Cats exhibit a wide range of unique habits, and it might be difficult to explain what a cat does during the day. Scratching the floor before or after drinking water is one such incident that perplexes practically all cat owners.
When a cat drinks from a bowl, it paws, scrapes, or kneads the surface as if burying something. This peculiar habit is more prevalent than it appears, according to cat owners all across the world.
Cats scratch the floor before drinking water because they want to find where the water is since their close-up vision isn’t great, or they want to let you know if the water bowl isn’t clean, or they want to leave their smell near it.
It’s not a sign that your cat has a problem. This proclivity for kneading before drinking indicates that the cat possesses ancestor-like characteristics and feels at ease. In this essay, we’ll explain why cats behave in this manner.
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Why Do Cats Scratch The Ground Before Drinking Water?
Cats scratch the ground before drinking water because of his instinctive behaviour to mark territory. They are trying to place their own scent in the area and remove one of the other animals.
Wild cats frequently try to bury their food in the soil to keep it hidden from other predators in the vicinity. It masks the smell of the kill and prevents the location from being revealed.
If a pack contains cubs, any other species will be unable to detect their smell. Male cats who have not been neutered spray around the home to keep other cats away.
Food caching is the practise of keeping your kill concealed or out of reach of other animals. To conceal from animals, the North American bobcat tends to cover the kill with trash. The common home cat clawing the floor is most likely an example of the same behaviour.
Some cats even have a habit of hiding the food they don’t care for. They bury the meals they don’t like in the ground. Cats behave similarly in the litter box, burying their faeces inside the litter.
We may also take this into account because cats eat where they sleep, which is a means of keeping the sleeping area clean.
Although it may seem strange to link these characteristics to house cats’ scratching activity, it explains why cats scratch in the first place.
There’s another intriguing hypothesis about cats’ territorial instincts. Cats are territorial creatures that spray in various areas of the house to indicate their territory.
The majority of their smell glands are found in their cheeks. That’s why they smear their faces all over the place. In a multi-cat home, cats are more likely to exhibit this behaviour.
Scent glands are abundant in cat paws as well. The cat is presumably communicating that the water bowl belongs to it by clawing the floor beside it.
Scratching near the water dish is most likely a technique of expressing their happiness. Kneading is the term for it. Cats knead by softly rubbing their paws together and over a surface.
It’s a pleasurable sensation for the cat, and it’s comparable to human back massages. If the bowl is covered by a carpet or something made of hair, the cat is most likely pawing the surface and kneading for enjoyment.
It might also be seen as a sign of insecurity. It might be keeping an eye out for an easy escape if the need arises by pawing the surface.
It might also indicate that the cat is refusing to accept the changes in its daily routine. You should strive to stick to the current timetable and continue to introduce new members of the cat family. It will aid in the reduction of scratching the floor.
Let’s have a look at several other reasons why your cat claws the ground before taking a drink of water:
1. Not Able To See
Cats aren’t fond of items that are too near to their faces. If you’ve ever played with your cat, you know that if you place the toy close to his face, he may not see it.
They are nearsighted, but not hyperopic. Cats can’t focus on anything less than a foot in front of them due to their huge eyes, but their whiskers can swing forward to feel what they can’t see.
This implies that some cats may use their paws to test the field and then begin drinking once they are certain where the water is. Things put beneath the cat’s chin may be difficult to see; scratching around the water dish might assure them that there is no water and that they will not get wet if they approach too close.
2. Quest For Water
Some cat breeds were employed to find water by digging. This might have continued for many generations, especially if cats lived in areas where water was underground. Some cats have it in their DNA to dig before drinking, or, to put it another way, to dig to find water and then drink.
3. Dirty Water
Cats are notorious for being finicky about their living quarters; they don’t want their litter box or food bowl to be unclean. He will refuse to eat new food if you do not clean his food bowl beforehand.
