Comparison of feline water consumption between still and flowing water sources: A pilot study

This study evaluated whether cats show a preference for a still or flowing water source for daily water consumption. Nine individually housed cats were randomly assigned to a still or flowing water source and consumption rates were measured over four consecutive 22 hour test periods. The mean water consumption rate for the flowing water source (115.44mL) was higher than for the still water source (109.83mL) but that difference was not statistically significant. It appeared that individual cats had a strong preference for one water source compared to the other, but a group preference was not established. Additional research is necessary to determine whether the factor of still compared to flowing water influences consumption rates for individual cats and if this is an important factor for the species.