made a few cursory digs on the floor and then resumed drinking.
posted by Kurichina at 8:27 AM on October 2, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by Kurichina at 8:27 AM on October 2, 2014 [3 favorites]
CAT FACTS
posted by winna at 8:31 AM on October 2, 2014 [9 favorites]
posted by winna at 8:31 AM on October 2, 2014 [9 favorites]
> My white fluffy cat (RIP) would stick his paw in the glass and then lick his paw
And of course you wouldn't hesitate to drink out of that glass afterward, you cat lover.
In our house, if a glass of water (or any other drinkable liquid for that matter) has been sitting somewhere unattended, it's safe to assume that someone has stuck their fluffy little paw in there. And no, I wouldn't hesitate to drink out of that glass, as our cat doesn't get out much (i.e. at all) and after all these years, we basically share the same germs anyway.
And yeah, our cat also does this paw licking routine. I think it helps that he has massive tufts of fur between his toes which he can soak up and then lick dry.
posted by daniel_charms at 8:33 AM on October 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
And of course you wouldn't hesitate to drink out of that glass afterward, you cat lover.
In our house, if a glass of water (or any other drinkable liquid for that matter) has been sitting somewhere unattended, it's safe to assume that someone has stuck their fluffy little paw in there. And no, I wouldn't hesitate to drink out of that glass, as our cat doesn't get out much (i.e. at all) and after all these years, we basically share the same germs anyway.
And yeah, our cat also does this paw licking routine. I think it helps that he has massive tufts of fur between his toes which he can soak up and then lick dry.
posted by daniel_charms at 8:33 AM on October 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
My cat apparently has a drinking problem. The vet thinks he doesn't drink enough, so I have been trying to coax him into drinking more by adding a little home made chicken broth. Yes, I am cooking for my cat. When I add the broth (just a little in a bowl of water) he stares at it with a sort of perplexed expression, looks at me in disbelief, and walks off. Then, overnight, he scoops like half his water out onto the floor. He is a dickens, my cat.
On the other hand, when I catch him drinking, his little pink tongue is super-cute. I do not believe he is doing equations in his head, though. He may be composing sestinas.
posted by GenjiandProust at 8:36 AM on October 2, 2014 [6 favorites]
On the other hand, when I catch him drinking, his little pink tongue is super-cute. I do not believe he is doing equations in his head, though. He may be composing sestinas.
posted by GenjiandProust at 8:36 AM on October 2, 2014 [6 favorites]
almostmanda, we found that a water fountain (Drinkwell is good) prevents our cat that habitually does the cleaning-the-top-of-water thing from throwing water all over the place (most of the time). If the surface is in motion he doesn't seem to need to clean it off as much.
posted by Curious Artificer at 8:36 AM on October 2, 2014
posted by Curious Artificer at 8:36 AM on October 2, 2014
What? Share stupid cat habits? Don't mind if I do!
My cat will frequently reject both her indoor water bowl (clean) and her outdoor water dish (mostly clean) in favor of drinking rainwater off of one of the patio chairs or even better, water that has filtered through the potted sago palm and is now resting in the saucer at the bottom. Why drink clean water when it could taste like dirt instead?
(the dog, however, will just drink out of whichever water dish I point at)
posted by komara at 8:37 AM on October 2, 2014 [5 favorites]
My cat will frequently reject both her indoor water bowl (clean) and her outdoor water dish (mostly clean) in favor of drinking rainwater off of one of the patio chairs or even better, water that has filtered through the potted sago palm and is now resting in the saucer at the bottom. Why drink clean water when it could taste like dirt instead?
(the dog, however, will just drink out of whichever water dish I point at)
posted by komara at 8:37 AM on October 2, 2014 [5 favorites]
My cat lurks outside my shower door like a serial killer, so she can lunge in there and lick the walls and shower door. She does the happy dance, "blert, blert, blert!" song while I shower, just so I know she's out there, ready for her shower, thanks.
She also drinks the water in the potted plant trays. She's weird, but I lurves her.
posted by dejah420 at 8:50 AM on October 2, 2014 [3 favorites]
She also drinks the water in the potted plant trays. She's weird, but I lurves her.
posted by dejah420 at 8:50 AM on October 2, 2014 [3 favorites]
I have a combo drink-with-paws and shower-jawa cat. He is the worst cat.
posted by sandettie light vessel automatic at 8:55 AM on October 2, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by sandettie light vessel automatic at 8:55 AM on October 2, 2014 [2 favorites]
Is he shiny?
posted by The Gaffer at 8:58 AM on October 2, 2014 [13 favorites]
posted by The Gaffer at 8:58 AM on October 2, 2014 [13 favorites]
We have one of those cat fountains. One of our cats just sticks her entire head under it and seems to get whatever water dribbles into her mouth. Her head is always soaking wet.
