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Kittens trying to hide water bowl?
DD265
Posts: 2,232 Forumite
Our almost 5 month old kittens - one in particular - have frequently tried to hide their food (scratting around it, basically) in the past month that we've had them. I made the rookie mistake of "aw they're saving it for later" then googled and found out they were instinctively trying to stay safe from predators.
This last week they've started trying to hide their water bowl as well and they keep treading in it which I haven't seen them do with the food bowls. I don't understand what this behaviour is for or why it started.
They're eating, drinking, pooing etc fine. Not stressed, they're playful and cuddly etc. Totally normal. We use heavy ceramic bowls so the mess is from a splash/treading water around rather than knocking the bowls over. We have one water bowl downstairs and one upstairs at any given time; they're usually shut upstairs or downstairs depending on whether we're home (direct external door in the hall way so can't risk it). The water bowls are next to their biscuits and they get their wet food nearby. We change the water and clean each bowl at least once a day (when they move into that area) so it's always as fresh as we can get it without having a fountain.
Any suggestions as to why they might be doing it and possibly how to stop it? Should we move the water bowls away from their food/biscuits? I read about that but Mom always kept everything together and never had an issue etc.
This last week they've started trying to hide their water bowl as well and they keep treading in it which I haven't seen them do with the food bowls. I don't understand what this behaviour is for or why it started.
They're eating, drinking, pooing etc fine. Not stressed, they're playful and cuddly etc. Totally normal. We use heavy ceramic bowls so the mess is from a splash/treading water around rather than knocking the bowls over. We have one water bowl downstairs and one upstairs at any given time; they're usually shut upstairs or downstairs depending on whether we're home (direct external door in the hall way so can't risk it). The water bowls are next to their biscuits and they get their wet food nearby. We change the water and clean each bowl at least once a day (when they move into that area) so it's always as fresh as we can get it without having a fountain.
Any suggestions as to why they might be doing it and possibly how to stop it? Should we move the water bowls away from their food/biscuits? I read about that but Mom always kept everything together and never had an issue etc.
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Comments
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My cat has a water bowl next to the food bowl, but she is a mature moggy and isn't fussed.
According to most experts, the water bowl should be put somewhere well away from the food bowl - You could try moving to the other side of the room and see if that helps. Given time, I'm sure the kittens will settle down and the skittish behaviour will subside.Any language construct that forces such insanity in this case should be abandoned without regrets. –
Erik Aronesty, 2014
Treasure the moments that you have. Savour them for as long as you can for they will never come back again.0 -
My cat does this. His food bowl lives on a mat, his food bowl is off the mat as he pulls it up and spills the water. I just let him get on with it if it makes him feel like he's a good cat.0
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I moved the water bowls away and it seems to have stopped them.
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Like you said, it's instinct. I have two 5 month old kittens too & they like to do the same thing, tho admittedly not with water lol x0
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