Cat Faucet solves elusive cat drinking from sink issue, we sigh in relief

Cats like to drink from everywhere but the places they're supposed to drink from, and for that they offer no excuses, reasons, and just walk away, tails in the air. This independent spirit, though, means that we're often stuck turning faucets on and off for thirsty felines because heaven forbid they drink from a dish. One crafty soul has solved this gripping conundrum with an IR detector, valves, some plastic tubing, and a whole lot of moxie. The detector can even suss out if the subject is human or feline in order to keep the faucet from triggering every time someone walks by. Our test subjects won't comment on the new tech, but they've stopped complaining and have become extremely athletic and hydrated super-cats of doom. Still reading? Peep the video after the break of hot kitty drinking action.

[Via Make]

[deyanimay @ Jul 12th 2008 5:10AM]

Whats wrong with a bowl of water? My cat even drinks from cups.

[lexxdiamons @ Jul 17th 2008 10:29PM]

My cat would absolutely refuse to drink from her water dish. She would sit by the sink crying for someone to turn on the faucet. I did a little research and picked this up for her http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4087824 she loves it...no more crying by the sink...now if I could just get her to stop waking up at 5 am and crying by her food dish.

P.S. My cats name...is Maceo

[John McDole @ Jul 12th 2008 10:37AM]

I second lexxdiamons' suggestion of the waterfall. I have that same model (though in white with a blue water reservoir) and my cats love it.

[Matt @ Jul 12th 2008 11:29AM]

We got one of those for my cat and he refused to use it, he still pretty much insists on drinking from the tub faucet.

[Khris @ Jul 12th 2008 11:32AM]

I got one of those recirculating water dishes for my cat and the only thing he would do is throw his toys in it.

[dubbbya @ Jul 12th 2008 11:37AM]

@ KHRIS

That means they are his/her favorite toys!

[azz0r @ Jul 12th 2008 1:12PM]

Ofcourse your cat would.

I have 3 cats and despite what people think, you can teach a cat.

Its quite simple, don't like dried food only? Touch. Don't want to drink from a bowl? Tough.

Eventually they come round. You just stop being pussy whipped and giving in when they cry.

[stewfish @ Aug 26th 2008 6:35PM]

My cat figured out how he can turn the sink in the bathroom on...unfortunately he hasn't figured out how to turn it off yet.

[JT @ Jul 12th 2008 5:15AM]

extremely athletic and hydrated super-cats of doom? I, for one, welcome them...

[anametamystik @ Jul 12th 2008 9:37AM]

JT: welcome your new overlords.

[ryan4thewin @ Jul 12th 2008 12:43PM]

HAHAHAHAAHHAHA i need to install 12 of these for my minions....

[AlekZander @ Jul 12th 2008 5:18AM]

o hai. u can makes watr dizpnsr for kitteh plz? kthxbye

[404 @ Jul 12th 2008 5:42AM]

They only got it working because ceiling cat approved, to be honest.

[Chuckles McGee @ Jul 12th 2008 8:00AM]

im in ur sinkz, drinkin ur watr

[David @ Jul 12th 2008 5:20AM]

Umm, so how are we supposed to no there's some great cat-sensing contraption when all the video shows is a tube and some great black masking tape? I could make the same video using a pump that's out of the camera.

[Salsa Shark @ Jul 12th 2008 5:38AM]

Reading the article would be a good start.

[SB @ Jul 12th 2008 3:08PM]

Umm ... how about the IR motion detector placed to the left of the faucet hot water handle in full view of the camera? He must've adapted an infrared security device normally used for doors and windows that uses sensor technology to detect the difference between pets and human intruders so kitty jumping onto the window sill doesn't set off the alarm.

[Speeddemon2008 @ Jul 12th 2008 5:21AM]

i have two cats that will only drink from the bowl if they see you put water in it.

[Prokanda @ Jul 12th 2008 5:51AM]

same here... like they think that if you pour water into their bowl... it's fresh. HAHAHA jokes on them... it was under the sink in a jug for 2 years. bishes.


(by the way... I think this is my first drunk post on engaget... yay me.)

[Yubastard @ Jul 12th 2008 2:13PM]

^^^ that is the greatest!

[Artie Lange @ Jul 12th 2008 5:40AM]

This is a very bad idea. Cats carry an alarming array of zoonoses (diseases that are transmittable from animals to humans). Just some of the things you can pick up from kitty include:

Toxoplasmosis (deadly to babies in utero)
Ring Worm
Pasteurella (found in about 70% of cats' mouths)
Salmonella
Tularemia
Catch Scratch Fever (Its not just for the Nudge)

Cats should never be near sinks used for drinking, food preperation, or personal hygene, as transmission of any of the above diseases to the surface of your tap would be very easy. There are drinking bowls for pets that achieve the same running-water effect (which is what the cats are attracted to) as above by recycling the water in the dish.

[Prokanda @ Jul 12th 2008 5:53AM]

I lick my cats so they don't have to clean themselves... lighten up.. frasier crane would be proud.....