Then, once he’s through eating, you have to clean the dish for the next meal. The same is true for the water bowl; if you do not replace the water and clean the dish on a daily basis, he will refuse to drink.
As a result, when your cat scrapes the floor before drinking water, he is attempting to disguise the bad odour of the water by cleaning it. As a result, it’s time to start changing the water and cleaning it.
4. Marking Territory
Scratching surfaces allowed cats to leave their smell and establish their territory. Your cat, for example, scratches the floor before drinking water to indicate his territory.
Cats do this to furniture and other household items. They could also seek to define the food and water environment as their domain.
5. Water Bowl Placed Near Food Bowl
Some cats dislike having their water bowl so close to their food bowl. In fact, they may not be able to sip water in such a situation and may scratch. Furthermore, the food odour may become excessively strong; leading them to believe the water is tainted. As a result, it is preferable to keep the water and food bowls separate.
Cats scratch around the food dish in an attempt to bury the food for a variety of reasons, including a dislike for the food or a desire to return and locate it later. They are, in their thoughts, storing food for when they need it.
Before drinking water or eating dry food, your cat can scratch the floor. My younger cat was always clawing around the food dish, making a mess, and because the water bowl was close by, she would strike it and spill food and water all over the place. I always assumed she was attempting to bury the food since she dug on the floor in the same manner as she dug in the litter box.
However, if the dry food was separated from the wet food, she would not do it. In other words, she would mostly dig up the dry food and strew it on the floor. So I’m not sure she had a problem with the water bowl in the first place.
Cat Meows Before Drinking Water
If your cat meows before drinking water, it’s possible that the bowl or the water is causing them problems. Replace the water dish with a ceramic or glass bowl and position it in a convenient location where they may readily drink water.
If your cat continues to meow after or before drinking water, it’s a sign that they aren’t feeling well.
While it’s charming when your cat meows as you take out some freshwater to refill their dish be cautious if they meow before and after drinking water.
There is a distinction to be made between meowing and yowling. It’s possible that your cat yowls after drinking water since the process of drinking is causing discomfort in their kidneys.
Why Do Cats Cry Before Drinking Water?
The cat’s howling and crying before drinking indicates that he is apprehensive about experiencing pain while drinking.
If that’s the case, something is hurting the cat while he’s drinking. There are various possible responses. One of the reasons he is in agony is that he has poor oral health owing to gum disease and decayed teeth. It would be uncomfortable to sip cold water.
This is backed by the fact that many of these cats are elderly and have a higher likelihood of having poor dental health, which can be difficult to detect.
Howling is also prevalent in old cats and is thought to be caused by bewilderment, which might be caused by early-stage dementia.
There hasn’t been much published on feline dementia. There’s no reason why it shouldn’t exist as widely as it does in the human population.
Air pollution is a serious problem in today’s globe, as we all know. Many cats live outside and share the same air. Air pollution has been related to dementia in studies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my cat shake her paw when she drinks water?
If cats come across anything unpleasant or become wet, they may try shaking it off with their paws. Even yet, if they do it frequently, they are unlikely to develop a medical issue. If you notice something unusual, don’t be afraid to ask the vet.
Why do cats upset their water bowl?
Cats can get thirsty as a result of diabetes, renal disease, or thyroid problems. If they’re not feeling well, they may drink from their water bowls more frequently and make a mess by splashing or pawing at the water. They may also seek water from other sources, such as a faucet or a toilet.
Why is my cat obsessed with playing with water?
Cats are attracted to everything that moves, and water is a great mover. Because it’s shiny and reflecting, and it travels swiftly, like their favourite toys, your cat could love batting at rushing water from the tap.
Final Words
Cats are cute, but they have a tendency to engage in queer behaviour, such as clawing the floor before drinking water. They may be acting this way because they are unhappy with the water, or just because it is instinctual. They may do it for a variety of reasons, including curiosity, enjoyment, or tension.
Leave your questions in the comments section below.
