Many cats don’t get enough water to drink. We believe cats know what’s best for their health because of how independent they are, and frequently they do. But a medical emergency involving a dehydrated cat taught me how important it is to encourage cats to drink more water. So, is your cat dehydrated or is it just that they aren’t getting enough? We’ve listed everything you need to know about cats drinking water, including ways to encourage your cat to do so:
How Much Water Should Cats Drink?
What quantity of water is “enough”? In a PetMD article, Dr. Jennifer Coates suggests that a 10-pound cat on a dry food diet consumes roughly 1 cup of water daily. The same cat needs around 1/3 cup of water daily when eating wet food.
1. Go to a diet high in moist foods.
Simply stated, canned food contains more moisture. My veterinarian claims that this is the simplest approach to encourage your cat to drink more water and prevent dehydration.
If your cat won’t eat wet food, try moistening dry food with broth or water and see if it works. If your cat like canned food, moisten it even more by adding water or broth. Some cats adore the soup-like texture this produces.
2. Use ice cubes in your cat’s food as a test.
It provides moisture and functions as a small reward for the cat. The flavor of the meal is transferred to the cube, and when your cat licks the cube, he also consumes more water. If your cat isn’t drinking any water, you could try putting some ice cubes in its water bowl. Like some humans, some cats love ice-cold water.
3. Serve small meals more frequently.
A cat that isn’t drinking water may start doing so if he receives food more frequently because eating makes you thirsty.
4. Place water containers all over the house.
Provide several agua stations around the house to make it incredibly simple for your cat to receive a drink. Fun Snack bowls with custom designs are available at Chewy for $12.99. It’s possible that a cat who doesn’t drink water will have problems getting to the water. Romeo, my cat, enjoys sipping water from my cups. It might also encourage your cat to drink more water if you leave a few strategically placed drinking glasses nearby.
5. Be Cautious of where the water bowl is.
The location of the cat’s water bowl might not be appealing to the feline. Apart from his litter box, keep your cat’s water bowl. Would you like to consume alcohol close to a bathroom?
6. Ensure that the bowls are consistently refilled.
Who can blame cats for clean water? To prevent it from becoming slimy and unpleasant, make sure to wash the bowl thoroughly with soap and water on a regular basis and replace the water at least once daily.
7. Tap the faucet.
Use this as a fantastic opportunity to encourage your cat to drink more if he is drawn to rushing water. You might only need to make drinking water into a pleasant game for your cat if it won’t. Try letting the faucet run for a short while multiple times each day. Have some quality bonding time with your loved ones over a long, cold drink of water by incorporating it into your morning and evening routines, for instance.
8. Water flavoring.
If a cat isn’t drinking water, flavored water might be consumed! By adding a little chicken broth or tuna juice to their water, you can attempt to get your cats to drink more.
9. Utilize cat fountains.
A lot of cats enjoy drinking from fountains. They might need some time to get the hang of it, but as soon as they do, they’ll enjoy it! The flowing water in fountains like this one by Cate Mate ($27.95, Chewy) is fascinating to cats and keeps the water fresh. If you frequently forget to change your cat’s water bowl, this is undoubtedly helpful.
10. Play around with several styles of cat dishes.
Drinking bowls can now be added to the list of things that cats are picky about (huge shocker!). Try exploring different surfaces like glass, stainless steel, ceramic, or plastic to see if your cat has a preference.
Conclusion
Everyone, even your cat, could use a little more water in their systems. Many advantages come from encouraging your cat to drink more water, and you can prevent the risky health problems associated with a dehydrated cat. More water leads to increased urination, more happy people, and a healthier cat!