posted by miyabo at 9:10 AM on October 2, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by miyabo at 9:10 AM on October 2, 2014 [3 favorites]
I can't tell what my cat's little pink tongue looks like when she drinks because her head is normally halfway down my pint glass of water. (And it had better be water. If I have a can of soda in the spot on the windowsill where I leave my water, she'll knock it over, and she's come so close to doing that with pint glasses of water that I just leave mine on the floor now.)
posted by immlass at 9:21 AM on October 2, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by immlass at 9:21 AM on October 2, 2014 [2 favorites]
A former roommate had a cat whose preferred drinking method was to turn on the faucet in the bathroom in the middle of the night, then stick his entire head under the running water.... ever hear the phrase "go soak your head"? Yeah, that was him. Then he'd climb into my bed to sleep with me.
Ever wake up to a giant soaking-wet sponge on your feet? A 20-pound sponge with claws, for extra fun. Damn cat.
posted by easily confused at 9:23 AM on October 2, 2014 [7 favorites]
Ever wake up to a giant soaking-wet sponge on your feet? A 20-pound sponge with claws, for extra fun. Damn cat.
posted by easily confused at 9:23 AM on October 2, 2014 [7 favorites]
I've seen the equations. I asked my cat to write them out once. They're not very impressive. Most of the fluid dynamics is wrong.
My sister's cat used to do the whole paw-grabby thing, but with his food. Stupid cat, you have no opposable thumbs! You are getting food everywhere but into your mouth, cat!
posted by 1adam12 at 9:38 AM on October 2, 2014 [3 favorites]
My sister's cat used to do the whole paw-grabby thing, but with his food. Stupid cat, you have no opposable thumbs! You are getting food everywhere but into your mouth, cat!
posted by 1adam12 at 9:38 AM on October 2, 2014 [3 favorites]
Two fingers of scotch, neat. Of course.
Dogs, on the other hand, chug beer.
somehow, I don't think of a cat drinking scotch, especially a heavily peated one. more like brandy or sherry.
posted by ChuckRamone at 9:40 AM on October 2, 2014
Dogs, on the other hand, chug beer.
somehow, I don't think of a cat drinking scotch, especially a heavily peated one. more like brandy or sherry.
posted by ChuckRamone at 9:40 AM on October 2, 2014
One of my cats does the sticking-her-paw-in-water thing. Another of my cats mainly only likes to drink from a dripping faucet. My third cat drinks out of a bowl on the floor. That is my report on how all of my cats drink. Memail me for videos.
posted by Cookiebastard at 9:41 AM on October 2, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by Cookiebastard at 9:41 AM on October 2, 2014 [4 favorites]
My new-ish kitten-cats (thanks, AskMe!) drink:
1) out of their Drinkwell fountain
2) from the kitchen faucet, letting it pour on their heads
3) out of the bathroom sink
3) by licking my legs directly after I've showered, sending me into paroxysms of laughter and them skidding all over the tub.
posted by tzikeh at 10:00 AM on October 2, 2014 [2 favorites]
1) out of their Drinkwell fountain
2) from the kitchen faucet, letting it pour on their heads
3) out of the bathroom sink
3) by licking my legs directly after I've showered, sending me into paroxysms of laughter and them skidding all over the tub.
posted by tzikeh at 10:00 AM on October 2, 2014 [2 favorites]
My cat only drinks out of his dish, and only after dragging the dish (it is on a little towel) at least six inches from its original spot*. We have to play 'where's the water dish' every time we enter the kitchen. Yesterday, he did this for about half an hour before I got a clue and dumped the original clean-looking water out and poured some new water back in.
That cat's lucky he's so damn cute.
*No, the water dish does not live near the food, yes I realize cats like to keep 'em separate.
posted by dinty_moore at 10:11 AM on October 2, 2014 [3 favorites]
That cat's lucky he's so damn cute.
*No, the water dish does not live near the food, yes I realize cats like to keep 'em separate.
posted by dinty_moore at 10:11 AM on October 2, 2014 [3 favorites]
When my niece was 7 or 8, I told her that cats drink wine, dogs drink beer. She had no idea what "wine" and "beer" were, but it seemed to make sense to her.
posted by Zerowensboring at 10:12 AM on October 2, 2014
posted by Zerowensboring at 10:12 AM on October 2, 2014
Ever wake up to a giant soaking-wet sponge on your feet? A 20-pound sponge with claws, for extra fun.
