How to Keep Your Cat Hydrated

Last week, we talked about dehydration in cats. If your cat is dehydrated, it will display symptoms such as lethargy, constipation, dry mouth, sunken eyes, increased heart rate, poor skin elasticity, and poor capillary refill time. Check out our previous post for 2 easy at-home tests for dehydration. Today, we’ll talk about 4 simple steps to keep your cat hydrated and healthy.

If you are concerned that your cats may not be drinking enough, try measuring the amount of water they consume in a day. An average cat should consume about a cup of water a day (and more if the cat eats dry food).

Here are our top 4 tips for helping your cat stay hydrated.

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1) Experiment with water type.

Just like people, cats develop preferences about their water consumption. Your cat may prefer tap water, mineral water, or spring water. Try putting out several identical bowls with different types of water. Check which bowl your cat finishes first.

2) Wash and refill the bowl daily.

After taking a single sip of water, 1 bacteria multiplies to about 38,000 within 48 hours.^[1] Cats prefer fresh water instead of stagnant water.

3) Use a stainless steel or ceramic bowl.

Although plastic bowls are popular, they are not the best choice. Plastic will retain odours. Your cat is very sensitive to smells, and she’ll think that it’s tainted. Instead, use a stainless steel or ceramic bowl. They are durable and easy to clean.

4) Try food additives.

If your cat refuses to drink, you may want to flavour his water. You can add water to wet or dry food. Or you can flavour his water with tuna juice or chicken broth. Normally, a cat that won’t drink plain water will try a bowl of tasty broth.

With these simple tips, you can keep your cats hydrated and healthy!

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1.Cat Hydration Facts (PetCo Community) Retrieved from https://community.petco.com/t5/Blog/Cat-Hydration-... on May 20, 2017.