Cats and dogs drink differently. Dogs use their tongues like a scoop to lift and pull water into their mouths. Cats, on the other hand, rapidly flick the tip of their tongues on the water, drawing up a column of liquid to their mouths.
Watching in slow motion reveals that cats of all sizes have a very elaborate way of drinking. First, they move the tip of their tongue onto the surface of the water to flick the water up so that a little jet of liquid flies into the air. Then, in a flash, they catch the jet in their mouth.
No one knows why cats have developed this method of drinking but it may be because they did not need to develop a fast and efficient way of drinking since they evolved in the desert and receive most if not all of their water from their prey.
For more information see the online article.
Dog Drinking
Cat Lapping
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