Cat paws around the water dish? No matter what?

I can't tell you why she does that or what it means, but I can tell you that it's fairly common. Both of my cats do it at times, around their bowls and even in the bathroom sink when they're taking a drink from the faucet. Some cats do it around their litter box. I volunteer in the cat room at a local shelter and I've seen a lot of cats do that same strange thing. Some dip their paw into their water bowl, lick their paw, then repeat. It's apparently how they prefer to drink water. Try to ignore that behavior if it's driving you crazy, and keep in mind it's no reflection on how you maintain her food and water bowls. Think of it as a little 'quirk.' We all have unique quirks of our own. Try double-stick tape to hold her bowls in place so she can't easily spill them.