July 22, 2025, 8:53 am | Read time: 7 minutes

When I was a child and we had visitors, many were puzzled that our bathroom door was always open and the toilet lid was up. However, there was a good reason for this: Our cat Maja preferred and almost exclusively drank water from the toilet bowl. Although there were many other drinking options in the house, she repeatedly sought out the toilet. The only exception was when my father took a bath. Then she would jump on the edge and drink the bathwater. Back then, we didn’t think much of the fact that the cat drank from the toilet. It may seem gross to many, but from the cat’s perspective, it makes perfect sense. Why this is and whether drinking from the toilet affects the animals’ health is explained in the following article.

Reasons Why Cats Drink from the Toilet

Just the thought of drinking from the toilet disgusts many people. How could anyone do that? But our cats see it quite differently. Often, the water in the toilet bowl is cleaner and fresher than that in their drinking bowl–provided there are no toilet tablets or harsh cleaner residues in the toilet. ^{1 2}

Cooler Water

In nature, cats get most of their water intake from their food. When they do drink extra, they prefer rivers or lakes, where the water is usually cool. In the drinking bowl, however, the water stands for hours and warms up. Many cats simply don’t find this stale, lukewarm water appealing. In the toilet, the water remains cool even in summer, thanks to the large porcelain bowl. The water temperature is thus one reason why cats prefer to drink from the toilet.

Also interesting: 7 Tips to Encourage Cats to Drink More Water

Fresher Water

The water in the toilet bowl is not only cooler but also fresher than that in the cat’s drinking bowl. Regular flushing enriches the toilet water with oxygen, which can significantly affect the taste. Flushing also ensures that a lot of water flows through the pipes at once, preventing metals like copper from settling in the water as quickly as they might in the kitchen faucet, which might be used for washing dishes or hands. This also has a significant impact on the taste.

For us humans, it’s hard to imagine that toilet water could taste fresher. But from the cat’s perspective: There’s a place in the house where the water is completely renewed several times a day. Then there’s this bowl where hair, saliva, and food residues collect, forming slimy deposits after a short time. Leave your glass of water out for a day and see what collects in it. It’s not very appetizing.

The Fun Factor

Cats are curious and playful. They love exploring new places and often follow their humans everywhere–even to the bathroom. While they may find the flushing sound scary at first, they quickly get used to it and are fascinated by the water’s movements and where it suddenly disappears. It’s not uncommon for them to reach into the bowl and lick the water off their paw.

This initial curiosity can develop into a habit and be the reason why cats enjoy drinking from the toilet. Some even learn to flush the toilet themselves to watch the water flow away.

The Quiet Spot

Another reason cats like to drink from the toilet is the location of the water source. Often, our pets’ water bowls are on the floor in the hallway or on the windowsill, usually in places where people are moving around or otherwise active. Since cats like to eat and drink in peace, it makes sense for them to seek out a “quiet spot” for this purpose.

Is It Harmful if My Cat Drinks from the Toilet?

The toilet can harbor many bacteria and germs that are also harmful to our cats. However, studies have shown that there are more germs in the kitchen sink than in the toilet. This is mainly because the germs in the kitchen come from food, as Prof. Dr. Dirk Bockmühl from the Hygiene and Microbiology Research Group at the Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences explains in an article in the “Spiegel.”

In the toilet, the germs mainly come from the water, according to the expert. Additionally, there are relatively few nutrients in the toilet for bacteria to survive long, and most people clean the toilet more meticulously than the kitchen sink. This can also be a problem for our cats if harsh cleaners are used and not properly removed. Toilet tablets are also toxic to animals.

But don’t worry. Before cats take even a sip, they usually examine the water thoroughly by smelling it. Bathroom cleaners often contain citrus scents, which cats strongly dislike. Toilet tablets also emit a strong odor that would deter any cat from drinking from the toilet bowl. 

Incidentally, cats can also detect water contamination to some extent through smell. So if your cat drinks from the toilet, take it as a compliment. You’ve done a really good job cleaning the toilet!

Caution with Young Cats

It can be dangerous if very young cats drink from the toilet. Kittens are not as sure-footed as adult cats, so they might slip and fall into the toilet bowl. Depending on the toilet model, this could even be life-threatening for the kitten. If you have a young animal at home, make the toilet inaccessible–either by closing the lid or the door.

More on the topic

Hydration 7 tips to get cats to drink more water

Behavior Explained Why Does My Cat Follow Me to the Toilet?

In high temperatures How to Keep Cat Bowls Clean in Summer

How to Prevent My Cat from Drinking from the Toilet

There are still people who don’t want their cat drinking from the toilet. After all, not everyone is willing to keep the bathroom door and lid open just in case the cat gets thirsty. The simplest way to prevent this is: lid and bathroom door closed! But for every “no” we say in cat training, we must offer a “yes” elsewhere. This could look like this:

• Multiple Drinking Areas: Offer your cat different drinking options in various places and see what your pet prefers. The drinking areas should be as far away from the feeding area as possible. You might even place a bowl right next to the toilet.
• Keep Water Fresh: Clean the cat’s water bowl at least once a day. While some animals prefer stale water, cats that like to sip from the toilet prefer fresh, cool water. Therefore, it may be necessary to change the water several times a day.
• Set Up a Drinking Fountain: If frequent water changes are too tiring, consider a drinking fountain. Some even actively cool the water to a specific temperature. The movement also enriches it with oxygen–similar to flushing the toilet. And playful cats will enjoy a drinking fountain.