# Cat licking plants!!!



## tibbythecat (May 4, 2010)

One of my cats just loves to lick water off plants...and garden furniture, bin bags etc. She literally licks so much that she salivas.

It seems like an obsession with her when its been raining or wheni have watered thegarden. I know that some cats can smell the chlorine from tap water, but she does it when we have watered out of the hose so the water is no different to tap water.

I now dont water the garden with the water from the waterbutt in case theres anything untoward lurking in it.

I have had cats nearly all my life and none have ever done this. She hasnt always done this, its a pretty new thing unless i never used to notice as maybe there wasnt anything for her to lick before.

I do try to watch what plants i buy just in case. Does anyones elses cat do this?


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## ibbica (Aug 9, 2010)

One of our cats loves to lap up the drops of water left in the tub after a shower. Go figure 

As far as I know, the only plants you're likely to have in your garden that would harm a cat if they licked them would be lilies. Other than that, I wouldn't get too panicked about it.

Do you leave your cat's water in a plastic bowl by any chance? If so (particularly if it's a very old or very new bowl), try a ceramic, glass, pyrex, or stainless steel bowl instead. Sometimes chemicals can leech from plastic bowls, or older bowls may have slight abrasions on the surface that have collected bacteria; either may give an unpleasant taste to the water.


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## Paddypaws (May 4, 2010)

I have a manky old metal bucket in the back garden, full of stenchy slimy green water.
The cats line up to drink out of it having walked past the ceramic bowl of filtered water I provide for them.
Yesterday I cleaned the bucket out and filled it with fresh rain water....will they drink out of it now? Will they heck, not till the slime grows back I reckon.


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## tibbythecat (May 4, 2010)

I try everthing to make them drink more (my boy has megacolon so the more the better)...they have drinking fountain which they have never looked at!
Im going to order another couple...differnt designs to encourage them a bit more. 

Hopefully she knows which ones are safe to lick ...i do my best to get safe plants (no no to lillies). She is a little oddball


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## koekemakranka (Aug 2, 2010)

Sigh! Yes, dirty fishpond water and puddles are their drink of choice, in spite of the numerous clean bowls of water and water fountains I have laid on. My younger female also drinks water off plants.


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