Dear Miss Fifi:

My cat always plays in his water bowl, splashing water everywhere. I have had to put his bowls inside a baking pan with a towel underneath just to keep the water off the floor. Why does he do this and how can I make him stop?

- Steph

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Dear Steph:

Hmmm ... Miss Fifi's in a bit of a pickle here. What I really want to tell you is that your cat can't help that it's so flaky—he is, after all, not a dog.

But in deference to feline sympathizers out there (somewhere), I'll be nice and tell you that it sounds to me like he's just having a bit of fun. If you're really worried about it, though, get in touch with a pet behavior specialist. There are several listed on the WRAL.com Pets Section.

Good luck!