Why is my cat pawing at her water bowl?

Cats are generally afraid of water. That's why it is surprising to see them when they start tapping on their water bowl and spitting water all over the floor.

Tapping on water and spilling it on the floor can be due to several reasons. Some of those are mental, but they sometimes show certain health issues.

Introduction
Pawing at the water bowl or playing with it or even splashing in the water dish is not unusual for cats as you all may think.

Some cats love water as long as it's not aimed directly at them, as it happens during the bath. They think about water as a fun toy. They love the mirror-like surface and the way it splashes when they hit it.

For some cats running water is better than still water kept in a dish for hours. That's why some cats prefer to drink aerated water directly from the tap, fountain, or even from the toilet.

Many cats walk over to the bowl, lower their faces near the surface of the bowl and stick out their tongues to get a little drink. For other cats, a front paw becomes an important tool when thirst strikes. There are a few reasons for this behavior.

Whisker Discomfort
The whiskers on your cat's face are sensitive and touch-related hairs; they are more deeply rooted than normal hairs and rich in nerve endings. If the bowl is too small or deep, the whiskers can get squished when the cat lowers their head for a drink. 

To avoid discomfort, a cat may learn it's easier to just dip a paw in the water. It's better to have a shallow, wide bowl that can be refilled every day for cats with long whiskers. It gives comfort to them. And to avoid pawing use a deep, narrow bowl.

Moving Water
Running water is seen as fresh and is less likely to be contaminated, whereas still and stagnant water that sits and does not flow anywhere is a growing area for bad bacteria and disease.

Instead of licking the water from the bowl, they try to pretend to be a running source by tapping with their paws in the bowl and making the water move.

The Water Level
Cat dip their paws into the liquid right before drinking any water, a good guess is that the cat is trying to figure out what the water level is.

It is easier to see, they start tapping on it with the paw, and it turns into moving water. To make things easier for the cat, try always to fill the bowl to the same level.

Health
If a cat splashes water out of the bowl, it might be that she is struggling and not feeling well. If you see that your cat is drinking lots of water then you should consult your veterinarian.

If your cat is thirsty because of some health problems, the chances are that they will try to find out other sources of water in the house. The cat might run to the faucet each time, the sound of running water, goes to the toilet often to try and drink water.

Fear and Stress
When cats are nervous and under stress, they show their feelings by splashing water. Many cats suffer from separation issues and behave strangely such as splashing the water.

Sometimes cats just to attract your attention, the cat starts tapping the water and making a mess.

To Secure
If you have more than one cat, it takes seconds for cats to attack. Sometimes they do not want to relax and waste time drinking water while unprotected.

To prevent this you can keep more water bowls in your home and don't forget to place them in a less crowded area where cats can have some quiet and private place.

• Protecting food
• Disposing food
• Marking area owned
• Kneading the floor
• Feeling insecure
  

Scratching
Cat paws have a good enough amount of scent glands too, by scratching the floor near the bowl, the cat has probably pointed to the bowl that belongs to it.

Scratching near the water bowl is probably a way of showing their satisfaction and happiness, known as kneading. Cats knead by gently interchanging their paws and rubbing them over a surface.

If a carpet or something made of fur covers the bowl, a cat is probably pawing the area because they are kneading for pleasure.

This behavior of scratching or pawing on the bowl just before or after drinking water does not have any suggestions. Some cat owners find it incredibly cute.

It is not necessary to stop this scratching habit. This behavior can get too much, and cats can mess up the area where you keep the water or food bowl.

They can damage the carpet or bring clothes or papers to cover their water bowl. When this habit becomes too much, use some methods to control and to stop your cat from scratching the floor.

Keep food or water bowl on a hard surface keep away from any item, the cat can drag to cover it. Keep an eye on the cat when it is eating or drinking water. Put away the bowls when they finish with it. Make sure that the cat does not do anything to hide or dispose of it.

Distract the cat with a toy when it starts to paw near the bowl or in the bowl.

Cat Bowl
Choosing a cat bowl for your cat is not just a matter of picking up the latest design and size. There are some important things that you've to keep in mind before making a choice.

Elevated Bowl
An elevated bowl is good for your cat. By raising the height by adjusting, it becomes harder for your cat to get their paws inside the bowl and play with the water.

Whisker Bowl
Most people choose deep bowls because they hold more water, so they do not have to do refills all the time. The design of the bowl is wider and with lower sides so that the cat can drink water without touching the whiskers on the edges.

Spill-Proof Bowl
If your cat plays with a water bowl and splashes it around the floor and makes a mess, you should get spill-proof cat bowls. They are heavy, unstoppable, non-slip, and it comes in different varieties and different designs.

Conclusion
We need to know what exactly is bowl pawing. Food pawing is a natural behavior of a cat. They scratch the floor around the food bowl.

One needs to be careful with cat-related behavior. If you continuously yell for the bad behavior of a cat, can become aggressive, and it will be harder to control a cat. Avoid keeping food in the direct eyesight of the cat as it can make worse the situation.