How do I stop my cat from drinking from the toilet??

Question

I know it sounds funny but I seem to be forever fishing him out of it even though I put fresh water down for him every day. I don't want to put the toilet lid down cos that would deprive him completely of water. The little wierdo, why can't he be normal??

Answer 1

It's not abnormal for your cat to drink out of the toilet. Where else in the house can he find water that's refreshed so frequently? My cats were constantly drinking from the toilet, and as cruel as it sounds, I actually did hit the flush lever once with the younger one inside (we have very low water level in our toilets, so he was actually sitting inside it on the curve of the bowl, head sticking out over the seat). He wasn't hurt, just temporarily freaked out (when the water hit those feet and he couldn't get his traction to jump out, it was hilarious, but I did help him out). It didn't keep him out of the toilet though.

We had one of those jug-in-a-dish water bowls, and they still preferred the toilet because it was fresh (dust and cat hair collect in the dish and float around unless you scoop it out every day, and then what's the point of having a self-waterer?), and they're obsessed with the rippling of moving water. I had to enforce a strict lid-down policy in my house, and when I found one of those water fountains for your pets that you actually plug in and it filters and cycles the water (which I always thought were a waste of money), I broke down and got one, and they've never been happier.

Answer 2

Dogs and cats will automatically drink from the toilet, if given a chance. Either keep the lids down (fresh water out in a bowl), or keep the bathroom door shut. You cannot teach a cat, (once he/she starts drinking water in the toilet) not to. Cats don't listen to yes/no commands, especially NO! Do the best for your pets. The toilet is not a sanitary place for drinking water, no matter how many times a day its flushed.

Answer 3

Keep the lid down but put a dish of water next to the toilet

Answer 4

let me get this right. You want to stop him from drinking out of the toilet, but don't want to put the lid down because you don't want to stop him from drinking the water????? Am I missing something here?
Put the lid down and leave him a bowl of clean water to drink. If you use any kind of cleaner in the toilet it will poison him apart fromt he fact that cats and kittens have drowned in the toilet if they fall in it is too slippery to get out again.

Answer 5

I would shut the lid.

But only if you're overly worried about it.

My current cat doesn't drink from the loo, but I caught one of my previous fluffies doing it and he looked hilariously embarrassed and guilty.

I do put a nice bowl of water out for my cat every day which he ignores, preferring to drink out of an old drain outside or a dripping tap.

So what can you do, he's a CAT.

Answer 6

Actually, it is normal for a cat to drink out of the toilet. Unfortunately your only solution is to close the toilet lid if it bothers you. If he/she needs water, they will learn to drink from the fresh water bowl. My cat used to sit on my lap and purr away whenever I used the toilet. Maybe your cat is trying to relate to you. Who knows? Cats are very smart.

Answer 7

oh for heavens sake, what is wrong with the people that answer these questions "OMG YOUR CAT DRINKS FROM THE TOILET THATS SO GROSS!" wake up you idiots, that cat licks his balls and his butthole with that mouth, drinking from the toilet should be the least of their concerns. If you cant put the lid down, try putting something unpleasant in the bowl, or even try putting the litter box close by. Cats dont like the smell (funny, they dont seem to mind when they're trying to fart on you.) so close to where they eat and drink.

Answer 8

Put the seat down, shut the door and close the bathroom window, he will not go without water, Try putting some ice cubes in his water to keep it cool and fresh or try using cold bottle water maybe that will help, our fat cat likes to drink from dripping taps i think all cats have their own little strange ways about them just like ppl do

Answer 9

You don't want the cat drinking from the toilet but you don't want to close the lid and deprive him of water. Interesting question.

Answer 10

Sounds as though your cat may be drinking excessively and therefore he could be ill. Take him to the vet and make sure that he isn't diabetic or suffering from liver/kidney disease.

If he's healthy then provide the water in a bigger container that he likes and keep him shut out of the bathroom. Water in small dishes absorbs gases and particles from the air and becomes 'stale' very quickly.