Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2024/03/23/cats-rule-and-dogs-drool-but-why.html
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George, “Oh, Timmy! You’re so licky!” 
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But… that would mean every painting I’ve ever seen of dogs smoking tobacco products while playing Poker is scientifically inaccurate!
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Something that piques my curiosity is that the outdoor cat that semi-regularly comes around for food, never wants any water.
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Outdoor cats can get most of their water from their food.
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Obviously, because we’re just better. That’s all.
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And that, I suspect, is also the reason behind the two styles of drinking. Dogs actually need to drink, so they use a system that moves a lot more water, albeit more inefficiently.
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our cats drool all over their catnip toys, leaving a disgusting, squelchy wet “tea bag” of catnip and fabric.
BuddyCat drools when he is happy getting brushed in my lap.
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Who now?
I also love the fact that dogs use the underneath of their tongues to drink, and the surprise I get, even from other dog owners, when I share this fact.
There’s nothing quite as soothing as the (ASMR?) sound of a small mutt lapping up water.
(Big slobbery dogs, well, eh, just step away, get behind a screen or something).
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Our mackerel tabby, Tyson (named for the physicist) makes up for his non-splashy drinking by randomly putting a paw on the edge of the water dish and dragging it across the kitchen. We have two water dishes, he does it to both.
We bought bigger metal water dishes with sloping sides. He pokes his paw into the finger holes and drags those around easily.
Our most recent move was to buy large clay flowerpot trays and put the water dishes inside those. Now he moves the trays around, and sometimes manages to pull one side of the water dish up onto the edge of the tray. I think we´re making him stronger.
What I might try next is a tray mounted on skate wheels. We might as well let him have at it and see where the dish winds up. Maybe he has just wanted it to be somewhere else for six years.
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At least he isn’t tipping them over!
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Dogs (and cats) drinking is interesting. Dogs making drinks is downright cool. Cats making drinks… I don’t know if I trust them that much.
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Well ok yeah, but water all over the kitchen floor is still water all over the floor…
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Sorry, didn’t realize the water was escaping the bowl!
And so is dogs pouring them!
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Cats have other ways of compensating for the difference.
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cats vs dogs
I think I’ve found the main point of disagreement: Those who think this is the right framing for a debate, and those who know better. 
I never would have thought that dogs used the under side of their tung!
