Why do cats have to sample every open water source?

[KittenFishMom]

Do all cats do this? 

Every time I turn around, my cats are drink a little bit out of every water garden plant pot, and fish tank they can get their nose into. I brought in two water garden pants and have their pots sitting in wider pots of water. They cats have to drink a little out of both of them. I have 4, no 5 containers on the floor where I am experimenting with different set ups for scuds. The cats have to drink from them several times a day when I am trying to see how the scuds are doing. I have a 10 gallon tank on a table, cycling. They have to sample that water before and after I test the water.

Now we have a pet water fountain next to their cat food that we clean frequently and make sure it never runs dry. They drink from that too, so it is not like they are lacking a clean water source.

Are they doing this to show interest in my hobbies, or to show me and each other ownership of the water sources or are they just doing it to confuse me?

I am confused, so if that is their goal, they are succeeding.

What do you forum folks think is going on here?

[lefty o]

they are searching for the hidden stash of booze!😈

[KittenFishMom]

I won't let the cats drink until they are 21.  I loved hearing my Gandpa talk about making Bathtub Gin... Maybe it has something to do with Probation?

[Guppysnail]

My one cat does this. I can have 4 buckets of water and he samples each sitting side by side. He is nosey and bossy so I think he is afraid he is missing out on something 🤣

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

I had a cat that preferred drinking out of the gutter. That couldn't have been good water. Then again she was an outdoor cat that lived to be 20. So I'm thinking something in that water gave her super powers. Like the Ninja Turtles or something. 

[KittenFishMom]

This was suppose to be in the power out thread, not this thread. I copied it there, but do not know how to delete it from here.  Anyone know how to remove a post from a thread?

THIS IS ONLY FOR LIVE AND DEAD SITUATIONS !

If you find that your oxygen supply to your tank failed awhile ago and your fish are showing clear signs of stress(like floating and some are dead), a trick that can up the oxygen quickly is a bit of peroxide. This is dangerous. Don't do it unless the fish are showing clear signs of stress.  You must be very calm and careful because too much peroxide will act like bleach and kill your fish and plant and bacteria and everything. Peroxide breaks down to O2 and water, so this does not require an immediate water change but stressed fish release stress hormones into the water, so I would do a water change after things have calmed down.

Take out some tank water and stir in a little peroxide and then stir the water back in and wait to see if it was enough to help. While you are waiting, setup your battery operated air pump. If you don't see improvement, take out more water and dilute a little peroxide again and wait again.

I have done this with minnows while fishing on hot days, and have seen fish go from floating to swimming. I don't know if there is any formulas for how much peroxide  to how much water, or how long to wait. There are a lot of variables, like temperature and how low the oxygen is when you start and how many fish per gallon and how much oxygen the type of fish need. This is really a last ditch effort to try to keep fish alive if they look like they are not going to make it. Also, peroxide turns into water quickly once it has been opened. I just keep a bunch sealed small bottles on hand for cuts and scraps. It is cheap, several small bottles last longer than a big bottle. I usually take a bottle in the boat when I am fishing, but I bring it back inside, I don't leave it in the boat. 

Edited December 16, 2021 by KittenFishMom

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

@KittenFishMom you can't delete but you can edit and clear the text, type whoops or something and voila!