Why Does My Cat Spill Water?

Everyone probably knows that most kittens and cats suffer from water phobia. They get too anxious when they accidentally get wet or when you’re trying to bathe them.

Nevertheless, sometimes the cat’s playful nature will help it overcome its fear, so it will play with water and splash it everywhere. So, why does my car spill water? Does it simply want to play?

Having a clean and safe house is crucial for you and your cat. You definitely want your feline to enjoy its time, but this doesn’t mean that you should just live with wet floors as a fact of life. Keep on reading to learn why cats spill their water and what to do about it.

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Why Does My Cat Spill Water?

Wet floors are dangerous. You can slip and fall, or the water can damage your furniture, flooring, and electric appliances. So, why does your cat spill its water bowl? Here are a few reasons.

Cats are playful by nature. When you’re not paying attention to their emotional and physical needs, cats can engage in several destructive and annoying behaviors. Your cat might be spilling water because it’s a thrilling activity, and it needs to play.
Some cat breeds aren’t intimidated by water. They will play with water and spill it, just like they play with anything else.
You might not be scheduling enough play activities for your cat. If your feline doesn’t have access to adequate toys, or you don’t spend enough time playing with it, it will try to come up with a new game. This might be the reason why it spills water, as you didn’t provide any other option.
Kittens usually spill water as part of understanding their environment. They touch and examine different things, and spilling water happens to be one of these activities.
Your cat might be spilling water because it can’t access the water bowl. If the bowl is too deep or narrow, your feline might be spilling water to make it more accessible.
If you misplace the water bowl, your kitty will tap it over and spill the water. Placing the water bowl too close to the walls might seem convenient to you, but it actually bothers the cat.

Cat’s whiskers are too sensitive, and every time it tries to drink, the whiskers will touch the wall and make the cat uncomfortable. This is why your feline will spill the water, so its whiskers don’t have to touch the wall every time it wants to drink.

Your cat might not be hydrated enough. By spilling the water, the cat might be trying to attract your attention to make you notice the problem.
Some cats spill water because they suffer from health issues. Suffering from diabetes or kidney diseases can make your cat get too thirsty, so it might spill the water.
Your cat might be wounded or injured. It will try to put its paw in the water if it’s hurt and might accidentally spill the water.
If you haven’t changed the water, the cat might spill it. Cats prefer fresh and clean water, so they will spill stagnant and dirty water because it’s undesirable.
Anxiety and stress can also push your cat to spill water and engage in other annoying behaviors. If you leave your cat alone for long hours, it might suffer from separation anxiety, and it will do several things to make you know that it’s not feeling well.
If you have multiple cats in the house, they might be fighting over water, so one of them might accidentally spill the water bowl.

How Can You Stop Your Cat From Spilling Water?

The process of training your cat requires love, patience, and dedication. You shouldn’t ignore your cat’s annoying or unusual behavior because it will only get worse. Here are a few things that you can do to stop your cat from spilling water.

Get an adequate water bowl. A flimsy bowl that doesn’t stay stable is likely to move with the slightest movement. You should make sure that the water bowl has a stable base or stays glued to the ground so the water doesn’t spill even if the cat moves the bowl. Make sure that bowl is shallow, or pick a heavy bowl that won’t tip over easily.
Keep the water cold but not ice-cold, so your cats will find it refreshing and inviting.
Avoid putting any floaters in the water bowl. They might look nice, but your cat will view them as entertaining toys. As a result, cats will keep on playing with them and spill the water on the floor.
Invest in a water fountain that allows multiple cats to drink at the same time. There are usually different types of flow settings that provide your felines with the needed hydration. The fountain design guarantees that the water is always flowing, so it’s fresh and tasty.
In a multi-pet household, make sure that there’s enough water for every cat in the house. In some cases, your bigger cats might be competing with the weaker, older, or even younger ones, so they eventually fight and spill water.
Fill the water bowl with fresh and clean water at least once a day. Your cat might be spilling the water because it wants to force you to change the water regularly.
Don’t ignore your cat’s playful nature. Cats need to interact with humans and have access to fun toys. Otherwise, they will channel this energy and engage in undesirable behaviors.
Be patient if you have a young kitten or multiple kittens that keep on spilling water. Remember that kittens are too young, so lots of patience is needed.

Kittens probably think that water bowls are toys, so they will keep playing with the water bowl until you introduce other toys. Once your cat is 7 or 8 months old, you’ll notice that it’s acting more maturely and that the frequency of spilling water has declined.

Don’t leave your cat alone for long periods. Your cat might be punishing you because you don’t spend enough time with it.
It might help if you set up the water bowl or water fountain in the bathroom. This way, if the cat accidentally spills the water, you’ll be able to clean the floors easily.
Take your cat to the vet and have it checked. This will help the vet determine if there are any health issues that might be causing the feline to be thirsty.
Pay attention to your feline and make sure that it’s not stressed or anxious. Your cat might be trying to draw your attention to a problem that is bothering it, like someone who is hitting the cat or another pet that is attacking it.
If you can’t stop your kitty from playing with water, you can teach it to play with the water bowl when it’s placed in the bathtub or shower. Use treats and toys to encourage your cat to play with the water in the designated area.

Final Thoughts

Although most cats are intimidated by water, some of them actually like playing with it and will even spill the water bowl. This can be a real problem because you might discover the spilled water at the end of the day after it has wet rugs or damaged electric appliances.

Have your cat checked by the vet to make sure that it’s not suffering from any health issues. If you have a kitten that spills water, it will probably grow out of this behavior when it becomes a little older.

You should make sure that the water bowl is stable and adequately placed to prevent the water from spilling it. A stable water fountain can be a better option because it circulates the water to keep it fresh.