by Nomi Berger
 
Did you know?
 
1. Cats have dominant paws: While studies differ as to what percentage of cats are right, left or ambidextrous, they all show that our feline friends do indeed have paw preferences, particularly when it involves performing difficult tasks. One Irish study even correlated gender with paw dominance, indicating that males prefer using their right paw and females their left. Curious about your own kitty’s paw-reference? Present her with a challenging task such as plucking tasty treats from a hard-to-reach place. For the most accurate reading, repeat this task at least 75 times. Won’t YOUR kitty be paw-leased?
 
2. Cats tiptoe: Cats are digitigrades, i.e., they navigate their world on their toes. Why? In the wild, it improves their chances both at survival and at finding food by increasing their speed and lengthening their stride. They’re also much quieter on their toes, making it more difficult for their prey to detect them.
 
3. Cat paws are extremely sensitive: Paw pads contain a high concentration of nerve receptors, allowing cats to feel texture, pressure and even vibrations. In the wild, this sensitivity helps them evaluate the energy and proximity of their prey. In domesticated cats, however, this sensitivity makes many of them resistant to having their paws rubbed too often, if at all. The pads are also very sensitive to temperature and pain, and not being insulated, they can be seriously injured on ragged surfaces and hot or frozen pavement.
 
4. Cat paws are flexible: Their front paws’ ability to bend and turn inward makes cats admirably adept at climbing trees while remaining stable as they sink their claws into trunks and branches with ease. While ideal for ascending trees, it’s less than ideal for descending them. Since their front claws face in the wrong direction for a head first descent, and because their front legs and paws are weaker than their more muscular hind legs, cats must back down trees instead.
 
5. Cat paws are shock absorbers: Their pads act as both sound and shock absorbers, cushioning and softening their landings when cats jump as well as when they tread through rough terrain. In the wild, they assist a hungry cat move and hunt comfortably and silently.
 
6. Cat paws are great for grooming: Designed as petite and purr-fect grooming tools, their paws and front legs help cats clean difficult-to-reach areas behind their ears, on their faces and necks and under their chins. This ritual involves licking one of their front paws several times, swiping it across any area they’re unable to lick directly, stopping to lick (thereby moistening) their paw again and repeating the process until every area has been cleaned to their satisfaction.
 
7. Cat paws help cats sweat: Since cats sweat from the bottoms of their paws, this highly effective “cooling” system prevents them from overheating on hot days. But scared and stressed out cats also sweat through their paws. Want proof? Check for moist little paw prints on the examining table the next time you take kitty to the vet.
8. Cats “communicate” through their paws: Whenever cats scratch an object, they’re marking their territory and “transmitting” information about themselves. And thanks to scent glands located between the paw pads on their front and back feet, they’re depositing pheromones containing even more information on those same, scratched surfaces. Some cats will often scratch a specific spot after spraying or urinating.
 
9. Cat paws are “color coded”: Paw pads predictably come in colors that either mirror or match the color of a cat’s coat. Examples: Gray cats usually have gray paw pads, orange cats have pink paw pads, while tuxedo cats often sport black spots on theirs. Why? The pigments that make up the fur are the same as those that color the skin.

by Nomi Berger
 
Picture this: you’re brushing your teeth or preparing a meal and your kitty hops into the sink. Competing for the same stream of water from the tap inevitably goes from amusing to annoying.
 
Why, you ask, does your finicky feline prefer the sink to her water bowl? Is it by choice or by something more sinister, such as an underlying medical condition that has her seeking out additional sources of water? 
 
Essential to answering these questions is having your capricious cat seen by the vet for a thorough examination. If she’s happily healthy, the next step is to carefully inspect your home, then make some equally essential changes to both her living space and her daily routine.
 
Begin with the location of her water bowl. Cats who crave high places may prefer a faucet because of its “view” to a bowl that’s placed flat on the floor. If it rests in a raucous or heavily trafficked area (shared with children and/or other pets), a sink may seem like a quieter and more appealing solution to all the unwanted hubbub.
 
Experiment with various locations until you find the purr-fect one. If your cat is happiest with heights, set her bowl on an easily accessible counter. If there are several cats in your household, there should also be several drinking locations. Most importantly, keep kitty’s water bowl far from her litter box. Many fastidious felines prefer not to drink near the place that they potty.
 
Quite often, cats prefer sipping from the sink simply because the water tastes better. It may be due to the sink’s being free of the lingering scents or residue found in a bowl that’s not cleaned regularly, is made of a product whose odor she dislikes (think plastic), or whose sights and sounds are disturbing to her (think metal). Two solutions: clean her current bowl daily with an unscented cleaner that leaves no residue, allowing the water to remain fresh and clear or experiment with different bowls to find the most pleasing material for your persnickety puss.
 
Cats in the wild favor freshly flowing sources of water and turn down their paws at drinking from stagnant bodies of water. Is it any wonder then, that some cats prefer the sink tap’s free flowing water to the still water in their bowl? Replace your kitty’s bowl with a specially designed pet fountain that regularly replenishes its water, thereby redirecting her attention away from the sink. To further tempt her, smear a soft, high-value treat along the edge, and consider putting a flavored additive into the water (consult your vet first, paw-lease).
 
Some cats seek out the sink purely to play with the water – a clear indication that they’re bored. If your kitty’s fascination with the running faucet is all about entertainment, find other ways to keep her constructively engaged – preferably for the entire day. Food puzzles, regularly scheduled interactive play sessions and games of hide and seek work wonders when it comes to both holding her attention and burning up her excess energy.
 
Key to the success of any new routine is reinforcing only the behavior you want repeated. Reward your kitty for drinking out of her bowl or fountain with praise and pets, treats and play: whichever she values most, any combination of the four, or all four. Whenever she reverts to drinking from the faucet or playing with the water, turn off the taps and either look or walk away. With time and perseverance on your part, she’ll hopefully learn to choose the behavior that wins your approval rather than the one that earns her the proverbial cold shoulder.