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Why Does My Cat Stare At The Sink? (Thirst or Thinking?)

If your cat is staring at your sink you may be wondering why this is happening and if this behavior is normal…

Why does my cat stare at the sink?

Your cat may stare at the sink because of several reasons. Such as it can hear small sounds around, or in the sink that we can’t hear. Also, it may be just be appreciating the flow of water from the sink, or the anticipation of it coming out.

Use these to protect your sink

Description Image My Rating
01. Double-sided Tape (My Best)
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5 stars
02. Aluminium Foil
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So,  now you know. But, why do cats stare? Should I be worried if my cat stares at me? Why is my cat meowing at the sink? Keep reading for these answers, and so much more…

3 top reasons cats stare at the sink:

Why does my cat stare at the sink?

A kitchen sink.

Earlier I briefly mentioned some reasons why your cat may be staring at your sink. In this section I will explain each one in more detail:

01. Makes noises

You may notice your cat staring at the sink because it can hear small sounds that are often unnoticed by us humans. Cats have very good hearing and can detect small sounds that we often overlook.

Therefore, you may see your cat just aimlessly staring, but in its mind, it’s wondering where those sounds are coming from, or what might happen next as a consequence.

Top 10 Cat Breeds

02. Appreciate moving water

Cats are known to love moving water. The theory is this comes from their ancestors, who lived in the wild. Basically, they appreciated the flowing water from streams because it was deemed safe.

Why? Because flowing water is fresh as opposed to still and stagnant water, are you with me? This may lead to your cat staring at the sink with the flowing water.

03. Waiting for the tap to be turned on

If the water in your sink is not running and your cat is still staring at it this could mean that it loves the water and is anticipating it flowing again.

The problem is, the cat has no sense of time or any understanding of what may trigger the water to come out. hence the reason why it may be patiently waiting and staring.

Why do cats stare?

Cats rely on their staring to communicate with you without words. This may be unsettling for us humans at times, for example, it’s just staring wide-eyed, without blinking, but this could be a positive sign of love.

As much as this may sound far-fetched, cats have a different way of expressing their feeling in the absence of words, and this could be one of them.

Should I be worried if my cat stares at me?

If your cat is just staring at you it is unlikely to be cause for concern. Unless your cat is displaying other forms of body language like hissing, in a pouncing position, etc.

The important thing is to avoid staring directly back at your cat. This may sound counter-intuitive but, some cats may see this as aggressive or a challenge towards them.

Why is my cat scared of the sink?

There are several reasons why your cat may be scared of the sink. But, two of the most popular ones are:

  • Bad experience with a sink
  • Fear of a bath

Bad experience with a sink

If your cat has had a bad experience with a sink in the past, for example, it fell awkwardly in the past, it may get worried or scared of it.

This is unfortunate because this could affect any object that they may have had a bad experience with before.

Fear of a bath

If your cat is really not a big fan of bathing it may associate the sink with that and freak out whenever it sees it or comes close to it.

This is common because, in general, cats do not like bathing in water even if they love flowing water to drink from.

Why is my cat so fascinated with running water?

Your cat is fascinated with running water because it is instinctual for most cats to respect it more than still water. This has been passed down from their wild living ancestors that relied on running water, for example, from streams, to feel comfortable that the water was safe.

Cats of today have obviously been domesticated and no longer need this check. But, they still have this behavior ingrained in them.

Why is my cat meowing at the sink?

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If your cat is meowing at the sink the chances are it’s a heavy hint that it wants to drink from the flowing water. Whether you are happy with that is another matter.

If your cat keeps doing this and you are not happy for it to lap up the running water directly from the sink, then you should consider getting a water fountain. This will satisfy its urge for running water and keep it off your sink.

Why does my cat meow at the sink but won’t drink?

If your cat is meowing at the sink but when given the chance not drinking from it this could mean it wants to play in there. Meaning it may want to tap the water droplets with its paw or just hang around the sink in general.

Obviously, depending on your home policies, this may not be acceptable or encouraged.

How do you stop a cat from going in the sink?

If you are sick and tired of your cat hanging around the sink and looking for some solutions to stop it. Here are a few suggestions:

01. Double-sided tape

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Double-sided tape can be used to stick around the sink, or near to it. The idea is your cat will be freaked out by the texture of this tape making it think twice about getting near it.

If this works initially, and you notice your cat avoiding your sink. You can keep it up for some time then try not doing it to see if it has been trained to avoid your sink.

02. Aluminium foil

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Another option is aluminum foil. This is the same concept as double-sided tape but with different material. The theory here is that most cats do not like the sound and feel of this on their paws.

So, if you place it near, or around your sink, it will deter your cat from it. The idea is, within time your cat will learn that this area is off-limits and you will no longer need the foil there.

03. Keep your counter clean

Another tactic is to generally keep the counter-top area clean. this will help to keep your cat away from it, because there will be no food or other objects to attract it, and hopefully keep it off your sink in the process.

It is a good idea to keep your countertop clean anyway, so even if this does not help with your cat being on your sink you won’t lose anything by doing it, are you with me?

Lindsey Browlingdon