The Toilet Drinkers

Gotcha on that title didn't I? Well any cat or dog owners reading may already know what I'm referencing. The topic came from a Post Points - Tip of the Week I received this AM. This Washington Post's section are sometimes really, really informational and I have a folder stored with heaps of them for future use. Here's the one about Toilet Troubles as it relates to our furry companions. In the event that the link provided stales out on us, read below:



Does your cat or dog drink out of the toilet?

This is not a good thing. According to pet-care expert Gina Spadafori, a toilet is never going to be clean enough to drink out of. "Dogs are attracted to the water in a toilet because they think it's a wonderfully cool fountain that we have put in the middle of the house for them," she told us. Cats have a harder time getting down to water in a toilet but some manage to do so, even if you have provided a full water bowl somewhere else in the house.

So what can you do to break this pet habit?

Of course, keeping the lid down on your toilet and possibly the door closed to the bathroom are two logical solutions.

Spadafori has a few other ideas. Wash and refill your pet's water bowls twice a day, so there is always a nice supply of fresh, cold water. Consider buying a pet fountain at a pet store, which has recirculating water in it and is intriguing to cats and dogs. Also see if your cat or dog likes to play with running water from a faucet for a treat.

"There is a natural reason animals want fresh running water," says Spadafori who has authored eight pet books with vet Marty Becker and whose website is www.petconnection.com. "A stagnant pond is more likely to kill you than a fresh mountain stream that is running. Animals are intuitively attracted to fresh water sources."

--Jura Koncius, Home section