Perhaps the Cat Is Just Dehydrated

It’s difficult to say if this cat is simple-minded or genuinely highly bright. Ultimately, this is a really decent technique to acquire some water for the cat if it is thirsty. On the other hand, if that tap is turned on, they will most likely nearly drown in water. Thus, it’s possible that the cat is intelligent; they simply require some direction.

scissors-britches
It’s possible that the cat was just interested in biting into the large, shiny metal object in front of them and had no intention of drinking at all.