[OX4 @ Jul 12th 2008 6:37AM]

Thanks for the info, paranoia boy.

[ryan4thewin @ Jul 12th 2008 12:58PM]

shyaa duuuuude..

like it matters, its like george carlin said, your immune system needs practice!! bring on the kitty germs.

[SB @ Jul 12th 2008 3:07PM]

Regardless of whether or not one actually gives in to kitty's desire to drink from the sink by installing the above device or turning on the faucet, how is it you propose preventing one's cat from jumping on the sink in the first place? That's what kitties do. I have been fortunate to be able to (mostly) train my cat to NOT jump on the kitchen counters, however I can't guarantee he won't do it when I'm not there. The answer, my germophobic friend is but one -- clean your sinks and counters and don't friggin' worry about it.

[BEETROOT @ Jul 12th 2008 5:45AM]

the only fluid my cats drink comes from my pee pee

[Prokanda @ Jul 12th 2008 5:53AM]

O.o

[Artie Lange @ Jul 12th 2008 5:52AM]

I see what you did there.

[Prokanda @ Jul 12th 2008 5:54AM]

stop channeling Sex and the Kitty... sheesh...

[Prokanda @ Jul 12th 2008 5:55AM]

holy. crap.

I'm f'ing drunk and posting on a topic about a cat water drinking uytlity....


woo. hoo.

shamona.

[Catsceo @ Jul 12th 2008 5:59AM]

Congratulations.

[Kris Quigley @ Jul 12th 2008 6:04AM]

Did you just turn 21 today or something?

[johnzilla @ Jul 12th 2008 11:21AM]

No, he just turned 13.

[Prokanda @ Jul 12th 2008 3:48PM]

yeah... and not being able to go out and have fun makes you 90. and picking on/name calling to make yourselves feel better makes you 12 with ED.

lighten up.. jeez.

[Ahmedz @ Jul 12th 2008 5:56AM]

meow =3

[gad get @ Jul 13th 2008 3:44AM]

We have a cat posting!

[jpxdude @ Jul 12th 2008 6:08AM]

Cats are attracted to running water because it appears a lot more fresh than water that is sitting in a bowl gathering crap through the day.

I use a Catit water fountain for my 2 cats and they love it, there is both a dish, and a dome which the water runs off the side of. The entire unit filters and circulates the water so that it is always fresh and free from dirt, dust and debris.

One of the kittehs alternates from the dome and dish, but the other is addicted to slurping straight off the dome.

[eric f. @ Jul 12th 2008 10:18AM]

The Drinkwell water fountains rule!!

[gad get @ Jul 13th 2008 3:48AM]

"...Gathering crap through the day" only happens if there's no litter box to be used.

[nih @ Jul 12th 2008 6:30AM]

I suspect this would also solve my little problem of the cat leaving deuces in the sink.

[Paulmichael @ Jul 12th 2008 6:39AM]

Wow, that's a lot of wasted time for an animal. If I were to get a cat (which I will never do) and it insisted on drinking from a sink or something, I'd either force it to get used to a bowl or else give it up for adoption.

[gad get @ Jul 13th 2008 3:46AM]

That makes you a douche.

[sam @ Jul 12th 2008 6:42AM]

well my cat ONLY drinks from the bath, we have to fill 1 side of the bath up with water and we have to carry her and put her in the bath as she's too old to jump up now, she's 19.

Wish she would drink from the bowl:(

[Jherez @ Jul 12th 2008 9:21AM]

Holy shit your pussy is old!

[Steffen Jobbs @ Jul 12th 2008 7:02AM]

I'm still trying to figure out what this article has to do with the iPhone 3G. Was it because the cat had to resort to getting water from the faucet because his owner was waiting on line trying to get his iPhone 3G activated? Or because the owner was too tired after waiting on line for days hoping to pick up a white 16GB iPhone to give water to the cat?

I guess the moral of this article is if you need an iPhone 3G, don't bother to keep a cat.

[gad get @ Jul 12th 2008 7:43AM]

OBSESSION!

[johnzilla @ Jul 12th 2008 3:52PM]

DUH!

You obviously missed the iCatDrink app in the App Store. It allows remote pussy control so they're never thirsty.

[rita hainsworth @ Jul 12th 2008 7:03AM]

Oh my, well my expensive pussy...a Bengal..will only drink running water, so i invested in an electric water dish that has a "spout" that the water runs out of..not the water fall type, she wouldnt drink from that. Also I have had all sorts of pussies in my house for the last 15 years that eat off my plate, lick my face, sleep on me, walk on the kitchen counter top while i prepare food and I have never gotten any disease or illness from them....Ive gotten much sicker from boyfriends...

Rita

[Shannin @ Jul 12th 2008 9:07AM]

my bengal likes to sit in the bathroom and cry until we come in and turn the tap on.

[x3qt0r @ Jul 12th 2008 12:07PM]

"Oh my, well my expensive pussy.."
LOL..

nevermind