Every dang night. My cat loves her automatic water fountain - she sticks her head under the running water every time exactly like this weirdo cat. Reminds me of this silly little dog .
posted by sockermom at 10:29 AM on October 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
Every dang night. My cat loves her automatic water fountain - she sticks her head under the running water every time exactly like this weirdo cat. Reminds me of this silly little dog .
posted by sockermom at 10:29 AM on October 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
My boyfriend bought me this specifically to keep hairy little cat feet out of my water glass.
posted by wreckingball at 10:32 AM on October 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by wreckingball at 10:32 AM on October 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
I bought a cup with a screw on cap pretty fast after I got my cat - there's no way I'm drinking something he stuck his foot in, he uses it to dig in his litter box. Yuck.
posted by InfidelZombie at 10:53 AM on October 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by InfidelZombie at 10:53 AM on October 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
My boyfriend bought me this specifically to keep hairy little cat feet out of my water glass.
My husband says he's getting me a sippy cup.
posted by immlass at 10:55 AM on October 2, 2014
My husband says he's getting me a sippy cup.
posted by immlass at 10:55 AM on October 2, 2014
Our cat used not to drink much water. I started putting containers of water around the house in the hopes that she'd drink from them and discovered that her favorite kind is the basic mid-sized transparent plastic takeout container tub - she really likes plastic, and she likes to be able to see out of the dish when she has her head down. When I started putting her drinking bowl on my dresser so that when I am at home lying in bed she is up higher than I am and can keep an eye on me, she started drinking a lot more water. Basically, I think she didn't feel very safe when she was drinking until the dish was up high and visibility was good.
For the first few months of the new regime, she would bat the dish onto the floor when she was mad at me but for some reason she decided to stop that.
posted by Frowner at 10:57 AM on October 2, 2014 [5 favorites]
For the first few months of the new regime, she would bat the dish onto the floor when she was mad at me but for some reason she decided to stop that.
posted by Frowner at 10:57 AM on October 2, 2014 [5 favorites]
One of my cats also only drinks by dunking her paw in whatever liquid is handy (glasses of water, toilet, dripping faucet).. with the bonus factor that she absolutely hates having wet paws, so she always looks incredibly annoyed when she does it.
posted by zug at 11:14 AM on October 2, 2014
posted by zug at 11:14 AM on October 2, 2014
What have you people done? I can watch the dog video, but I already knew how dogs do it, and how sloppy they are. The cat video gives me "File not found."
I figure you guys broke it.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 11:23 AM on October 2, 2014
I figure you guys broke it.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 11:23 AM on October 2, 2014
My dear old tortoiseshell drinks water from the filter to our fish tank like it was a cat bubbler. She doesn't give two shits about the fish but loves that water.
She also chases our pitbull puppy around the house. She is maybe 8 pounds and he must be almost 30 by now and she's roughly the size of his head, and he is terrified of her. Like "won't walk down the stairs if she's lying on them" scared.
That second thing had nothing to do with water, but the sight of her chasing our dog around the house is hilarious and I had to share.
posted by Elementary Penguin at 11:44 AM on October 2, 2014
She also chases our pitbull puppy around the house. She is maybe 8 pounds and he must be almost 30 by now and she's roughly the size of his head, and he is terrified of her. Like "won't walk down the stairs if she's lying on them" scared.
That second thing had nothing to do with water, but the sight of her chasing our dog around the house is hilarious and I had to share.
posted by Elementary Penguin at 11:44 AM on October 2, 2014
My cat washes his paws in the water dish after using the litterbox.
And yes, drinks from it afterwards.
posted by Foosnark at 11:52 AM on October 2, 2014
And yes, drinks from it afterwards.
posted by Foosnark at 11:52 AM on October 2, 2014
When my niece was 7 or 8, I told her that cats drink wine, dogs drink beer.
My cat loved wine. If we were having a dinner party and people were sitting around, wine glasses in hand, you'd sometimes feel a paw tugging your arm down, and turn to see Punkin's face buried in your wine glass. We never let her have much, cause she was kind of a mean drunk.
posted by xedrik at 11:56 AM on October 2, 2014 [5 favorites]
My cat loved wine. If we were having a dinner party and people were sitting around, wine glasses in hand, you'd sometimes feel a paw tugging your arm down, and turn to see Punkin's face buried in your wine glass. We never let her have much, cause she was kind of a mean drunk.
posted by xedrik at 11:56 AM on October 2, 2014 [5 favorites]
She also chases our pitbull puppy around the house. She is maybe 8 pounds and he must be almost 30 by now and she's roughly the size of his head, and he is terrified of her. Like "won't walk down the stairs if she's lying on them" scared.
That second thing had nothing to do with water, but the sight of her chasing our dog around the house is hilarious and I had to share.
