I realize I never properly introduced myself to this group, or to my cat,
fully. We live in NYC. Some of you may have seen this already in alt.cats.

Ketzl (4-1/2-yr-old tabby adopted three years ago) won't drink from his water
bowl on the floor (which I've since dispensed with) but will only drink water
out of a glass. At first, he tried persistently to drink from my water glass;
I almost always have one nearby. Often he would push it over, resulting in
water spills all over the place.

He finally trained me :-) to proffer a glass of his own, and I selected
a short one (what we used to call a highball glass: heavy base, not
very tall and slightly wider.) This, of course, had to be placed on the
dresser, not on the floor. (PS: He's not fond -- in fact, very UNfond
-- of bourbon, which he occasionally notices in a highball glass beside
me in the evening. Sniffs it, winces a bit, and then tries to bury the
glass. He also tries to bury my coffee cup in the morning.)

I make sure to refresh his water glass frequently (he prefers cold over
room-temperature, you see.) His behavior with the glass is that he paws
the side gently, enough to make it move slightly so that the water is
animated. I think he does this so he can see the water level and
doesn't end up sticking his nose in it, which happens on occasion,
causing him to snort unceremoniously. He'll push the glass in one
direction about an inch, drink, then stop for a breather. Before he
starts to drink again he pushes the glass in the other direction, so it
pretty much stays in front of him. (I used to think he was trying to
pick up the glass, the way I do, but I think that was just wishful
thinking on my part.)

On occasion he puts a paw into the glass, to shake up the water a
little, I think for the same reason: to see where the water level is.

As for human food: forget it. Although he's very interested in what I'm
eating, he sniffs it and decides it isn't for him. I've offered small
bits of chicken, beef, FISH even, and he won't eat it. (Do you think it
might be the ubiquitous garlic?) He seems more interested in the bone
after it's been stripped of meat. (But I don't let him have them.) I
found this interesting because on the surrender papers I got when I
adopted him, the previous owner listed as one of the reasons for giving
him up (in addition to his fighting with her other two cats): "He
"steals my other cats' food *and MINE!*" I envisioned myself cowering
with my plate at dinner time, but not so.

Well, I've rambled, and I apologize, but since I'm new to the group I
thought I'd give a little intro to My Lord and Master Ketzl.

Some pix at:

http://homepage.mac.com/joedid/PhotoAlbum1.html