This isn’t just for picky cats. Many cats don’t drink as much water as they should. Learn the signs of dehydration and how to increase your cat’s water intake to keep them healthy and hydrated.
Have you ever walked by your cat’s water bowl and noticed that your cat didn’t seem to drink at all? You’re not alone! Many cats tend to skip water bowls and lack proper hydration. Cats are smart animals, but why don’t they drink the water in front of them?
Theories abound to explain why so many cats don’t drink enough water, but what we do know for sure is that cats are through and through carnivores. The ancestors of today’s domestic cats were ferocious hunting desert animals. They ate plenty of juicy fresh meat. That meant I had to drink little or no water to meet my needs.
Like their wild ancestors, modern cats seem to lack the natural instinct of taking a sip of water to quench their thirst that dogs, humans and most other animals have. However, if your beloved domestic cat eats dry kibble instead of juicy raw wild meat, this can be a problem.
So cat owners have a conundrum. How can you make sure your cat is getting the water it needs to stay healthy? It all depends on understanding your cat’s needs and knowing how to easily keep her hydrated. increase.
How much water does a cat need?
To stay healthy, cats should consume about 4 ounces of water per 5 pounds of lean body mass per day. (By “lean body mass” I mean all the weight in the body others This means that a healthy 10 pound cat with low body fat should consume about 1 cup of water per day.
You should always monitor your cat’s water bowl to see how much has been removed. However, not all that water has to come from the water bowl. Hydration also comes from your diet, and the type of food you eat makes a big difference.
Most wet food contains 70-80% water, and you can use that percentage to estimate how much water your cat is getting from dinner. Dry food, on the other hand, typically contains only 6-10% moisture by volume.
Accurately calculating how much water your pet is consuming is difficult, but these statistics should serve as a benchmark for estimation. Cliff Note’s version is: If your cat eats dry food and appears to be leaving the water bowl unattended, that’s a danger signal for your cat’s health.
Signs of dehydration in cats
If you suspect your cat isn’t drinking enough water, watch for signs of dehydration. Medically speaking, dehydration is more than just being thirsty. Dehydration occurs when the lack of fluid intake is severe or persistent enough to start affecting the entire body.
Some common signs that you can check for dehydration in your cat include:
- dry and sticky gums
- loss of appetite
- low energy or depression
- weak muscles
- sunken eyes
- Decreased urination (check the toilet for clumps!)
- increased heart rate
- Decrease in skin elasticity
You can easily check the elasticity of your cat’s skin by “tenting” it. That is, gently pinch the skin between the cat’s shoulder blades and pull upwards before letting go. A healthy, moisturized cat’s skin will quickly return to its original state. A dehydrated cat’s skin moves more slowly and retains its pinched shape before returning to its original position.
If your cat shows signs of dehydration, give it water immediately and consult your veterinarian to see if it needs treatment. Subcutaneous or intravenous fluids containing electrolytes can be administered to aid immediate recovery, and can also diagnose underlying medical conditions that may be contributing to dehydration in your cat.
If long-term dehydration is not addressed, it can seriously affect your cat’s health and lead to a variety of medical conditions, including: bladder stones for heart problems. Prompt medical attention is the best way to prevent further health problems and get your cat back in top shape.
What Causes Dehydration?
It’s true that some cats are fussy about drinking from a water bowl, but it’s not necessarily due to dehydration. Anything that causes water loss in cats can lead to dehydration, including:
- vomiting or diarrhea
- some drugs, such as diuretics, used to treat heart disease
- Many diseases such as diabetes, kidney disease, hyperthyroidism
- tooth problem
- loss of appetite
- summer heat
- Colliding with other pets and moving away from the water bowl
Cats are complex creatures and the combination of these factors can cause your pet to become dehydrated. If you notice your cat isn’t getting enough fluids, that doesn’t mean you’ve failed as a pet owner. While you want the best for your cat, there are many strategies you can use to help your cat thrive again.
How to Boost Your Cat’s Hydration
Whether you’re working with your veterinarian to increase your cat’s hydration due to illness, or you want your picky eater to drink more water, there are simple things you can do at home to keep your cat hydrated. There are several Extra hydration!
keep water fresh
Have you ever left a glass of water for a long time and after taking a sip, noticed that the water tasted a little weird? Yes, cats do too.
If you leave the water bowl out all day, dust and hair tend to accumulate in the water. If left longer than that, bacteria may start to grow. Make sure to change the water once or twice a day to keep it fresh and tasty.
In addition, local water quality should also be considered. Do you drink tap water? If you opt for filtered water, your cat might like it too. Contaminants in the water can make cats understandably less attractive, and they may be more willing to drink if they replenish their water from a water filter or bottled water.
replace the water bowl
Just like you have a favorite coffee mug, your cat has a favorite water bowl. The shape of the bowl may have something to do with it. If the bowl is deep and narrow, it can uncomfortably squeeze the whiskers while your cat is drinking. Switch to a wider, shallower bowl and see if your cat likes it.
Plastic bowls are prone to small scratches on the surface, where bacteria can grow and your cat can taste them. Many cats prefer glass, metal, or ceramic bowls that are easy to disinfect.
switch to fountain
In nature, stagnant water can harbor harmful bacteria, so it’s no surprise some cats don’t want to drink from a bowl of water that sits on the floor all day.
If your cat shows interest in the water dripping from the faucet, it’s a good sign that she may be interested in the fountain. Fountains made for cats circulate water constantly to keep it fresh, and provide attractive droplets to provide mental stimulation and may encourage your cat to drink more.
move the water bowl
Your cat may not like where the water bowl is placed in the house. You may be tempted to keep your water bowl in a corner away from traffic, but that can make your cat feel unsafe. A nervous cat likes to look around. So try to place the water bowl in a central location that gives you a wide field of view, or preferably on a raised surface where you can see everything around you.
Territorial issues can also involve other animals in your home. Some pets don’t like sharing their space and resources. Having multiple water bowls around your home can help in many situations by giving you more options to find the one that gives you the location and privacy you need.
add soup to water
There’s a reason why many of the tricks to increasing people’s water intake involve adding tasty concoctions to their water. the work. Everyone loves a good drink and your cat is no exception.
Cats are carnivores, so they love the flavor of meat with unseasoned, unsalted chicken stock or chicken broth in their water bowl. Be careful not to let the cat soup cocktail sit too long. The bowl will contain meat, so wash the bowl well.
rehydrate with food
When you’re thinking about hydration, don’t forget to feed your cat, too. If you currently feed your cat dry food, consider adding an extra spoonful. cheeky wet food Top it off as a food topper or switch to wet cat food entirely. For maximum hydration, Formulated with high-moisture food for your cat!
In addition, wet food is gentle on the teeth, making it ideal for sensitive older cats and deprived kittens. If your cat is a picky eater, wet cat food variety pack To find a dinner to lick the bowl to get every last drop of delicious moisture.
You can also use wet cat treats to secretly hydrate at snack time. Wet treats like this squeezable tube treat have bold flavors that will entice even the most picky of cats and include: the way Contains more water than typical dry treats.
Dehydration can be scary, but a little prevention (and tricks) can go a long way. Giving your cat every opportunity to hydrate will help keep him strong. Knowing the signs of dehydration can help you give your cat the care it needs. May the number of happy cats increase with hydration!