My cat is a casualty of my frugality, my dh teases. Why? I am unplugging the electric water bowl that filters and circulates her drinking water. The vet recommended this special bowl for my old cat, MC, before he passed away from kidney failure at age 18. I loved MC so much that I would have done almost anything to extend his life... and this bowl was one of the things I tried. According to my vet, cats prefer running water (an instinct from the wild). So, many cats will drink more if the water is "moving."
Well, the fancy bowl wasn't intended for TC, but she inherited it when she adopted us last December. The bowl is a royal pain in the patootie to clean, but I do it religiously and meticulously, otherwise it gets very yucky. Since we will be gone for a few weeks I do not want the pet sitter to deal with the chore of the weekly water bowl cleaning.
So, it's getting unplugged... and TC will have to get her fresh water daily from a large porcelain crock. No doubt, we might save a few pennies on the electricity, but that is not my motivation for unplugging it. TC will probably miss the running water because she likes to play with it, but at least she stays out of the toilet unlike MC... that used to be his favorite place for a drink if we forgot to put down the lid. And, I can always give TC back the special bowl when we return.
Or then again, maybe I will donate it to
Unplugging the Cat
December 15th, 2008 at 07:07 pm
December 15th, 2008 at 07:17 pm 1229368644
December 15th, 2008 at 07:24 pm 1229369052
December 15th, 2008 at 07:51 pm 1229370672
It's just a fancy aquarium filter and I figure with 7 filters running on my six tanks - what's 1 more filter?
December 15th, 2008 at 10:13 pm 1229379229
And get this, they drink out of our decorative fountain (it looks like a well) instead. I have to remember to refill the well, so it doesn't burn out.
December 15th, 2008 at 10:45 pm 1229381117
December 15th, 2008 at 10:50 pm 1229381415
When I got him a water bowl fountain, he drinks away. I worry for his health of not getting enough water so the water fountain stays.