How To Prevent Your Cat From Drinking Toilet Water

When it comes to strange pet behaviors, drinking out of the toilet may very well be at the top of the list. Oddly enough, some of the reasons for a pet drinking out of the toilet are rather sensible—at least on the surface. Dr. Jennifer Coates, a veterinary advisor with petMD, puts it this way, "When was the last time you dumped and scrubbed your pet's water bowl? If you can't remember, chances are the water in the toilet is more appetizing than what's available in the water bowl!"

The fact that your toilet is running (complete with sounds of flowing water) may very well speak to the primal nature of your pet to seek out running water in the wild. According to Coates, running water tends to be a healthier choice than stagnant water in a natural setting. "Perhaps some of our pets have an instinctive pull towards running water and that's why they're attracted to water that 'moves' in our homes," she says.
Coates has another hypothesis: "It could be that some pets prefer the relative solitude of the bathroom. If their water bowl is in the middle of a chaotic home, they might not feel comfortable settling down to drink at that location," she says.

So how can you cat-proof your toilet? Here are a few tips from Wiki-How.

01
Keep the toilet lid down at all times when it is not in use.

via Wiki How

This includes training those members of the household who prefer leaving up every part of the toilet lid. It will stop the cat from getting into the bowl and no more drinking of the toilet water.
Consider leaving reminder signs asking everyone, including yourself, to keep the lid shut. Remind people of the consequences otherwise––getting a nose rub from a kitty that has stuck its face into the bowl water.
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02
Use a baby proof mechanism for the cat that lifts the lid.

via Wiki How

If your cat is smart or simply persistent, you may need to use a babyproofing toilet seat lock to keep the lid locked down. If this is the case, be sure to show everyone in the house how to open and close this item. They're very simple to use and don't cost more than a few dollars. The lock should be washed regularly, to prevent germ build-up.
03
Keep the bathroom door shut. Make the bathroom off limits to your cat.

via Wiki How

This isn't always ideal, unless you are all used to keeping the door shut. Moreover, there may be an occasion when your cat needs to be in the bathroom, such as for a bath or if it suddenly vomits a fur ball and you'd rather save the carpet than the bathroom tiles. However, it can be a good fix for most of the time. Consider a door that shuts itself automatically. This could be done by weighting the door or using a special lock.
04
Lure the cat away from the toilet corner.

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Keep a bowl of drinking water in the bathroom but at the opposite side form the toilet. Provided it's in an easily accessible spot, the cat will usually prefer the easier and more dignified option of the water bowl.
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05
Get a motion sensor statue that makes noise.

via Wiki How

Place it right by the toilet area, so that when the cat crosses to go there, it gets a fright from the awful noise made by the motion sensor creature. This may wear off in time, although it might provide fun fodder for YouTube videos in the meantime.
06
Be sure that your cat is getting adequate water.

via Wiki How

Always keep its water bowl filled near the food supply and if possible, especially if you live somewhere hot, have several bowls around the inside of the house, and the outside, if relevant. The cat that can access sufficient water won't be so fascinated by the toilet bowl. Unless, of course, it's become a bad habit.