Our feline friends have many odd habits. Most of them go unnoticed but there are some that are just too strange for us to not notice.

A cat scratching around the floor before the water bowl is also one of those common traits of their own kind. However, it doesn’t indicate any sort of problems or weird things

It is an involuntary action for cats to scratch on the floor. It is also called floor pawing.

They show this behavior for other things as well, such as marking territory, protecting and disposing of food or while being insecure.

Let’s dive into why cats might do this!

So, Why Does Your Cat Do It?

Instinctive behavior

Cats do this purely based on their impulse to locate their food or water. They can easily find their food and water hence they try pawing or digging into the bowl.

It is also because they feel ease and comfortable in their surroundings when they scratch the floor before drinking. It can be taken as their action of contentment.

Displeasure

Some of the cats could show their dislike by burying things. If your cats have this habit and are scratching before water then they may be unhappy about the water.

You should consider the change in water, water contents and its location. It is better to pay more attention towards your cat behavior to find out its displeasure and distaste.

Curiosity

Cats tend to be nosy creatures. New and younger cats could be curious and intrigued about the water in the bowl mainly if it is clear.

Therefore, a cat showing their curiosity by scratching the ground around the water bowl could lead to its paws digging in the bowl.

Territorial

Cats are territorial animals, and they mark their territory by spraying their scent in different corners of the house. It might be marking its domain around the bowl.

A cat has scent glands on its paws and rubbing them together is an easy way to spread their scent. By scratching the floor, the kitty may be declaring that it’s his territory and no strangers are welcome!

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Final Thoughts

A cat scratching the floor before drinking water is nothing out of the ordinary. It is just being catty as it actually is.

If your kitty scratches on itself however, it can be a serious issue needing immediate vet attention.