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9 Tips and Tricks to Get Your Cat to Drink More Water

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Water is critical for every creature, cats included. Setting up good water-drinking habits is therefore essential for your cat.

Drinking water regularly helps your cat remain active and healthy. Cats who may not be getting enough water risk developing health complications. 

So how do you encourage your cat to drink more water? And what do you do if your feline friend won't drink water?

Here's what every cat parent needs to know about helping their cat drink adequate water.

Why is Water Essential for Cats?

Assuming that your cat isn't getting enough water, either through food, drinking water, or both, they could develop some common feline diseases, including;

  • Chronic kidney disease
  • Bladder stones
  • Feline idiopathic cystitis (urinary tract disease)
  • Obesity

Seeing how that water is critical for your cat's well-being, let's take a look at some tips for promote good drinking habits:

1. Switch to Wet-food

If your cat dislikes water, switching to wet food and water-rich diets is the easiest way to get your cat to drink more water. Wet food contains more moisture that helps fill in for cats that avoid drinking water directly. 

You can also add broth or more water to the food to richen the water content.

2. Change the Feeding Routine

You might also try adjusting their feeding routine - feeding small food portions but more frequently. This hack encourages hydration by triggering thirst every time your cat feeds. 

It works for cats mostly that feed on dry food.

3. Place Multiple Water Bowls Throughout the House

If water is always easily accessible, your cat is more likely to drink some. Have several wide water bowls strategically positioned at your residence. 

To make it more enticing, use their favorite water bowls.

4. Be Mindful of the Water Bowl Location

The current location of the water bowl may also be discouraging proper hydration habits.

Put water bowls in places your cat enjoys and likes to hang out. Definitely nowhere near their litter box. 

You may even need to place the bowl in a feeding station rather than out in the open.

5. Refill the Bowls Regularly with Fresh Water

It could be that you don't change or refill your cats' water frequently. Just as you like clean and fresh water, so do cats. Stale water is a huge cat turn-off.

Ensure to change the water at least once per day. Additionally, observe water bowl hygiene. 

Every water bowl must be thoroughly cleaned before you fill up freshwater.

6. Add Some Flavor

An occasional flavor boost might motivate your cat to drink more water. For example, try adding chicken broth, tuna, or salmon juice to make the water tasty. 

Some catnip will also make water more appealing while keeping their spirits high.

7. Try Different Cat Bowls

Cats are fussy, and their current water bowl may not impress them. It could be the color, or material used (stainless steel, ceramic, plastic, or glass) or even the bowl’s shape. 

Whatever the cause, closely observe your cat's behavior and see if the water bowl could be an issue. If it is, find out their tastes and adjust to their preferences.

8. Use Running water/ Water Fountain

Cats were once wild animals before domestication. Consequently, they prefer to drink running water because it seems natural and safe for them. 

As such, most cats will instinctively refrain from drinking still water from a bowl due to suspicion, among other reasons.

If your cat is attracted to running water from taps/ faucets, take the opportunity and get them to drink more. You can also turn the drinking moment into part of playtime. 

You can also try cat fountains which cats find fascinating. They provide fresh and moving water while taking away the hassle of changing the water bowl daily.

9. Add Cubes in Water

Some cats like their water icy-cold. As your cat enjoys licking the ice cube, they get to consume more water. Besides, ice cubes help the water taste fresher. 

Aside from water cubes, try making cubes out of broth which also doubles as a tasty treat.

The Takeaway

Water makes up about 60 percent of your cat's body weight.

For good healthy and proper bodily function, cats must stay properly hydrated by consistently drinking enough water.

This helps replace water lost through bodily functions such as breathing, exercising, exploring the great outdoors, etc.

On the other hand, dehydration can negatively impact your cat's health. From a young age, set up a good routine that makes drinking water a habit.

You can also supplement water intake by administering wet cat food.



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