Sir, – With regard to the misunderstood Jerry residing with Frank McNally (An Irishman's Diary, April 22nd), the cat isn't being an "old fusspot" with regard to not drinking tap water but is instead using its acute sense of smell to avoid "tainted" water.
A cat’s olfactory region occupies a large proportion of the developed brain and its odour detection threshold is low. Therefore the likelihood is that Jerry is used to rainwater tasting and smelling a certain way which it perceives is safe to drink. The “tainted” tap water smells differently and therefore Jerry refuses to drink the “unsafe” water.
The younger cat, Pete Briquette, has been brought up with a different taste of water (tap) and therefore will drink it happily as it conforms to his perception of “safe”. Before opening up future discussions of tainting by fluoridation or the machinations of Irish Water, the “tainted” water may be caused by the type of receptacle in which it is served or the chemical residue from washing the receptacle. As a cat can go without food for several weeks but can only survive two days without water, no wonder Jerry sought the help of Frank’s neighbour, who rightly said the cat looked “unhappy” and that he “lapped [the non-sparkling Volvic] up like a camel”.
I find once an owner understands the reasons for a particular behaviour then often the “problem” is resolved. – Yours, etc,
JIM STEPHENS, MSc
Companion Animal
Behaviour Counsellor,
Rathfarnham, Dublin 16.