Hi, Tracie. All three of my pet cats prefer drinking from the sink, rather than bowls. We semi-solved this problem with a cat fountain (although they still prefer the sink), but one cat has a special situation. He likes to lick the bar of soap in the dish. I’ve caught him doing this several times, but I don’ t know how long it’s been going on. As far as I can tell is doesn’t affect his eliminations and doesn’t make him vomit. Is this normal? Is it safe? Thanks for any info you can offer!

From: Jennifer, via Cat Chat Radio

Dear Jennifer,

What an amazing and funny predicament you have! How do you ever get the chance to wash your hands or dishes with that crowd of kitties clustered around your sink?

I’ve never heard of a soap-licking cat, but there’s a first time for everything! Certainly, soap is not a good thing for any creature to have inside his body. So even if the cat does not appear to have any digestive disturbance from it, we still don’t want you to wake up one day and see him blowing bubbles!

I have the 100% guaranteed fix for this problem: put that bar of soap in your shower, and keep a pump bottle of liquid soap by the sink instead. This will save you the trouble of keeping a soap dish clean, and keeps your cat’s stomach soap-free, too.

Sometimes the best solutions are the most simple and logical.

Enjoy that thirsty group of felines.

Tracie Hotchner