My cat has ALWAYS played in the water and will NOT drink it normally. She insists on slapping the water with her paws and then licking it off OR she likes to fling it up in the air and catch it with her mouth when it comes down on her face. Then, as if I did this to her, she'll squawk at me like I'm the one who got her face all wet! Sheesh!

Anyway, in order to not have water all over the place and create dangerous situations by having slippery floors when unsuspecting family members walk in to the room, we have moved her water dish into the bath tub. That way she can splash and play all she wants and then we just keep refilling the dish for her.