I am worried my cat doesn’t drink water!!!.

[Chris]

Hi Thompson, keep in mind it’s not typical to see healthy cats drink water often. Their ancestry is that of desert animals (think Egypt) and their ability to concentrate their urine and retain water is considerable compared to us or dogs. Cats that drink water noticeably may actually have an underlying medical disorder, especially if urine production is also increased. That said, there is level of importance placed on hydration in cats as this is one (of several) proposed potential connections to kidney disease. Offering canned/soft food is one way of providing hydration. However, providing more wet food in the diet, more often leads to less additional water intake, not more. For cats that are only on dry food, I do suggest providing at least 2-3 sources of water around the house. Fountains are often helpful for encouraging water intake as well, because cats do have a fascination with running water and this can encourage drinking.

[Debra]

I thought the same with my cat and read somewhere that most cats won’t drink water if it’s near their food. Something about the smell of the food near the water … so I still keep water near her food, but added one small bowl upstairs and another small bowl near the back door. Once I did that I’ve noticed she drinks from both bowls that are away from her food. Go figure.

[L]

Hi, i noticed the same with my cat and he got urinary problems. Now i gave him urinary dry food (Does not have to be the same thing with your cat) mixed with a half portion wetfood in the morning for 3 weeks to just hyrdrate him more. And i tried different bowls, it was quite a search and i looked like a crazy cat mom but i ended up with a stone square oven bowl thats not too deep. Small bird baths that are safe for him too drink out worked well too. Multiple bowls could also be something to try.

• This reply was modified 3 weeks, 3 days ago by  L.
• This reply was modified 3 weeks, 3 days ago by  L.