Have you noticed that your cat doesn’t seem to be drinking enough water? If so, it might be due to the placement of their water bowl. Many pet owners make the mistake of putting their furball’s food and water bowls on the same pet place mats side by side. However, that might be an issue for your cat. Instead, you may need to put water and food on different mats and take some other steps to encourage your cat to drink more water.
Why Put Cat Food and Water Bowls on Separate Pet Place Mats?
If you notice your cat won’t drink water, consider placing the water at least three to five feet away from their food. To prevent spills and messes on your floors use two different pet place mats to set the bowls on.
So, why might your cat have an issue with having their food next to their water? Cats are notoriously picky creatures, with a lot of their preferences seeming like a mystery or, at worse, pettiness. However, cats actually have a few good reasons to keep their food and water separate.
There are several instinctual reasons for cats to want their food and water separate. These date back to their ancestors that lived in the wild. Even though Snowball McFluffykins is cute and cuddly, he has many behaviors that are a throwback to times before cats were domesticated.
For instance, one common reason why you may need to put your cat’s food and water on separate pet place mats is because of the risk of contamination. Cats want to keep their food and water sources away from each other to prevent the risk of bacteria growing in the water and making them sick. Separate food and water areas also helped keep ancient felines hidden from bigger predators, which may be another reason why your cat might not drink water from a bowl right next to their food.
Other Tips for Getting Your Kitty to Drink Enough Water
If you’re still having trouble after separating the water and food bowls, then there may be some other things you can try. One issue may be that now your cat’s food and water areas are in locations that give them anxiety. For example, maybe their bowls are too close to high traffic or noisy areas in your home. Also, check the distance from the water and food bowls to the litter box, as kitty certainly doesn’t want to smell their litter box while eating or drinking.
Similarly, you may need to invest in more water bowls and pet place mats. Many cats prefer having multiple areas to drink from. So, it could be that you need to create a few different watering areas throughout your home to encourage your kitty to get plenty of water and stay hydrated.
Quality Plastic Products from Curtis Wagner
For superior quality plastic products, choose our team at Curtis Wagner Plastics. We’ve been designing and manufacturing plastic and cork products for durability, longevity, and function since 1992. Whether you need pet place mats, cork plant mats, or plastic plant saucers, we have products to suit your needs. Browse our product catalogs and call us at (713) 937-3784 to place an order!