Next door has a cat, and next door has chickens. The cat is a small young black cat, sort of springy and truculent-looking with bright yellow eyes. The cat chases the chickens all the time. There they'll be, just clucking and pecking along and then they'll just explode up into the air with loud cries and there will be that wicked black cat running away. Then it will stalk them again and chase them across the yard. I'm sure it's pretty stressful for the chickens and I actually feel that Steps Should Be Taken, but it's sure funny to watch.
posted by Frowner at 12:18 PM on October 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
That second thing had nothing to do with water, but the sight of her chasing our dog around the house is hilarious and I had to share.
Next door has a cat, and next door has chickens. The cat is a small young black cat, sort of springy and truculent-looking with bright yellow eyes. The cat chases the chickens all the time. There they'll be, just clucking and pecking along and then they'll just explode up into the air with loud cries and there will be that wicked black cat running away. Then it will stalk them again and chase them across the yard. I'm sure it's pretty stressful for the chickens and I actually feel that Steps Should Be Taken, but it's sure funny to watch.
posted by Frowner at 12:18 PM on October 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
My white fluffy cat (RIP) would stick his paw in the glass and then lick his paw.
posted by Sticherbeast
When I lived with Rosa (the best black kitty ever) I used travel mugs in the house for just this reason.
posted by workerant at 12:23 PM on October 2, 2014
posted by Sticherbeast
When I lived with Rosa (the best black kitty ever) I used travel mugs in the house for just this reason.
posted by workerant at 12:23 PM on October 2, 2014
The videos on that link are faulty. We learned yesterday that Dogs Drink By Biting Off Chunks of Water and Chewing Them.
posted by janey47 at 1:11 PM on October 2, 2014
posted by janey47 at 1:11 PM on October 2, 2014
When I lived with Rosa (the best black kitty ever) I used travel mugs in the house for just this reason.
posted by workerant
And cats say humans can't be taught tricks!
posted by janey47 at 1:12 PM on October 2, 2014
posted by workerant
And cats say humans can't be taught tricks!
posted by janey47 at 1:12 PM on October 2, 2014
Our older cat, who asks me to turn the shower on so she can lick water off the floor, often disdains both her still (refilled daily) water bowl and her fountain in favor of old glasses of water by the bedside whose surface is covered in dust, cat fur, and on one memorable occasion, a dead fly.
posted by telophase at 1:38 PM on October 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by telophase at 1:38 PM on October 2, 2014 [1 favorite]
My cat drinks by breaking my spirit and then licking up the tears.
posted by um at 5:44 PM on October 2, 2014 [5 favorites]
posted by um at 5:44 PM on October 2, 2014 [5 favorites]
My roommate's cat loves the waterbowl. He'll snuggle up against it to nap. However, he has a bad habit of resting his chin on the rim, and when he reaches that point of catnap where the whole cat just goes limp, he ends up going muzzle first straight into the water and waking himself up coughing and sputtering.
He's also not a very bright cat, so he never learns from this experience.
posted by radwolf76 at 7:48 PM on October 2, 2014 [4 favorites]
He's also not a very bright cat, so he never learns from this experience.
posted by radwolf76 at 7:48 PM on October 2, 2014 [4 favorites]
She is maybe 8 pounds and he must be almost 30 by now and she's roughly the size of his head, and he is terrified of her.
About 20 years ago we had an Irish Wolfhound, teeth like a Tyrannosaur and weighing about 170lbs. Then we got a kitten, really young, who I could hold on the palm of my hand.
I’ve never forgotten how terrified the wolfhound was of this little ball of fluff that was about the size of the end of its nose… we would hear whining, find that the kitten has backed the dog into a corner, and have to rescue it.
Mind you, that dog was scared of manhole covers, was addicted to apple cores, and ate horse crap, so it was a pretty strange beast all ways round.
posted by 43rdAnd9th at 11:54 PM on October 2, 2014 [2 favorites]
About 20 years ago we had an Irish Wolfhound, teeth like a Tyrannosaur and weighing about 170lbs. Then we got a kitten, really young, who I could hold on the palm of my hand.
I’ve never forgotten how terrified the wolfhound was of this little ball of fluff that was about the size of the end of its nose… we would hear whining, find that the kitten has backed the dog into a corner, and have to rescue it.
Mind you, that dog was scared of manhole covers, was addicted to apple cores, and ate horse crap, so it was a pretty strange beast all ways round.
posted by 43rdAnd9th at 11:54 PM on October 2, 2014 [2 favorites]
Kittens really don't know their own size. Here's one picking a fight with a Doberman.
posted by desjardins at 9:00 AM on October 3, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by desjardins at 9:00 AM on October 3, 2014 [1 favorite]
There's something seriously wrong with that hearing chart in the BBC article YAMWAK linked to. the bars and numbers don't correlate. For instance, the human range is supposedly 31 to 19000 Hz, but the bar stops at 10000 Hz. The rabbit one is even worse.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 4:58 PM on October 3, 2014
posted by Kirth Gerson at 4:58 PM on October 3, 2014
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